According to the National Center for PTSD, the disorder (post-traumatic stress disorder) is 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. During this kind of event, you may not have any control over what's happening, and you may feel very afraid. Anyone who has gone through something like this can develop PTSD.
It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after a traumatic event. At first, it may be hard to do daily activities you are used to doing, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later, or they may come and go over time.
If it's been longer than a few months and thoughts and feelings from the trauma are upsetting you or causing problems in your life, you may have PTSD.
This month is dedicated to raising awareness of this disorder, which about 8 million people suffer from in the U.S. currently. Even though treatments can be effective, many people do not get treatment. It is important to raise awareness that effective treatments are available and worth pursuing. An excellent reference is available from the National Center for PTSD.
There are several treatments available for PTSD:
Trauma-focused Psychotherapies
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Click below for an excellent reference from the National Center for PTSD. This has more specific descriptions on the treatments noted above. In addition, you can use the Treatment Decision Aid to see what treatment options might be good for you.