Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event can lead to PTSD. Examples include childhood neglect or abuse, domestic violence, a violent event such as rape, an accident, military combat, terrorism as well as emotional and physical abuse, illness and complex grief. PTSD may be a cause of relapse if left untreated.

Alcohol and drugs are often abused as a coping mechanism following psychological symptoms of trauma and PTSD may be a cause of relapse if left untreated.

PTSD symptoms include:

• Flashbacks
• Emotional instability and mood swings
• Nightmares
• Sleep disturbance
• Anxiety
• Numbing
• Avoidance of anything that reminds the person of the trauma
• Hyperarousal
• Hypervigilance.