What are some of the ""Ptsd"" symptoms a rape victim may experience?"

A rape victim might experience several symptoms of PTSD, as the disorder manifests, in distinct manners. Some of the common symptoms include:

 1. Re-experiencing Symptoms:

 Intrusive Memories: Intrusive, physically unbidden memories of the assault.

 Flashbacks: Recurringly acting as if the movie has not yet come to an end and is in the process of being replayed.

 Nightmares: Night mares of the rape.

 Intense Emotional Distress: Severe anxiety, panic attacks, crying and other kinds of strong emotional response when the person is reminded of the trauma.

 2. Avoidance Symptoms:

 Avoiding Reminders: Avoidance behaviors in relationship to ideas, emotions, or other communication about the assault. The avoidance may be directed to persons, places, objects or situations that can be associated with the trauma.

 Emotional Numbing: Apathy, isolation, or anhedonia, in other words, feeling disconnected from other people or being unable to derive pleasure from activities.

 3. Negative Changes in Thoughts and Mood:Negative Changes in Thoughts and Mood:

 Guilt or Shame: To feel guilty over the sexual assault or feel extremely embarrassed were also put forward.

 Negative Beliefs: Pattern of negative cognition which consists in negative evaluation of oneself, others or the environment, for example, “I am worthless,” or “Everybody is against me,” or “The world is an unsafe place. ”

 Distorted Feelings: Experiences of perceived security disruption, threat, or punishment, discontent, anxiety or despair.

 Memory Problems: Forgetting some essential constants of the assault.

 4. Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms:

 Hypervigilance: Being constantly alert, being prepared to be aware of all what is going around.

 Irritability or Anger Outbursts: Sudden temper or rage outbursts that don’t match the occasion.

 Difficulty Sleeping: This is particularly expressed in cases of difficulty to fall or to remain asleep due to anxiety or nightmares.

 Concentration Problems: Poor concentration, meaning the ability to to pay attention to all activities and tasks undertaken.

 Exaggerated Startle Response: Sudden movements which could be caused by the ability to be easily woken up or startled.

 5. Physical Symptoms:

 Somatic Complaints: Heartburn, headaches, migraines, stomach aches, joint pains, neck pains or any other chronic pain without known physical etiology.