Lably
Skip to content

Traumatic stress

Common term for reactive anxiety and depression

  • 3 min read
  • 2 chapters

Related on Lably

Through Anxiety, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and Post-traumatic stress disorder

Symptoms

Symptoms of traumatic stress can be both physical and emotional. Physical symptoms include trembling, shaking, a pounding heart, rapid breathing, choking feelings, stomach tightening/churning, dizziness/faintness, and cold sweats. Emotional symptoms include racing thoughts and excessive feelings of shock, disbelief, fear, sadness, helplessness, guilt, anger, shame and anxiety. Furthermore, many people revert to certain coping mechanisms. In children, that may include a loss of being able to take care of themselves (no longer able to eat on their own or be toilet trained). In adults, there can be an increase in impulsive behavior and dependence on others (leading to an inability for them to make "thoughtful, autonomous decisions".

Sign in to keep reading

One more chapter is free with a Lably account.

More in Psychology