Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Mental health difficulties can develop after experiencing a traumatic event. Wales TUC says people may experience flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. They may have difficulty adjusting and coping, which interferes with daily life. They may also find it hard to concentrate or they might blame themselves for what happened or experience overwhelming feelings of anger, sadness, guilt or shame.

A survey of the impact of Covid on NHS workers, Worry in Mind (see page 7) by UNISON found some workers were experiencing suicidal thoughts, suffering symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), having panic attacks, and feeling helpless when supporting patients.