Can PTSD cause blackouts?

Yes, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can absolutely cause blackouts, which are episodes of memory loss or disconnection from reality, often triggered by extreme stress, serving as the mind's way to cope with overwhelming trauma through dissociation or "checking out," leading to lost time or actions performed without recollection. These memory gaps can manifest as flashbacks, losing track of time, or finding yourself in unexpected places, and are a serious symptom that requires professional help.

What triggers PTSD blackouts?

For individuals with PTSD, these blackouts may occur during times of extreme stress or anxiety. While not everyone with PTSD will experience blackouts, for those who do, it can present significant challenges.

Is blanking out a trauma response?

With flop trauma response, a person becomes physically or mentally unresponsive — sort of similar to how an animal will play dead when they feel threatened. Some people become so overwhelmed with fear that they faint or physically collapse, while others will black out or lose consciousness.

What does a PTSD blackout feel like?

For a brief moment, you may become trapped in the past or separated from reality. You may feel like you are looking at yourself from above or a different person entirely. This all stems from your mind not having the tools to sort through emotions, thoughts and feelings in the moment.

Which mental illness causes blackouts?

A bipolar blackout or bipolar brain fog is a term used to describe a situation where a bipolar person fails to remember certain events or periods. This may be during manic, hypomanic, or depressive episodes and it is evident that the illness has a bidirectional relationship with bipolar disorder [1].

6 Signs of Complex PTSD | CPTSD

What is the most common reason for blackouts?

There are various causes of TLoC, the most common of which is a reduced supply of blood to the brain due to uncomplicated factors such as sudden exposure to an unpleasant sight or experience, standing for a long time, a sudden episode of stress, emotional upset, fear or anxiety, or if they have spent a long time in a ...

What are the symptoms of complex PTSD dissociation?

Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) dissociation involves feeling detached from your body (depersonalization) or reality (derealization), memory gaps, identity confusion, and emotional numbness, acting as a mental escape from overwhelming, prolonged trauma, creating a break in consciousness, identity, memory, and perception. Common symptoms include feeling like a robot, watching your life as a movie, foggy or unreal surroundings, significant memory loss (dissociative amnesia), and feeling like a different person or losing your sense of self. 

What does PTSD dissociation look like?

Some people with PTSD experience dissociative symptoms (for example, amnesia, flashbacks, numbing, and/or depersonalization/derealization), which commonly occur after exposure to trauma. Dissociation is linked to a history of experiencing abusive or neglectful parenting, psychological trauma, and PTSD.

What are extreme symptoms of PTSD?

Common symptoms of PTSD

• vivid flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening right now)
• intrusive thoughts or images.
• nightmares.
• intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma.
• physical sensations such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling.

What is a PTSD shutdown?

“In the face of physical or emotional pain, or a traumatic incident, our sympathetic nervous system has three responses: fight, flight or freeze. Emotional numbing is freezing. Our brain shuts down as a protective response to keep us safe when our nervous system is overloaded,” he says.

What are 5 signs your brain is in trouble?

When to Consult a Neurologist

• Confusion or altered consciousness.
• Rapid symptom onset (may indicate conditions like a brain tumor)
• Loss of ability to perform daily activities.
• Symptoms of depression alongside memory changes.
• Memory loss disrupting daily life.
• Difficulty planning or solving previously manageable problems.

What is the flop response to PTSD?

The PTSD "flop" response, also called collapse or tonic immobility, is an extreme trauma reaction where the nervous system shuts down when fight, flight, or freeze aren't possible, leading to physical collapse, fainting, or mental unresponsiveness, similar to an animal playing dead to survive a predator. It's an involuntary survival mechanism, often seen in severe trauma, where the body goes completely limp, unresponsive, or disoriented as a final way to cope with overwhelming threat.
 

What are the 17 symptoms of complex PTSD?

Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) involves core PTSD symptoms plus difficulties with emotional regulation, self-perception, and relationships, often described across 17 key areas like flashbacks, severe anxiety, dissociation, chronic emptiness, mistrust, self-blame, anger, sleep issues, isolation, and physical symptoms, stemming from prolonged trauma. 

What does a bad PTSD episode look like?

Symptoms vary, but they usually include reliving the trauma through flashbacks or nightmares, and avoiding reminders of the event. Emotional numbness and heightened arousal like irritability or insomnia are also common.

What happens to the brain when PTSD is triggered?

The prefrontal cortex regulates emotions and decision-making but can be impaired in PTSD, making it harder to control fear. The hippocampus manages memory and helps distinguish past experiences from the present; changes here can cause flashbacks and intrusive thoughts.

What is psychogenic blackout?

A psychogenic blackout is a medical term for a blackout that can look like reflex syncope or an epileptic seizure but is not related to either. It is not a physical condition and is more common in females. During a psychogenic blackout, people lose some control of their body.

What is the last stage of PTSD?

Recovery

Recovery is the final stage of PTSD. It occurs when a person takes action to heal from trauma. They might seek professional help and prioritize self-care. They may also gain a sense of hope and control over their lives.

What are the 5 F's of PTSD?

When our brain then recognises similarities between our present situation and our past trauma (e.g. a colour, smell or noise), it can activate the fight, flight, freeze, flop or friend response, even if we're not currently in danger.

What are 100% PTSD symptoms?

Criteria for a 100% PTSD Rating:

• Gross Impairment in Thought Processes or Communication: Severe disorganization of thinking or inability to effectively communicate with others.
• Persistent Delusions or Hallucinations: Experiencing delusions or hallucinations regularly.

What does a PTSD blackout look like?

Many people with PTSD experience blackouts. Blackouts are usually accompanied by memory loss, so you may not realize you've had one until someone tells you. Blackout symptoms include: Conversation you don't remember.

What are signs someone's been struggling with complex PTSD for a long time?

The symptoms of complex PTSD are similar to symptoms of PTSD, but may also include:

• feelings of worthlessness, shame and guilt.
• problems controlling your emotions.
• finding it hard to feel connected with other people.
• relationship problems, like having trouble keeping friends and partners.

Can PTSD cause derealization?

Yes, PTSD can absolutely cause derealization (feeling the world isn't real) and depersonalization (feeling detached from oneself) as part of a "dissociative subtype" of PTSD, which serves as a natural mental defense mechanism to cope with overwhelming trauma, but can become problematic, impacting daily life and functioning, and is treatable with trauma-focused therapy. 

How does a person with complex PTSD act?

CPTSD behaviors involve trauma responses like flashbacks, avoidance, emotional dysregulation (anger, numbness), hypervigilance, dissociation (feeling detached), self-harm, substance abuse, and severe relationship difficulties, stemming from prolonged trauma, leading to deep shame, worthlessness, and difficulty trusting others, often manifesting as chronic instability.
 

Can you pass out from dissociation?

Yes, you can feel like you're going to pass out, or even faint/collapse, from dissociation, as it's a survival response where the mind disconnects from overwhelming stress, sometimes leading to physical shutdown, unresponsiveness, or seizure-like episodes (non-epileptic attacks) that mimic fainting or collapse, notes. This can feel like lightheadedness, brain shutdown, or a sense of detachment, and while scary, it's the brain's way to cope, though it can be dangerous depending on the situation. 

What triggers dissociation in PTSD?

Some people with PTSD experience dissociative symptoms (for example, amnesia, flashbacks, numbing, and/or depersonalization/derealization), which commonly occur after exposure to trauma. Dissociation is linked to a history of experiencing abusive or neglectful parenting, psychological trauma, and PTSD.