Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a normal human reaction to an extreme or abnormal situation. Each person has a different threshold for what is perceived as a traumatic event. PTSD is not a rare or unusual occurrence, in fact, many people experience PTSD as a result of a traumatic experience such as rape or sexual assault.
You may be experiencing PTSD if, following an event where you experienced or were confronted with actual or threatened injury or a threat to your physical integrity, you have:
- shown symptoms of intense horror, helplessness, or fear
- experienced distressing memories of the event (e.g., flashbacks, including nightmares)
- regularly avoided things or triggers that remind you of the event (e.g., people, places, things, etc.)
- shown significant impairment or distress due to the event
- shown at least two symptoms of increased arousal (e.g., sleep difficulties, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, an exaggerated startle response, or irritability or outburts of anger/rage)
- experienced these things for at least a month
The National Center for PTSD has extensive information on PTSD, including information on Coping with PTSD and tips on What You Can Do.
