Avoidance Symptoms
The individual will relentlessly avoid things that will remind them of trauma. [6] For example, they may avoid going into a violent park or office building or avoid talking to someone of the same race as the perpetrator. They may also try to avoid thinking, feeling, or talking about traumatic events.
One or both of the following symptoms may be present:
- Avoiding feelings, memories, and thoughts associated with the occurrence, which is often because the individual is scared of bringing back memories of flashbacks and anxiety.
- Avoiding places, conversations, actions, or people that evoke memories of the event, as places and conversation about traumatic experience one of the most powerful triggers as well as sound and other similar visual elements.
- Avoidance often makes the individual to be extra alert and be on edge. They may manifest one or more of the following signs, including panicking, being quickly distressed or frustrated when reminded of the trauma, extreme alertness, also referred to as ‘hypervigilance,’ disrupted sleep or lack of sleep, irritability or violent behavior, finding it difficult to focus, even in routine or normal activities, becoming jumpy or easily startled and other signs of anxiety.