Symptoms of PTSD – Emotional Avoidance
In the aftermath of a traumatic event, people suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may show symptoms of emotional avoidance. The Traumatised individual will seek to avoid anything that will remind them of the event.
Individuals may also avoid communicating about the traumatic experience so not to think about it or to trigger symptoms of hyperarousal or flashbacks.
Emotional avoidance could also refer to the fact that when someone is suffering from PTSD they may have symptoms of emotional numbness whereby they find it difficult to get elated or sad in response to completely unrelated emotionally charged experiences.