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Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often involve reexperiencing the traumatic ordeal through memories, flashbacks, frightening thoughts or nightmares. These are most likely to occur when patients come into contact with events or objects that remind them of the initial trauma, or on anniversaries related to the traumatic event.

PTSD can also cause patients to experience emotional numbness, particularly in regard to people with whom they were once close. They may stop enjoying certain activities (anhedonia), and may avoid people or places that remind them of the traumatic event. Their memory may suffer, especially when attempting to recall details of the trauma that caused the PTSD. Depression is also commonly associated with the disorder.

At the same time that patients become numb to certain feelings, they may show increased arousal in other ways. For example, they may be prone to feelings of intense guilt (if they survived a trauma in which others perished, or based on what they had to do to survive). Patients may also have sudden angry outbursts. They may become jumpy and have trouble concentrating. Other symptoms include sleep disturbances, anxiety and irritability.

Physical symptoms may include headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, immune system problems, dizziness, chest pain or discomfort in other parts of the body. Recent research also indicates that patients with PTSD may have a diminished sensitivity to physical pain.

PTSD symptoms usually begin within three months of a traumatic event. However, in some cases symptoms are delayed for months or even years. Symptoms will sometimes begin to dissipate within six months. In other cases, patients may experience symptoms for months or years longer. Symptoms tend to be worse when the patient is the victim of or witness to an intentional act caused by another person, rather than by nature or chance.

Patients with PTSD are often diagnosed with other associated mental disorders, including depression, substance abuse, eating disorders and other anxiety disorders. They also have a greater risk of committing suicide.