June is PTSD Awareness Month

What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a group of mental illnesses that can occur in people who have experienced or seen a traumatic incident. A traumatic event could be anything that puts a lot of stress on a person, such as a natural disaster, an accident, war or combat, or rape, to name a few examples.

It has often been called "shell shock" or "combat fatigue" in the past, but PTSD does not only affect combat veterans. PTSD may affect people of any age, ethnicity, nationality, or culture. Every year, around 3.5 percent of individuals in the United States are affected by PTSD, and one in every eleven people will be diagnosed with PTSD over their lifetime. PTSD affects women twice as much as men.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

The effects of PTSD can last long after the traumatic event has occurred. People with PTSD experience intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings. It is common for people who have experienced a traumatic event to have flashbacks or nightmares; to feel sadness, fear, or anger, as well as to feel isolated or detached from others. A person with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch may trigger strong negative reactions in them.

A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to a traumatic incident however, this exposure may not always be direct. For example, when a person learns about the violent death of a close family member or acquaintance, PTSD might develop. 

Treatment

Not everyone who has experienced a traumatic event develops PTSD, and not everyone with PTSD requires psychiatric therapy. PTSD symptoms may fade or diminish for some people over time. Others improve with the assistance of their family or friends. Many people with PTSD need professional help to heal from the psychological discomfort they experience. 

Mental health specialists assist patients to recover from PTSD using a variety of effective techniques including both talk therapy (psychotherapy) and medication.

The Clearwater Free Clinic offers Behavioral Health services to registered patients. In the event that you or someone you love is in need of immediate help, please contact one of the resources below.