What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's caused by an extremely stressful or terrifying event(s) that some people develop after they experience or witness a traumatic event.
People with PTSD, may find it hard to do daily activities they are used to doing. Going to work or school, even spending time with people they care about, can feel difficult right after a traumatic event. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later, or they may come and go over time.
If it's been longer than a month and thoughts and feelings from the trauma are upsetting you or causing problems in your life, you may have PTSD.
Who Can Develop PTSD?
Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. Some factors can increase the chance that someone will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person's control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault.
Personal factors—like previous traumatic exposure, age and sex—can affect whether a person will develop PTSD. What happens after the traumatic event is also important. Stress can make PTSD more likely, while social support can make it less likely.
What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within the first three months after a traumatic event. But sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms last more than one month and cause major problems in social or work situations and how well you get along with others. They also can affect your ability to do your usual daily tasks.
Generally, PTSD symptoms are grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person.
- Intrusive memories: is a broad term that covers different experiences of remembering trauma in PTSD. All types of intrusive memories happen involuntarily. They’re usually emotionally charged and distressing because they’re directly linked to the traumatic experience. Intrusive memories can activate your autonomic nervous system, which includes your “flight, fight, or freeze” response. If this happens, you’ll experience the same physiological reactions linked to a real threat. You might notice an increase in your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Intrusive memories in PTSD are more than just passing remembrances. They can involve re-experiencing trauma both mentally and physically. Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
- Unwanted, distressing memories of a traumatic event that come back over and over again.
- Reliving a traumatic event as if it were happening again, also known as flashbacks.
- Upsetting dreams or nightmares about a traumatic event.
- Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of a traumatic event.
Avoidance
Symptoms of avoidance may include:
- Trying not to think or talk about a traumatic event.
- Staying away from places, activities or people that remind you of a traumatic event.
Negative changes in thinking and mood
Symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood may include:
- Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world.
- Ongoing negative emotions of fear, blame, guilt, anger or shame.
- Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of a traumatic event.
- Feeling detached from family and friends.
- Not being interested in activities you once enjoyed.
- Having a hard time feeling positive emotions.
- Feeling emotionally numb.
Changes in physical and emotional reactions
Symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions, also called arousal symptoms, may include:
- Being easily startled or frightened.
- Always being on guard for danger.
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Trouble concentrating.
- Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior.
- Physical reactions, such as sweating, rapid breathing, fast heartbeat or shaking.
For children 6 years old and younger, symptoms also may include:
- Reenacting a traumatic event or aspects of a traumatic event through play.
- Frightening dreams that may or may not include aspects of a traumatic event.
Intensity of symptoms
Over time, PTSD symptoms can vary in how severe they are. You may have more PTSD symptoms when you're generally stressed or when you come across reminders of what you went through, including the same time of year when a past traumatic event happened. For example, you may hear a car backfire and relive combat experiences. Or you may see a report on the news about a sexual assault and feel overcome by memories of your assault.
How Is PTSD Treated?
There are several effective treatments for PTSD. Two of the most recommended and researched trauma therapies are:
- Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)/ Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The treatment involves making eye movements while thinking about the traumatic event. EMDR helps change the negative way you think about a traumatic experience. It creates a similar effect to the way your brain processes memories and experiences when you are asleep. It can help reduce symptoms such as being easily startled.
- Cognitive processing therapy
- Prolonged exposure therapy
- Brainspotting
For some people, specific medication can help alongside other therapies. Medication can help people to manage their anxiety, depression, or other symptoms that can occur alongside their PTSD symptoms.
Treatment is a different process for everyone. You may think that you don’t need treatment. However, when PTSD isn’t treated, it usually doesn’t go away and may even get worse. Most people find treatment helps them to live a better quality of life.