Medical PTSD:

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Medical PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing a traumatic medical event, such as a severe illness, serious accident, or a traumatic childbirth. It is characterized by symptoms like reliving the event through nightmares and flashbacks, avoiding people or places connected to the trauma, negative thoughts and feelings, and being easily startled or feeling on edge. These symptoms are severe and persistent enough to significantly disrupt daily life, affecting relationships, work, and overall functioning. 

Causes

• Traumatic Medical Events: Any serious health problem, such as a cancer diagnosis, a severe accident, or a traumatic childbirth experience can lead to PTSD.
• Witnessing Trauma: Experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as a natural disaster or violent assault, is a common cause.
• Individual Factors: Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD; factors like the severity and duration of trauma, inherited mental health risks, and personality traits can play a role. 

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Common Symptoms

• Intrusion Symptoms: Re-experiencing the trauma through nightmares or flashbacks, as well as intrusive, unwanted thoughts and memories.
• Avoidance: Avoiding people, places, conversations, or activities that trigger memories of the traumatic event.
• Negative Thoughts and Moods: Having negative thoughts about oneself or the world, feeling emotionally numb or detached, experiencing feelings of guilt, and losing interest in daily activities.
• Hyperarousal: Feeling on edge, easily startled, having trouble sleeping or concentrating, and increased irritability. 

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Impact on Daily Life

• Symptoms of PTSD can be so severe and persistent that they significantly interfere with a person's ability to function at work, in their relationships, and in their social life. 

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• Overview - Post-traumatic stress disorder - NHS

  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Sy...

  

  nhs.uk

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Definition of post-traumatic stress disorder - NCI Dictionary of ...

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Traumatic Events and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (.gov)