What are signs and symptoms of PTSD?

Andrew Huberman discusses the extensive range of signs and symptoms of PTSD on the Huberman Lab. Here are the key points:

Common Symptoms Include:

• Anxiety and Panic Attacks: These can happen seemingly at random or be triggered by reminders of the traumatic event, such as loud noises resembling gunfire for soldiers.
• Dissociative Symptoms: These include feeling detached from reality, brain fog, inability to engage, rapid shifting between anxiety and exhaustion, and significant sleep issues like nightmares and night terrors 1 .

Comorbidities:

• Substance Abuse: High risk of addiction to illicit or prescription drugs, alcohol, or stimulants due to attempts to cope with PTSD symptoms.
• Other Mental Health Issues: Increased likelihood of depression and anxiety disorders.
• Physical Health Problems: Cardiovascular and cerebral vascular deficits, which lead to broader physical health issues over time 1 .

Nighttime Symptoms:

• Elevated Cortisol Levels: Persistent high cortisol levels before bedtime can lead to nighttime issues such as bedwetting, nightmares, and shallow or insufficient sleep. This is significant since elevated cortisol can have neurotoxic effects on the brain 2 .

Additional Symptoms:

• Hypervigilance: Constantly feeling on edge, with a heightened startle response and a perpetual sense of danger.
• Avoidance: Trying to avoid reminders of the trauma, which can result in withdrawal from everyday activities or people 3 .
  
  1
  Understanding PTSD
  01:49:00
  
  2
  Cortisol and PTSD
  00:24:45
  
  3
  ADHD and PTSD Insights
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Suicidality:

• Increased Suicide Risk: There is a significantly higher rate of suicide among people with PTSD due to the overwhelming nature of the symptoms and comorbidities 1 .

Understanding these symptoms is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment.