Features

Description

Intrusion and re-experiencing

Unsought intrusive memories ranging from mild to severe dissociative flashbacks.

Avoidance and numbing

The avoidance of any cues or triggers relating to the traumatic event including people, places, or contexts, often resulting in the isolation of the individual. This isolation is often the product of the generalisation of these triggers into everyday life.

Negative mood and impaired cognition

Ranging from depressive episodes, emotional numbing, concentration problems and anhedonia (lacking the feeling of pleasure).

Hyperarousal

Characterised by irritability, hypervigilance, decreased sleep, increased startle response and arousal-related self-destructive behaviour.

Pervasive Dissociative Symptoms

Depersonalisation - dissociative behaviour towards one’s feelings, thoughts, sensations, body or actions and experiences of detachment from reality.

De-realisation - experiencing symptoms of detachment or unreality towards one’s surroundings.