What is PTSD?

Written By Sara Teague

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after someone goes through a traumatic event like combat, assault, abuse, or disaster. Most people have some stress reactions after any sort of trauma. If the reactions don't go away over time or disrupt your life, you may have PTSD.

It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after a traumatic event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months.

  • PTSD Basics
    If it's been longer than a few months and you're still having symptoms, you may have PTSD. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later on, or they may come and go over time.

  • Who is affected by PTSD? In short…anyone. Male, Female. Young, old. And everyone in between.

  • Avoidance
    Avoidance is a common reaction to trauma. It is natural to want to avoid thinking about or feeling emotions about a stressful event. But when avoidance is extreme, or when it's the main way you cope, it can interfere with your emotional recovery and healing.

  • Trauma Reminders: Anniversaries
    On the anniversary of a traumatic event, some survivors have an increase in distress. These "anniversary reactions" can range from feeling mildly upset for a day or two to a more extreme reaction with more severe mental health or medical symptoms.

  • Trauma Reminders: Triggers
    People respond to traumatic events in a number of ways, such as feelings of concern, anger, fear, or helplessness. Research shows that people who have been through trauma, loss, or hardship in the past may be even more likely than others to be affected by new, potentially traumatic events.

  • Aging Veterans and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
    For many Veterans, memories of their wartime experiences can still be upsetting long after they served in combat. Even if they served many years ago, military experience can still affect the lives of Veterans today.

  • Very Young Trauma Survivors
    Trauma and abuse can have a grave impact on the very young. The attachment or bond between a child and parent matters as a young child grows. This bond can make a difference in how a child responds to trauma.

  • PTSD in Children and Teens
    Trauma affects school-aged children and teenagers differently than adults. If diagnosed with PTSD, the symptoms in children and teens can also look different. For many children, PTSD symptoms go away on their own after a few months. Yet some children show symptoms for years if they do not get treatment. There are many treatment options available including talk and play therapy.

  • History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5
    PTSD became a diagnosis with influence from a number of social movements, such as Veteran, feminist, and Holocaust survivor advocacy groups. Research about Veterans returning from combat was a critical piece to the creation of the diagnosis. So, the history of what is now known as PTSD often references combat history.

  • Types of PTSD- Sexual Assault, Violence (Racial, Community, Intimate Partner, Random), War and Combat.

  • Related Problems

    • Anger
      Describes the relationship between trauma and anger and provides treatment strategies for the three manifestations of anger.

    • Chronic Pain and PTSD: A Guide for Patients
      Learn more about chronic pain, how doctors evaluate it, and how is may be related to trauma and PTSD.

    • Depression, Trauma, and PTSD
      Explains how depression and PTSD are related. Describes treatment and ways to cope

    • More Related Problems
      Learn about reactions to trauma like acute stress disorder and self-harm, as well as social issues involving trauma and work, community, and the criminal justice system.

    • Sleep Problems
      Learn why people with PTSD may have trouble sleeping and what they can do about it.

    • Substance Abuse in Veterans
      Eventually, the overuse of these substances can develop into Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and treatment should be given for both PTSD and SUD to lead to successful recovery.

    • Suicide and PTSD
      Learn about the relationship between trauma, PTSD, and suicide.

    • Traumatic Brain Injury
      Discusses TBI, its relationship to PTSD, ways to cope, and TBI in Veterans.

  • Help Raise PTSD Awareness

    There are currently about 8 million people in the United States with PTSD.

    Even though PTSD treatments work, most people who have PTSD don't get the help they need. June is PTSD Awareness Month. Help us spread the word that effective PTSD treatments are available. Everyone with PTSD—whether they are Veterans or civilian survivors of sexual assault, serious accidents, natural disasters, or other traumatic events—needs to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life.

    Join Us

    During PTSD Awareness Month, and throughout the entire year, help raise awareness about the many different PTSD treatment options.

  • Help Spread the word! Via social media, blogs, etc you can help bring awareness to this growing issue that must be faced!

  • Understand PTSD

    PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.

    Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. There are factors that can increase the chance someone will develop PTSD, and these are often not under that person's control. To begin understanding PTSD:

    Understand PTSD Treatment

    There are options for treating PTSD. For many people, effective treatments less intense or get rid of symptoms altogether. Take the mystery out of PTSD treatment:

    • Watch our short whiteboard video PTSD Treatment: Know Your Options to learn which treatments are best.

    • Use the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid to find the treatment that is best for you.

    • Visit AboutFace, a website where Veterans, their family members, and clinicians talk about turning life around with PTSD treatment.

  • Get Support

    The National Center for PTSD does not provide direct clinical care or individual referrals. We provide information to help you find local mental health services and information on trauma and PTSD. Effective treatments for PTSD are available.

    Get Help in a Crisis
    Numbers for emergency resources such as the
    National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) and Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, press 1).

    Find a Therapist
    Suggestions for finding a therapist, counselor, or mental health care provider who can help your recovery.

    Help for Veterans
    Resources to help you find treatment within VA.

    Help for Family and Friends
    Resources to help you take care of yourself while supporting someone with PTSD.

    You can also find Self-Help and Coping tools to help you manage stress reactions, regardless of whether or not you have PTSD.

Sara Teague
Previous

Emotion Code and Body Code
Next

7 Steps to Developing a Positive Attitude