Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Is 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 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.

A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an upsetting traumatic event. However, the exposure could be indirect rather than firsthand. 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.

Symptoms of PTSD include:

  • Disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended.
  • Flashbacks or nightmares.
  • Feelings of sadness, fear or anger.
  • Feelings of detachment or estranged from other people.
  • Avoidance of situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event
  • Strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.
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