Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is most often associated with military veterans but PTSD affects more than those who have experienced combat warfare.
The National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder defines PTSD as a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.
PTSD does not discriminate, it can happen to anyone.
Here are some facts from the National Center for PTSD:
- About 7 or 8 out of every 100 people will have PTSD at some point in their lives
- About eight million adults have PTSD during a given year
- About 10 out of every 100 women develop PTSD sometime in their lives compared with about 4 out of every 100 men
Symptoms of PTSD vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms are:
- Replaying the traumatic event over in your mind
- Anxiety around people or places that trigger memories of the event
- Feeling on edge and angered easily
- Feelings of guilt, shame or depression
In 2014, to increase the promotion and public awareness of PTSD and the availability of effective treatments, PTSD Awareness Day, formerly June 27, was expanded to the entire month of June and 2017 marks the fourth consecutive year of the awareness campaign.
Only a mental health or medical professional can properly diagnose PTSD. The California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) licenses such professionals through the Board of Psychology, Board of Behavioral Sciences and the Medical Board of California.
To check the license status of a mental health or medical professional in California click here.
For more information about PTSD and the National Center for PTSD, view the PTSD Awareness PSA below and visit the VA’s website at https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
