What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

A psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event  such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have  been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury.

PTSD has been known by many names in the past, such as “shell shock” during the years of World War  I and “combat fatigue” after World War II, but PTSD does not just happen to combat veterans. PTSD  can occur in all people, of any ethnicity, nationality or culture, and at any age.

PTSD affects  approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults every year, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with  PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD. Three ethnic groups – U.S.  Latinos, African Americans, and American Indians – are disproportionately affected and have higher  rates of PTSD than non-Latino whites.

People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that  last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or  nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from  other people.

People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they  may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.

A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an upsetting traumatic event. The exposure could be  indirect rather than first hand. For example, PTSD could occur in an individual learning about the  violent death of a close family or friend. It can also occur as a result of repeated exposure to  horrible details of trauma such as police officers exposed to details of child abuse cases or any other instance where a person is repeatedly exposed to the distressing details of the trauma  experienced by others.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of PTSD fall into the following four categories. Specific symptoms can vary in severity.

1. Intrusion: Intrusive thoughts such as repeated, involuntary memories; distressing dreams; or  flashbacks of the traumatic event. Flashbacks may be so vivid that people feel they are re- living  the traumatic experience or seeing it before their eyes.
2. Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event may include avoiding people, places,  activities, objects and situations that may trigger distressing memories. People may try to avoid  remembering or thinking about the traumatic event. They may resist talking about what happened or  how they feel about it.
3. Alterations in cognition and mood: Inability to remember important aspects of the traumatic  event, negative thoughts and feelings leading to ongoing and distorted beliefs about oneself or  others (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted”); distorted thoughts about the cause or  consequences of the event leading to wrongly blaming self or other; ongoing fear, horror, anger,  guilt or shame; much less interest in activities previously enjoyed; feeling detached or estranged  from others; or being unable to experience positive emotions (a void of happiness or satisfaction).
4. Alterations in arousal and reactivity: Arousal and reactive symptoms may include being  irritable and having angry outbursts; behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way; being  overly watchful of one's surroundings in a suspecting way; being easily startled; or having  problems concentrating or sleeping.

Many people who are exposed to a traumatic event experience symptoms similar to those described  above in the days following the event. For a person to be diagnosed with PTSD, however, symptoms  must last for more than a month and must cause significant distress or problems in the individual's  daily functioning. Many individuals develop symptoms within three months of the trauma, but symptoms may appear later and often persist for  months and sometimes years. PTSD often occurs with other related conditions, such as depression,  substance use, memory problems and other physical and mental health problems.

Treatment

It is important to note that not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD, and not everyone  who develops PTSD requires psychiatric treatment. For some people, symptoms of PTSD subside or  disappear over time. Others get better with the help of their support system (family, friends or  clergy). But many people with PTSD need professional treatment to recover from psychological 

distress that can be intense and disabling. It is important to remember that trauma may lead to  severe distress. That distress is not the individual’s fault, and PTSD is treatable. The earlier a  person gets treatment, the better chance of recovery.

Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals use various effective (research-proven) methods  to help people recover from PTSD. Both talk therapy (psychotherapy) and medication provide  effective evidence-based treatments for PTSD.

Other treatments including complementary and alternative therapies are also increasingly being used  to help people with PTSD. These approaches provide treatment outside the conventional mental health  clinic and may require less talking and disclosure than psychotherapy. Examples include acupuncture  and animal-assisted therapy.

In addition to treatment, many people with PTSD find it very helpful to share their experiences and  feelings with others who have similar experiences, such as in a peer support group.

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/print/understandingptsd_booklet.pdf