PTSD

PTSD manifests in four groups of symptoms:

Intrusive memories (re-experiencing)

Re-experiencing the trauma through flashbacks, nightmares, or intense memories that arise involuntarily. Your body and mind react as if the trauma is happening again.

Avoidance

Avoiding places, situations, people, or thoughts that remind you of what happened. Many withdraw socially to escape the discomfort.

Negative thoughts and feelings

Persistent guilt, shame, fear, or numbness. You may lose interest in activities you once enjoyed and find it difficult to experience positive emotions.

Heightened alertness (hypervigilance)

Constant vigilance and state of alarm. You may be easily startled, sleep poorly, have difficulty concentrating, and react strongly to sounds or movements.

It is normal to react strongly after a traumatic experience — your body and mind need time to process what happened. We speak of PTSD when symptoms persist for more than one month and begin to affect your daily life.

Signs that you may have PTSD:
You avoid thinking or talking about what happened. You re-experience the trauma through flashbacks or nightmares. You have strong emotional or physical reactions to triggers. You feel numb, detached, or unable to connect with others. Your daily functioning — work, relationships, sleep — is clearly affected.

Many people live for years with untreated PTSD because the symptoms can be confused with anxiety, depression, or exhaustion.

Complex PTSD (CPTSD)

Arises from prolonged or repeated trauma — such as childhood abuse, sustained domestic violence, or war. Complex PTSD includes all the symptoms of standard PTSD, plus difficulties with emotional regulation, negative self-image, and challenges in relationships.

Acute stress reaction

A short-term reaction occurring within days to weeks after a trauma. Not everyone with an acute stress reaction will develop PTSD, but early intervention is important to prevent further development.

Effective treatment for PTSD exists, and most people experience significant improvement with the right help.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

An evidence-based treatment method in which eye movements are used to help the brain process traumatic memories. EMDR is recommended by Norwegian health authorities and is effective for both PTSD and complex PTSD.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT)

Helps you identify and change negative thought patterns related to the trauma. Through gradual exposure and cognitive techniques, you process experiences in a safe environment.

Stabilisation and resource-building

For complex PTSD, treatment often begins with stabilisation — building a sense of safety, regulating emotions, and strengthening daily life — before working directly with traumatic memories.

At Dr. Dropin Psychology, we offer structured PTSD assessments for adults over 18. The assessment gives you a thorough evaluation and answers whether you have PTSD, forming the basis for the right treatment.

If you just need someone to talk to, or want to start treatment without an assessment, you can book an appointment directly with one of our psychologists.