What effects can traumatic events have on an individual?

Traumatic events can cause lasting psychological symptoms, including the following from the National Institute for Mental Health:

Re-experiencing symptoms

Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms such as:
- Racing heart or sweating
- Nightmares
- Intrusive thoughts or fragments of memories of the trauma

Avoidance symptoms

Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
Feeling emotionally numb Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
Having trouble remembering the dangerous event

Events that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car after a bad car accident.

Hyperarousal symptoms