Signs and Symptoms
Traumatic Stress Awareness
Remember the last significant critical incident to which you were exposed. Using the list below, indicate which symptoms you experienced, if any, and how long they persisted.
- Nightmares (more than once a week)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Intrusive memories (more than once a day)
- Flashbacks
- Fear and/or avoidance of similar situations
- Avoidance of people or things that remind you of the critical incident
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anger or hostility
- Stress-related physical complaints
- Withdrawal from usual activities
- Feeling "numb" or detached
- Depressed mood
- Feeling guilty
- Feeling anxious
- Feeling as though the world no longer "makes sense"
- Questioning religious values
- Hyper-vigilance
- Exaggerated startle response
- Difficulty remembering the critical incident
Any of the following symptoms may indicate the need for emotional support or medical evaluation. When in doubt, contact a physician.
Physical
- Chills
- Thirst
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Fainting
- Rapid heart rate
- Chest pain
- Profuse sweating
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Twitches
- Muscle tremors
- Grinding of teeth
- Visual difficulties
- Elevated blood pressure
- Shock symptoms
Cognitive
- Hyper-vigilance
- Blaming someone
- Suspiciousness
- Uncertainty
- Confusion
- Disorientation of time, place, or person
- Poor concentration or memory
- Difficulty identifying objects or person
- Poor problem solving
- Poor abstract thinking
- Heightened or lowered alertness
- Increased or decreased awareness of surroundings
- Nightmares
- Intrusive images
Emotional
- Fear
- Apprehension
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Guilt
- Grief
- Emotional shock
- Depression
- Denial
- Agitation
- Irritability
- Intense anger
- Loss of emotional control
- Inappropriate emotional response
- Emotional outbursts
Behavioral
- Increased alcohol consumption
- Loss or increase of appetite
- Inability to rest
- Intensified pacing
- Erratic movements
- Hyper-alert to environment
- Withdrawal
- Antisocial acts
- Change in social activity
- Change in speech patterns
- Change in usual communications