PTSD Symptoms Across Different Age Groups

Comprehensive Guide to PTSD Symptoms Across Different Age Groups

Everyone has different experiences with trauma, being aware about the common PTSD symptoms can lead to early diagnosis and treatment. A loud noise or a familiar fragrance brought you immediately back to the awful event. It may be an indication or symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. These PTSD causes might arise as a result of frightening or scary events.

“After a traumatic experience, the human system of self-preservation seems to go onto permanent alert, as if the danger might return at any moment.”

Judith Lewis Herman

PTSD Symptoms

PTSD Symptoms or trauma can result from multiple painful experiences, including:

• Combat in the military
• Violence
• Racism
• Childhood neglect
• Accidents
• Natural catastrophes
• Personal tragedies

4 Major symptoms of PTSD

Although everyone with post-traumatic stress disorder has different symptoms, there are four that should be highlighted:

1. Reliving the trauma

You tend to replay the painful trauma symptoms through memories, flashbacks or nightmares. Moreover, you experience intense mental or physical responses when reminded of the incident

2. Avoidance and numbing

You are unable to recall details of the event and lost interest in life and its activities. Thus, feeling disconnected from the world and having a feeling of a limited outlook for the future.

3. Hypervigilance

Hypervigilance is another sign of PTSD including sleep issues, overwhelm and irritability as if you are always on “red alert. Also, you get easily startled or jittery, have angry outbursts and indulge in reckless behaviour.

4. Feeling isolated

PTSD triggers negative thoughts and mood shifts, making you feel isolated and lonely. You struggle to concentrate but the following take over your life

• Betrayal
• Distrust
• Shame
• Guilt

For PTSD treatment, you should seek professional help. It needs to be noted that women, men and children experience PTSD symptoms differently. Let us discuss how the symptoms of PTSD differ in men and women.

PTSD Symptoms in men, women and children

What are the symptoms of PTSD in women?

Women with PTSD from a trauma often hesitate to seek help. That’s why they identified with more trauma symptoms.
Women are more exposed to PTSD than men. About 8 out of every 100 women (or 8%) and 4 out of every 100 men (or 4%) will experience PTSD at some point in their lives.

Typical PTSD symptoms in females include:

• Avoidance
• Increased anxiety
• A strong startle reflexes
• Hypervigilance
• Sleep problems
• Concentration issues
• Irritability
• Panic incidents
• Reliving the traumatic event
• Emotional Apathy/ numbness

What are the symptoms of PTSD in men?

At some point in their lives, men also suffer from Post-traumatic stress disorder, but due to the stigma attached to their mental health, they often do not seek treatment. Most of the time they are unaware of their symptoms entirely.
Here is how PTSD symptoms arises in men:

• Being incredibly lonely or isolated
• Feeling tremendous emotions but unable to control them
• Being always alert
• Having bad memories
• Dissociation/ avoidance
• Constantly preparing for any future trauma
• Sense of helplessness or shame

What are the Symptoms of PTSD in Children?

A few studies of the general population have been conducted that examine rates of exposure and PTSD in children and adolescents. Results from these studies indicate that 15 to 43% of girls and 14 to 43% of boys have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Of those children and adolescents who have experienced a trauma, 3 to 15% of girls and 1 to 6% of boys could be diagnosed with PTSD.
PTSD diagnosis in kids, particularly young children, symptoms and signs of PTSD may differ from that of adults. They could include:

• The fear of separation from parents
• The loss of developed skills (such as toilet training)
• Sleep issues and nightmares
• Fears and anxieties or phobias
• Pains and discomforts that do not reveal the source
• Aggression and irritability

Final Thoughts

Living with PTSD is traumatising. There are many treatments and a PTSD support group that helps you to get off this nasty disease. Coping with PTSD is not impossible now, Contact Concise Medico, for PTSD treatment services and expert witness reports for court.