The Orange StripeYour Information Center For All Veterans PTSDAgent Orange, Anthrax, Depleted Uranium, Dioxin, Gulf War Veterans' Health, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, Herbicidal Warfare, Hodgkin's Disease, News, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas PTSD, Multiple Myeloma, Radiation-Related Health Issues, Respiratory cancers, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Veterans' Health, WWII, Korean, Vietnam Veterans and more. |
If you are in an immediate crisis, please go to your nearest Emergency Room, or call 911, or call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to talk to someone right now. PTSD Knows No BoundariesWhat is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening. Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD. These events can include:
After the event, you may feel scared, confused, or angry. If these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have PTSD. These symptoms may disrupt your life, making it hard to continue with your daily activities. How does PTSD develop?All people with PTSD have lived through a traumatic event that caused them to fear for their lives, see horrible things, and feel helpless. Strong emotions caused by the event create changes in the brain that may result in PTSD. Most people who go through a traumatic event have some symptoms at the beginning. Yet only some will develop PTSD. It isn't clear why some people develop PTSD and others don't. How likely you are to get PTSD depends on many things. These include:
Many people who develop PTSD get better at some time. But about 1 out of 3 people with PTSD may continue to have some symptoms. Even if you continue to have symptoms, treatment can help you cope. Your symptoms don't have to interfere with your everyday activities, work, and relationships. What are the symptoms of PTSD?Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be terrifying. They may disrupt your life and make it hard to continue with your daily activities. It may be hard just to get through the day. PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not happen until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work or home life, you probably have PTSD. There are four types of symptoms: reliving the event, avoidance, numbing, and feeling keyed up. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms): Bad memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time. You may feel the same fear and horror you did when the event took place. You may have nightmares. You even may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Sometimes there is a trigger: a sound or sight that causes you to relive the event. Triggers might include:
Avoiding situations that remind you of the event: You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event.
Feeling numb: You may find it hard to express your feelings. This is another way to avoid memories.
Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal): You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. This is known as hyperarousal. It can cause you to:
What are other common problems?People with PTSD may also have other problems. These include:
Can children have PTSD?Children can have PTSD too. They may have the symptoms described above or other symptoms depending on how old they are. As children get older their symptoms are more like those of adults.
What treatments are available?When you have PTSD, dealing with the past can be hard. Instead of telling others how you feel, you may keep your feelings bottled up. But treatment can help you get better. There are good treatments available for PTSD. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one type of counseling. It appears to be the most effective type of counseling for PTSD. There are different types of cognitive behavioral therapies such as cognitive therapy and exposure therapy. A similar kind of therapy called EMDR, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, is also used for PTSD. Medications can be effective too. A type of drug known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which is also used for depression, is effective for PTSD. What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Trauma Exposure MeasuresChart - Trauma Exposure Measures PTSD Screening InstrumentsBelow is a list of links to information on select PTSD Screens, brief questionnaires completed in order to identify people who are more likely to have PTSD. A positive response to the screen does not necessarily indicate that a patient has Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. However, a positive response does indicate that a patient may have PTSD or trauma-related problems and further investigation of trauma symptoms by a mental-health professional may be warranted. Chart - Screens for PTSD PLEASE NOTE: Screens are to be used to determine possible problems, and positive cases should be followed up by assessment with a structured interview for PTSD. Common Reactions to TraumaPeople experience a range of reactions following trauma. Here you will find information on what these common reactions are, including anger, nightmares, sleep problems, and more. Avoidance Issues Specific to Womenhttp://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-specific-women.asp Women report exposure to many different types of traumatic events, and are especially likely to experience sexual assault in childhood, adulthood, or both. Sexual assault is a type of trauma that often leads to the onset of PTSD for both women and men. Given greater exposure to this type of trauma, women are particularly at risk for PTSD. These fact sheets have information that is specific to women and trauma. Sexual Assault against Females Men and Sexual TraumaAt least 10% of men in our country have suffered from trauma as a result of sexual assault. Like women, men who experience sexual assault may suffer from depression, PTSD, and other emotional problems as a result. However, because men and women have different life experiences due to their different gender roles, emotional symptoms following trauma can look different in men than they do in women. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) occurs when a current or former partner uses behaviors or threats that can make you feel scared, controlled, or intimidated. A relationship in which IPV occurs is known as an abusive relationship. The Effects of Community Violence on Children and AdolescentsA summary of the effects and suggestions on how to cope. PTSD and RelationshipsHow does trauma affect relationships? Trauma survivors with PTSD often experience problems in their intimate and family relationships or close friendships. PTSD involves symptoms that interfere with trust, emotional closeness, communication, responsible assertiveness, and effective problem solving. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Email: ncptsd@va.gov Call: THE PTSD Information Line at (802) 296-6300 National Sexual Assault hotline: 1-800-656-4673 From the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Coping With a Spouse Who Has PTSD The National Center has produced a guide for families of Military Personnel.
The National Center has also produced a similar guide for Military Personnel.
If you are in an immediate crisis, please go to your nearest Emergency Room, or call 911, or call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to talk to someone right now. |