 Hey, Psych2Goers! Do you have suspicions that you are suffering from PTSD, but are not exactly sure? Maybe you're unsure if what you went through qualifies as traumatic, or perhaps you have doubts as to whether you have PTSD because you're still able to go through your day and fulfill tasks and responsibilities. Perhaps you've seen cases of PTSD in others and have thought that what you go through is not as severe in validating your own feelings. So what is PTSD? PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a psychological condition that can occur as a response to a traumatic incident. This includes threats of death or harm, such as war, sexual assault, violence, motor accidents, natural disasters, or medical emergencies. PTSD can be experienced in different forms and to various degrees. Remember that feelings about your trauma are always valid. With that said, here are five signs of high-functioning PTSD. Number one, extreme emotional reactions. Trauma can lead to what is called hypervigilance. Do you often feel anxious, stressed out, and on edge? You might feel as though you're constantly on high alert as a result of trauma that you've experienced. Do you find that you get startled rather easily? And on top of that is your reaction to being startled unusually intense, even violent at times. Perhaps you feel particularly irritable and are prone to outbursts of anger from the strain of constantly feeling tense and on edge. It's one thing to be cautious, but have you been overly conscious of your surroundings and on the lookout for potential threats? To the point that everyday life becomes a struggle, trauma can cause these feelings, habits, and reactions as your fight or flight response intensifies. Number two, negative changes in thoughts and mood. Have you noticed certain negative changes in your thoughts and mood? This can occur in different forms. You may be struggling with reoccurring feelings of fear, horror, anger, or hopelessness. You might experience emotions similar to depression, such as losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, or feeling unable to experience joy and other positive feelings. You might have also developed negative thoughts about other people, the world, or yourself. Perhaps you've been feeling guilt and shame. Even though the traumatic incident is not your fault, you may have convinced yourself that it is. Number three, avoidance. Trauma may leave you feeling vulnerable, on the edge, and unsafe, understandably so, which may then lead you to avoid and withdraw from certain things in order to feel safe or protect yourself. You might find yourself avoiding people, places, conversations, or situations that remind you of the traumatic event. Perhaps you've been going out of your way to take different routes or cancel plans with friends, even though you may have some desire to have a good time and see people. You may back out of situations or get away from certain people to avoid any reminders of your trauma, or perhaps because you're feeling too overwhelmed to socialize. Additionally, you may find yourself avoiding some of your own thoughts. All in all, the constant avoidance can be exhausting and take a toll on your mental health. Number four, physical problems. You may also experience physical manifestations of your struggle with trauma, such as insomnia. Have you been having trouble sleeping? Perhaps your fears have been keeping you up at night, or you've been having nightmares related to the trauma you experienced. You may also experience certain physical sensations when you're reminded of the incident, such as increased heart rate, sweating, breathing difficulties, or feeling faint, often tied to anxiety. These are signs that you may be suffering from PTSD. And number five, reliving the trauma. You may have also been reliving the traumatic incident. Have you been having recurrent memories of the event? These may occur in spite of you trying not to think about it. As previously mentioned, you might also have nightmares in which you relive the event or dream about circumstances related to it. Nightmares are also different from flashbacks, in which you might relive the incident as if it were really happening again. These are signs you might be suffering from PTSD. PTSD symptoms can vary from case to case in terms of severity and types of experiences. Or a proper diagnosis, please do not hesitate to reach out to a qualified mental health professional. Living with trauma can be a daily struggle. Therapy and treatment from a qualified professional can help. There is no guarantee that PTSD symptoms will go away on their own or just lessen with time. But there are resources that can help people regain a good quality of life.