Your chances of developing PTSD after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event also increase if you have underlying mental health problems, from anxiety disorders to depression, or relatives who have these conditions. Your risk also increases if you lack a support system to help you cope with the trauma you experienced or witnessed.

According to PsychCentral, people who are suffering from PTSD often experience persistent, frightening thoughts and memories (also called flashbacks) of their ordeal or the event they witnessed. They may withdraw emotionally from loved ones and close friends and become “numb.” Mayo Clinic also notes that patients with PTSD suffer from extreme anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic events, which may be accompanied by phobias or rituals that have become coping mechanisms.

PTSD may be difficult to diagnose because symptoms can vary in intensity over time or based on circumstances. For example, a combat veteran may hear a loud noise, such as a firecracker, and relive a combat experience, experiencing an increase in symptoms immediately after the trigger and eventually having them ease. For others, symptoms may become worse over time, especially without treatment, as they develop related conditions, such as depression.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Many people who experience traumatic events will go through a period of adjustment afterward, while they recover physically and mentally and as they process and learn to deal with the event they experienced. For most, these symptoms, which can mimic those of PTSD initially, will fade over time.

However, if the symptoms persist or become progressively worse over time, or if they are so severe that they begin to interfere with your daily life, you may have developed PTSD. In others, these symptoms may not arise for years after the event – such as in the case of childhood abuse or neglect.

What Symptoms Should I Watch For?

Mayo Clinic reports that PTSD symptoms are typically classified into four categories: