People with PTSD often have difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep. 8 If that sounds like you, and you're less alert during the day as a result, you're likely to be less able to remember things and focus your attention effectively.
Concentration difficulties.
Many people with PTSD report that they have a hard time paying attention or concentrating while completing daily tasks. This is often the result of being very anxious; it is not a sign that there is something wrong with your memory.
Hypervigilance, an increased attentional bias to environmental cues associated with threat, is a classic symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This attentional bias may reinforce the preoccupation with the trauma and thus perpetuate the disorder (Foa et al.
A Few of the Cognitive Effects of Trauma on the Brain
This can result in a distorted perception of the events via nightmares, intrusive thoughts, or flashbacks. In turn, such a distortion increases the likelihood of emotions ranging from disorientation to self-blame.
With PTSD, inattention is due to hypervigilance (for example, constantly scanning the environment for signs of threat). A person may also be distractable because of intrusive memories, traumatic memories, and internal reactions to trauma flashbacks/triggers. Strong avoidance tendencies also characterize PTSD.
ADHD's major symptoms are hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity – which can also be signs of PTSD. For this reason, PTSD symptoms are sometimes mistaken for ADHD. It can also mean a PTSD diagnosis is missed in someone who has both conditions, because the ADHD is seen to explain all their symptoms.
Trauma and traumatic stress, according to a growing body of research, are closely associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). Trauma and adversity can alter the brain's architecture, especially in children, which may partly explain their link to the development of ADHD.
Changes in physical and emotional reactions
Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast. Trouble sleeping. Trouble concentrating. Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior.
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people.
In post-traumatic stress, many have problems with word retrieval and experience “brain fog.” Meanwhile, blood flow to the right side of the prefrontal cortex increases, rendering emotional responses more intense.
Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often describe difficulties with concentration, attention, and memory.
But because a trauma is typically overwhelming, all the information doesn't get coded correctly. This means that you might have trouble remembering important details of the event, or you might find yourself thinking a lot about what happened because your hippocampus is working so hard to try to make sense of things.
vivid flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening right now) intrusive thoughts or images. nightmares. intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma.
Feeling like your head is cloudy or foggy. A general lack of mental clarity. Tired eyes. A sense of detachment from what is going on in the present moment.
People can have PTSD even though they do not recall the experience that triggered the problem. As a result, such people may live with PTSD for years without realizing it.
Trauma survivors with PTSD may have trouble with their close family relationships or friendships. The symptoms of PTSD can cause problems with trust, closeness, communication, and problem solving which, in turn, may impact the way a loved one responds to the trauma survivor.
Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia, and find concentrating difficult.
The main symptoms and behaviours associated with PTSD and complex PTSD include: Reliving the experience through flashbacks, intrusive memories, or nightmares. Overwhelming emotions with the flashbacks, memories, or nightmares. Not being able to feel emotions or feeling “numb”
PTSD is characterized by specific symptoms, including intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, flashbacks, nightmares, and sleep disturbances, changes in memory and concentration, and startle responses.
Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly. Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses focus, side-tracked). Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.
In response to trauma, a child's developing brain can become programmed to “look out” for behaviour, activities or events that they perceive as threatening. This “hyper-vigilance” can often mimic hyperactivity and distractibility associated with ADHD.
Attention Seeking as an Articulation of Pain
However, these behaviors typically arise as a response to deeply painful trauma or psychological disturbance and reflect a desperate attempt to cope with overwhelming emotional turmoil.