Cannabis for Veterans
Although the standard symptoms of PTSD are grouped into several categories, diagnosis can initially be difficult to determine with some people. For some, the symptoms manifest themselves immediately after the trauma, and for others, they may not show up until months or even years after the trauma or PTSD-inducing experience.
However, one thing is universally agreed on, and that is the fact that to be diagnosed with PTSD, you need to experience at least one of each type of symptom and need to have those symptoms for at least a month.
SYMPTOMS OF PTSD
The four main categories of PTSD symptoms include:
Re-experiencing/Intrusive Memories.
This category of symptoms encompasses a large number of different things. For some people who suffer from PTSD, it can mean experiencing flashbacks to the triggering event. While for others, it can include torturous nightmares and recurring dreams associated with the trauma or event. In other cases, it may just be as simple as an individual having trouble dealing with or coping with their ongoing thoughts about the trauma they endured or witnessed.
Avoidance. Avoidance is a very common symptom amongst those who suffer from PTSD. It causes them to avoid and stay clear of locations, people, or thoughts that remind them of or are somehow connected to the trauma in a manner that causes the individual to access or trigger memories and feelings associated with the PTSD-inducing trauma.
Mood or thought changes. It has been proven that PTSD can change the way people think and feel about the world around them. Mood or thought changes can cause the PTSD sufferer to struggle with remembering the event or trauma. They create a negative feeling about themselves and the world around them—resulting in their losing interest in even the simplest things, activities, and events they
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