Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a serious potentially debilitating condition that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a natural disaster, serious accident, terrorist incident, sudden death of a loved one, war, violent personal assault such as rape, or other life-threatening events. Most people who experience such events recover from them, but people with PTSD continue to be severely depressed and anxious for months or even years following the event. They frequently relive the event through flashbacks and nightmares. Relaxing, concentrating, or sleeping may become difficult, and they often feel detached or estranged from others.

Fast Facts About PTSD 7.7 million Americans age 18 and older have PTSD. PTSD can develop after a traumatic event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessing a death, the unexpected death of a loved one, natural disaster, or a terrorist attack. Sixty-seven percent of people exposed to mass violence have been shown to develop PTSD, a higher rate than those exposed to natural disasters or other types of traumatic events. People who have experienced previous traumatic events run a higher risk of developing PTSD. Treatment of PTSD can include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapy, exposure therapy, and medication.

Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by three main types of symptoms:

• Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares.

• Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.

• Increased arousal such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered.

PTSD is diagnosed after a person experiences symptoms for at least one month following a traumatic event. However symptoms may not appear until several months or even years later.

Women are twice as likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder as men, and children can also develop it. PTSD often occurs with depression, substance abuse, or other anxiety disorders.

Take a self-test for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Get information about treatment options for anxiety disorders.

Download a brochure about posttraumatic stress disorder.