Many people this complex condition is reserved for veterans of war, but the truth is that 7 out of 8 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lives.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.
Going through trauma is not rare, but gender and cultural differences do occur.
About 6 of every 10 men (or 60%) and 5 of every 10 women (or 50%) experience at least one trauma in their lives. Women are more likely to experience sexual assault and child sexual abuse, while men are more likely to experience accidents, physical assault, combat, disaster, or to witness death or injury. It has been suggested that LGBTQ individuals experience trauma at higher rates than the general population. Moreover, about 7 or 8 out of every 100 people (or 7-8% of the population) will have PTSD at some point in their lives.
Although trauma experiences are prevalent, not everyone will develop PTSD. So how do you know if symptoms have reached the threshold of a psychological condition? There are 4 types of PTSD symptoms, but they may not be exactly the same for everyone. Each person experiences symptoms in their own way.
Reliving the event
Avoiding things that remind you of the event
Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before
Feeling on edge.
Treatment works for PTSD.
Treatment varies individually in terms of time and type of therapies, but after treatment, most people feel they have a better quality of life. For some people, treatment can get rid of PTSD altogether. For others, it can make symptoms less intense.
Learn more ptsd.va.gov
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