8 Signs You Have Chronic PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects about six out of 100 Americans following some type of trauma. Though many people are able to find recovery from their PTSD symptoms, some may experience chronic issues associated with complex PTSD.

At Klarity Clinic, our physicians have extensive experience using ketamine infusion therapy to keep PTSD symptoms well-controlled. Ketamine therapy is especially helpful for those with complex PTSD, a disorder that can develop after long-term episodes of trauma.

Our ketamine specialists customize a care plan to your specific needs, so you can live a life free of anxiety, flashbacks, and other PTSD-related symptoms. We also provide wellness resources that help you cope with a PTSD diagnosis.

Here, we outline eight lesser-known symptoms of PTSD, so you can recognize the warning signs and get the help you deserve.

8 Chronic PTSD Symptoms That May Be Under Your Radar

PTSD is a complicated condition, and it isn’t well understood why some people develop the disorder after trauma while others do not.

Widely recognized symptoms of PTSD include anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares, but the condition can also cause symptoms that are more difficult to diagnose, including:

1. Avoidance

People with PTSD can go to great lengths to avoid situations that remind them of their traumatic experience. For instance, if you witness a traumatic train accident, you may do everything you can to avoid riding on or being around any type of train. If you’re a victim of assault by a male, you may have a strong desire to avoid any man at all costs.

Internal avoidance is particularly subtle – those with PTSD may internally avoid dealing with intrusive and negative thoughts, which can be harder to notice for people on the outside looking in. You might:

Refuse to talk about the traumatic event
Push away thoughts related to the trauma
Avoid therapy or treatment
Use substances to numb emotional pain

2. Hypervigilance

PTSD can trigger feelings of hypervigilance, making you always feel the need to be on alert for threats, even in secure environments.

PTSD sufferers may:

Resist sitting with their back to the public
Stay up throughout the night on guard in case something happens
Constantly scan their surroundings for danger
Feel unable to relax in “safe” environments
Experience extreme alertness that leads to exhaustion

3. Being Easily Startled

PTSD can make you extra sensitive to being startled, especially when the startling situation relates to the original trauma.

This increased sensitivity can cause an overly dramatic response to being surprised, such as:

Physically lashing out at the person who startled you
Experiencing immediate panic or terror
Having a fight-or-flight response to minor surprises
Reacting intensely to loud noises or sudden movements

4. Risky Behaviors

Despite their hypervigilance about their safety, a person with PTSD may still engage in risky or reckless behaviors that put them in harm’s way.

These behaviors most often include:

Drinking and driving
Recreational drug use
Gambling
Starting fights
Engaging in dangerous activities
Self-destructive patterns

This seemingly contradictory behavior often stems from feeling disconnected from consequences or attempting to feel “alive” again after trauma.

5. Memory Loss

Memory loss associated with PTSD is known as dissociative amnesia. You may have trouble remembering periods of time or specific circumstances of events.

This condition is different than forgetfulness or memory issues linked to traumatic injury. Common experiences include:

Inability to remember key aspects of the trauma
Gaps in memory surrounding traumatic events
Difficulty recalling details of daily life during traumatic periods
Feeling confused about timeline of events

6. Depersonalization

Depersonalization describes a feeling of detachment from yourself. You may feel like:

You’re living in a dream
Time moves slowly or strangely
You frequently see yourself from outside of your body
You’re watching your life happen to someone else
Your body or thoughts don’t belong to you
You’re disconnected from your emotions

This dissociative symptom can be particularly distressing and interfere with daily functioning.

7. Concentration Difficulties

PTSD can affect your cognitive function and cause problems with your concentration abilities, verbal learning, and information processing.

These issues can make it difficult to:

Keep up with responsibilities at home and at work
Pay bills on time
Remember appointments
Stay on track with work-related tasks
Follow conversations or instructions
Complete projects you start
Make decisions effectively

8. Chronic Pain

The increased levels of stress on your body that PTSD causes can ultimately lead to chronic pain.

There isn’t clear understanding among the medical community about the link between chronic pain and PTSD, but many with the disorder experience:

Persistent headaches
Neck pain
Back pain
Muscle tension and soreness
Unexplained body aches
Fibromyalgia-like symptoms

This pain often has no identifiable physical cause but is very real and debilitating.

How Ketamine Therapy Helps Chronic PTSD

If you or someone you love is experiencing these issues, don’t delay a PTSD evaluation. Our providers can determine if you’re a candidate for ketamine infusion therapy based on the severity of your symptoms and their impact on your quality of life.

Ketamine therapy works by:

Disrupting traumatic memory reconsolidation
Promoting new neural pathway formation
Rapidly reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety
Providing relief when traditional treatments haven’t worked

Get Help Today

Call the Klarity Clinic office near you today to schedule a PTSD consultation, or book an appointment online. You don’t have to live with the burden of chronic PTSD – help is available.