What is a common emotional response associated with PTSD?

Severe anxiety and flashbacks are common emotional responses associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Individuals with PTSD often experience intense feelings of anxiety as they relive traumatic events through intrusive memories or flashbacks. This response is a key feature of the disorder and reflects how profoundly trauma can affect an individual's emotional and psychological state. During these episodes, a person may feel as though they are re-experiencing the traumatic event, which can lead to heightened physiological arousal, panic attacks, and overwhelming distress.

While the other options might describe different emotional states or responses, they do not align with the hallmark symptoms of PTSD. For instance, contentment and increased confidence are generally positive emotions that are inconsistent with the distress experienced by those suffering from PTSD. Indifference may describe a person's numbing or disengagement as a response to trauma, but it does not encapsulate the core struggle with severe anxiety and flashbacks that are crucial to understanding PTSD.