PTSD is a mental health concern that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event. If symptoms last more than a few months, it may be PTSD. The good news is that there are effective treatments.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not appear until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than four weeks, cause you great distress or interfere with your work or home life, you might have PTSD.
There are four types of PTSD symptoms. To be diagnosed with PTSD, you need to have each type. That said, you may still experience symptoms in your own unique way.
Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms). Memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time. They can feel very real and frightening. For example:
You may have nightmares
You may feel like you are going through the event again. This is called a flashback
You may see, hear or smell something that causes you to relive the event. This is called a trauma reminder, cue or trigger. News reports, seeing an accident or hearing fireworks are examples of trauma reminders
Avoiding things that remind you of the event. You may try to avoid situations or people who remind you of the trauma event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event. For example:
You may avoid crowds because they feel dangerous
You may avoid driving if you were in a car accident or if your military convoy was bombed
If you were in an earthquake, you may avoid watching movies about earthquakes
You may keep very busy or avoid getting help so you don’t have to think or talk about the event
Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event. The way you think about yourself and others may become more negative because of the trauma. For example:
You may feel numb–unable to have positive or loving feelings toward other people–and lose interest in things you used to enjoy
You may forget about parts of the traumatic event or not be able to talk about them
You may think the world is completely dangerous and no one can be trusted
You may feel guilt or shame about the event, wishing you had done more to keep it from happening
Feeling on edge or keyed up (also called hyperarousal). You may be jittery or always alert and on the lookout for danger. You might suddenly become angry or irritable. For example:
You may have a hard time sleeping
You may find it hard to concentrate
You may be startled by a loud noise or surprise
You might act in unhealthy ways, like smoking, abusing drugs or alcohol or driving aggressively
What are the symptoms of PTSD in children?
Children may have symptoms like those above or other symptoms. Here are some examples of PTSD symptoms in children and teens:
Children under six may get upset if their parents are not close by, have trouble sleeping or act out the trauma in their play
Children ages seven to 11 may also act out the trauma through play, drawings or stories. Some have nightmares or become more irritable or aggressive. They may also want to avoid school or have trouble with schoolwork or friends.
Children age 12 to 18 have symptoms more similar to adults: depression, anxiety, withdrawal or reckless behavior like substance use or running away
What treatments are available?
Both trauma-focused psychotherapy (sometimes called counseling or talk therapy) and medication are proven to treat PTSD. Sometimes, people combine psychotherapy and medication.
Trauma-focused psychotherapy
A few trauma-focused psychotherapies are the most highly recommended treatments for PTSD. “Trauma-focused” means that the therapy focuses on the memory of the traumatic event or its meaning. The three most effective types of trauma-focused psychotherapy are:
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is where you learn skills to understand how trauma changed your thoughts and feelings. Changing how you think about the trauma can change how you feel
Prolonged Exposure (PE) is where you talk about your trauma repeatedly until memories are no longer upsetting. This will help you gain control over your thoughts and feelings about the trauma. You also go to places or do things that are safe but that you have been staying away from because they remind you of the trauma
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which involves focusing on sounds or hand movements while you talk about the trauma. This helps your brain work through the traumatic memories
Medications for PTSD
Certain medications can be effective for treating PTSD symptoms. Talk to your doctor for the most up-to-date information regarding medications for PTSD.
Source: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
