Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs following a severely traumatic incident or a series of less severe incidents. Complex PTSD can be experienced as a result of repeated childhood traumas.

It is normal to experience stress after a trauma, but the symptoms normally diminish after several weeks. If the symptoms persist, then trauma-focused CBT or EMDR are currently recommended as the treatments of choice.

Symptoms include flashbacks (traumatic re-living of the event, including images, sounds, emotions and physical sensations) and nightmares, resulting in severe anxiety and/or angry reactions or avoidance of any triggers that may remind the individual of the incident in some way.

PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress occurs following a traumatic incident.