Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur after experiencing a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, act of mass violence, or terrorist attack and can affect an individual's capacity to react or feel safe, even when he or she is no longer in danger.
PTSD can range from being less disruptive to severe and can affect the way one goes about daily life. Individuals may develop PTSD depending on the trauma's intensity or longevity, one's proximity to the event, or how much control one had in responding to the event. If an individual was seriously hurt, in danger or believed to be in danger, or seriously injured from the trauma, he or she may be more likely to develop the disorder.
Factors in the aftermath of a trauma, such as an individual's support or personal reactions, may also influence whether or not he or she will develop PTSD symptoms.
Symptoms
Symptoms of PTSD may include the following:
Frequent or constant reliving or re-experiencing the traumatic event
Flashbacks with vivid memories
Reoccurring dreams and difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
Distress around things that resemble the traumatic event
Those suffering from PTSD may also experience the following:
If you or someone you know is concerned that you may have PTSD, you may take a online screening to help identify symptoms. Please be sure to share the results with your health care professional to discuss in more detail and available treatment options if applicable.
Treatment
There are good treatments available for PTSD. The main two types are psychotherapy, often referred to as counseling, and medications. There are many variations of each and a combination of the two is often used.
Among the treatment modalities are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Medications like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can raise the level of seratonin in your brain and make you feel better. Other complimentary treatments for PTSD include meditation/mindfulness techniques and maintaining an exercise program.
