n :  a psychological reaction that occurs after experiencing a highly stressing event (as wartime combat, physical violence, or a natural disaster) outside the range of normal human experience and that is usu. characterized by depression, anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event - abbr. PTSD - called also delayed-stress disorder , delayed-stress syndrome , post-traumatic stress syndrome  - compare COMBAT FATIGUE  .
 
 
 
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