Which of the following best exemplifies an individual with PTSD experiencing dissociative symptoms?

• A. A person who feels detached from their own body and surroundings during a flashback.
• B. A person who has recurring nightmares about a traumatic event.
• C. A person who avoids places that remind them of the trauma.
• D. A person who becomes easily startled by loud noises.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the key terms in the problem: PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and dissociative symptoms. PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Dissociative symptoms involve disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception.
2. Identify what dissociative symptoms typically look like in PTSD. These often include feelings of detachment from oneself or the environment, such as depersonalization (feeling detached from one's body) or derealization (feeling the surroundings are unreal).
3. Analyze each option in the question to see which one matches dissociative symptoms: recurring nightmares relate to re-experiencing trauma, avoidance relates to behavioral symptoms, and being easily startled relates to hyperarousal symptoms.
4. Recognize that the option describing a person feeling detached from their own body and surroundings during a flashback directly reflects dissociative symptoms, as it involves a disruption in perception and consciousness.
5. Conclude that the best example of dissociative symptoms in PTSD is the person who feels detached from their body and surroundings during a flashback, as this matches the clinical definition of dissociation.