Not all of the symptoms are directly related to PCS which I why I think there is a possibility of PTSD. My symptoms include:

-Reliving the event. I often get random flashbacks of the concussions I can remember getting or something that was related to the injury and I have no control over when they happen or how long they last.

-Avoiding situations that remind me of the event. I get physically sick anytime I know someone has sustained a head injury. Even when someone passes out and I know it has nothing to do with a head injury I can't stand to be in the same room. A girl in one of my classes passed out for no reason a few weeks ago and when she came to she was stuttering. They had to take her out on a stretcher. I couldn't stand to be in the room I waited outside in the hall.

-Feeling numb. While I have never expressed my emotions well I no longer want to talk about them at all or what I am feeling with other people. Like I said before there are times I can't be around people when they are in a good mood.

-Get startled easily. Most of the common descriptions talk about loud noises with this one because of veterans, which do scare me but because of the concussions this one is more anything around my head or coming at my face really freaks me out.

-Having a hard time concentrating. This one might be completely because of PCS or a combination of both. Even on medication I struggle to concentrate on a lot of things like studying or reading.

-Suddenly becoming irritable or angry. Since my first couple concussions I have had problems with a short temper and becoming irritable. I noticed this has escalated the past few months though in that at random times I want to physically hurt someone, and I mean hurt them really bad. I never had problems with fights when I was younger but lately I have found myself craving to fight someone. This symptom was not present until after my sister's boyfriends death. It scares me because I knew if I got in a fight ever I would hurt them. I have dreams about beating people close to death and it worries me.

-Changes in beliefs and feelings. I can no longer empathize with people no matter how sad or happy the event. Most of my college friends have transferred and I either don't make an effort to keep in touch with the ones still on campus and I don't make an effort towards making new friends. I don't feel like I can trust people anymore not even my closest friends or relatives. Because of this I don't talk about my emotions or any problems I am having with them anymore, I just keep it to myself.

-Having nightmares. This one was really present after about my third concussion. I had the same recurring nightmare every night. While I still have nightmares relating to getting injured often they don't happen every night and it is not the same dream over and over.

I am lucky enough to not have problems sleeping but when I do I usually have the nightmares. When they are really bad I wake up almost more tired then when I went to bed. Especially physically, I think I brace my muscles when I have some nightmares.


Most of these overlap with the symptoms of PCS but there are enough that don't coincide that I may have PTSD along with the PCS. I am going to talk to the professor who teaches my stress management class tomorrow about it and see what she thinks about it.

-Soccer14