Sure
@NikNik. My main symptoms have been as follows:
** Re-experiencing. This includes nightmares, flashbacks and images suddenly popping into my head. For me, those images were exactly what I saw. The flashbacks were usually a variation of something I saw and would happen completely at random. Nightmares. I don't always recall them but I would wake feeling extremely tired. My feet would run in my sleep. My wife knew then that I was having a nightmare.
** Avoiding reminders of an event. I did this for years. I couldn’t watch anything or read anything about Iraq. I didn’t want to talk about the place. I cut off contact with all my friends from Iraq. There were times that if a story from the Middle East came on the television, I would have to leave the room. It was part of my self-defence mechanism.
** Negative changes in thoughts and mood. Emotional numbness was one of the worst symptoms for my wife and family. I was very distant, cold. I isolated myself from them. I just wanted to be alone. They couldn’t understand it. And a major problem for men is also a loss of libido (I know, a bit embarrassing to say this, but it has to be said...). This is partly due to medication.
** Hyper arousal. My anxiety, anger and agitation were bad. I was startled easily. One of the things I eventually worked out with my wife was to communicate early if I could feel myself slipping. Say things like I’m feeling anxious or agitated. That way she is aware and prepared. I know some people use code words to express this, which can be uttered before the sufferer takes off and locks themselves in the bedroom. My startle response was so bad that my teenage kids were afraid to accidently slam a door.
