Symptoms are grouped into different categories. The symptoms may include:

• Reliving – flashbacks, hallucinations, nightmares of the incident
• Avoiding – avoiding people, places, things, or memories that remind the trauma
• Excessive arousal – increased alertness, anger, fits of rage, irritability, or hatred, difficulty sleeping or concentrating
• Intrusive negative distressing thoughts or feelings such as guilt
• Flat affect
• Young children may show delays in toilet training, motor skills, or language.

Common tests & procedures

Psychological examination: Done for evaluating and assessing the patient’s disorder

Blood test: To check for any infections or drug abuse.

CT scan: To check for abnormalities in the brain.