Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

After a traumatic event, it makes sense that people experience strong emotions and thoughts related to what has happened, including fear, sadness, guilt, anger, and loss. Over time, these feelings usually slowly resolve. However, for some people emotional distress persists and they experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

These can include: a sense of re-living the traumatic event through “flashbacks” and nightmares, avoidance of anything related to the traumatic event, negative thoughts and feelings, feeling flat or numb, withdrawing from friends/family and usual activities, feeling wound-up, difficulty sleeping and being easily startled.

Psychological interventions recommended as treatments for PTSD by government and medical organisations and supported by first line evidence based research include trauma-focused and exposure based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). For more info see our Resources section