Most people go through some stressful situations in life, which may result in feeling anxious and nervous for a short period of time, but this usually resolves and move on from the situation. However, when a person has suffered or witnessed a traumatic event, they may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can have an extremely negative impact on their lives and for their family and friends, and can greatly reduce the quality of their life. Having PTSD can also increase the risk of other mental health problems including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, suicidal thoughts and eating disorders.
PTSD is a mental health disorder that occurs in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Besides the traumatic event, there may be other risk factors that may predispose to develop PTSD. These risk factors include biological, genetic and social factors, history of anxiety or depression, or family history of mental health disorders. PTSD extends beyond war veterans, which PTSD is commonly associated with. Examples include abuse, victim of kidnapping or hostage or trafficking, witnessing or exposed to violent or traumatic events, car accidents, witnessing the death of someone, living through war, etc. Symptoms of PTSD may not occur immediately, and typically appears after a few months.
Symptoms of PTSD fall into the following broad categories:
It is important to seek help from a mental health professional for PTSD. Treatment options for PTSD include a combination of the following: