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 have strong reactions after a traumatic experience – your body and mind need time to process what has happened. However, you may have signs of PTSD if the 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. Or because a person carries unhelpful feelings such as guilt and shame, or does not want to talk about the distressing experiences.

1. Acute Stress Reaction

This is a short-term reaction that usually occurs within days or weeks immediately following an overwhelming event. The condition is often temporary, and not everyone who experiences an acute stress reaction will go on to develop PTSD. However, it is still important to receive appropriate support early to process the event and help prevent further complications.

2. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

If an acute stress reaction persists (typically for more than a month) and does not resolve on its own, it may develop into PTSD. This often occurs after a specific, life-threatening, or deeply distressing event. Core symptoms include re-experiencing the event (for example, through nightmares or “flashbacks”), actively avoiding reminders of the trauma, and being in a constant state of heightened alertness.

3. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

This is a more severe and complex condition that arises after prolonged or repeated trauma over time – for example, childhood abuse, long-term domestic violence, or experiences of war and displacement. Complex PTSD includes all the classic symptoms of PTSD but is additionally characterized by persistent difficulties with emotion regulation, a deeply negative self-concept, and significant challenges in relationships with others.

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

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
A treatment method that uses eye movements to help the brain process traumatic memories. EMDR is recommended by the Norwegian Directorate of Health and is effective for both PTSD and complex PTSD.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Helps you identify and change negative thought patterns related to the trauma. Through gradual exposure and cognitive techniques, you work through the experiences in a safe and supportive environment.

Stabilization and Resource-Oriented Approaches
For complex PTSD, treatment often begins with stabilization – building safety, regulating emotions, calming the nervous system, 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.