Also known as: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. It causes flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
PTSD affects approximately 3.9% of the global population at any given time, with lifetime prevalence varying significantly by country and exposure. Women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men.
Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. Risk factors include trauma severity, prior mental health conditions, lack of social support, and ongoing stressors.
Evidence-based treatments (trauma-focused CBT and EMDR) are highly effective, with 60-80% of patients showing significant improvement. Early intervention after trauma exposure can prevent PTSD development.
People with PTSD often experience the following symptoms.
Intrusive memories, flashbacks (feeling the event is happening again), and trauma-related nightmares.
Deliberate avoidance of thoughts, feelings, people, places, and activities associated with the trauma.
Persistent negative beliefs, emotional numbness, detachment from others, and inability to experience positive emotions.
Hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and sleep disturbance.
Certain factors may increase your likelihood of developing PTSD.
Common approaches to managing ptsd. Always consult a healthcare provider for personalized treatment.
Gold standard treatment. Includes cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing — uses bilateral stimulation while processing traumatic memories.
Sertraline and paroxetine are FDA-approved for PTSD. Help manage depression, anxiety, and hyperarousal.
Alpha-blocker that specifically reduces trauma-related nightmares and sleep disturbance.
Clinical assessment using DSM-5 criteria requiring exposure to trauma plus symptoms in four clusters persisting for over one month. Validated scales: PCL-5 and CAPS-5.
Seek help if you have persistent disturbing thoughts or nightmares about a traumatic event for more than a month, or if symptoms are interfering with work and relationships.
Steps that may help reduce the risk of developing or worsening ptsd.
Psychological first aid after trauma
Social support and connection
Early intervention for acute stress reactions
Resilience-building programmes for high-risk populations
If left untreated or poorly managed, ptsd may lead to:
Some people recover naturally within months. Others have chronic PTSD lasting years without treatment. Evidence-based therapy is highly effective.
Yes. Delayed-onset PTSD can develop months or even years after the traumatic event, sometimes triggered by a new stressor.
No. Any traumatic event can cause PTSD — assault, accidents, natural disasters, medical emergencies, or witnessing violence.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.