What causes PTSD and what are some symptoms that can be found with having the mental illness?
“Always remember, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because you have survived!” ― Michelle Templet
PTSD is diagnosed after a person experiences symptoms for at least one month following a traumatic event. However symptoms may not appear until several months or even years later. The disorder is characterized by three main types of symptoms, Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares, Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma, Increased arousal such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered. These can happen when there is exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation, directly experiencing the traumatic events, witnessing, in person, the traumatic events, learning that the traumatic events occurred to a close family member or close friend; cases of actual or threatened death must have been violent or accidental, experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic events. Persistent avoidance of distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic events or of external reminders (i.e., people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations). Two or more of the following: inability to remember an important aspect of the traumatic events (not due to head injury, alcohol, or drugs), persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted,” "The world is completely dangerous"), persistent, distorted blame of self or others about the cause or consequences of the traumatic events, persistent fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame, markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities, feelings of detachment or estrangement from others, persistent inability to experience positive emotions.
Source
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/symptoms