PTSD can follow a traumatic event. It can feel like upsetting memories that push in, avoiding reminders, changes in mood, and feeling on edge, lasting more than a month.
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How common
About 6 to 8 in 100 people have PTSD at some point in life.
Usually starts
It can happen at any age, with higher risk in the teen years and early adulthood after a traumatic event.
Get checked if
Get checked if, more than a month after a traumatic event, you still have upsetting memories or nightmares, avoid reminders, feel on edge,…
About 6 to 8 in 100 people have PTSD at some point in life. It is more common in groups at higher risk, such as combat veterans and people who have been assaulted.
You are not the only one.
Signs are grouped the way clinicians describe them. Recognising some is a reason to talk to someone, not a diagnosis.
“I feel like I'm always waiting for the next terrible thing to happen, like my body won't let me relax even when I'm safe.”
School & work
Reduced performance, concentration issues, and absenteeism.
Social
Avoidance of gatherings, social withdrawal, and relationship strain.
Medical
Increased risk of substance abuse, cardiovascular problems, and chronic pain.
Most people do best with a combination. Choose a kind of treatment to see what it involves.
Commonly used
Sometimes used (off-label)
Ways to start that you can sign up for yourself, from our reviews. Not a substitute for an assessment.
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Get checked if, more than a month after a traumatic event, you still have upsetting memories or nightmares, avoid reminders, feel on edge, or feel numb, and it gets in the way of daily life. Get urgent help if you have thoughts of suicide or self-harm, are using more alcohol or drugs to cope, or are acting in aggressive or reckless ways.
Everything we know about Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, section by section.
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No, most people who go through trauma don't develop {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}. About 6 to 8 in 100 people have {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} at some point in life, which means most trauma survivors recover and don't develop the full condition. Things like support from others, coping skills, how severe the trauma was, and past mental health affect who develops {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}.
Yes, this is called {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} with delayed expression. Some people don't meet full diagnostic criteria until at least 6 months after the trauma, though they may have had some symptoms earlier. Changes in life circumstances or new reminders can trigger symptom onset years later.
No, {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} can develop after any qualifying trauma including assault, accidents, natural disasters, medical trauma, witnessing violence, or learning about trauma to loved ones. While veterans have higher rates, anyone exposed to qualifying trauma can develop {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}.
Everyone remembers traumatic events, but {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} involves involuntary, intrusive re-experiencing that feels like the trauma is happening again, along with avoidance, negative thought changes, and hyperarousal. These symptoms persist for over a month and significantly impair functioning, going beyond normal memory.
Some people recover naturally with time and support, but many don't. Without treatment, {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} often lasts a long time and may get worse. Getting help early improves outcomes. Treatments backed by good research, like trauma-focused CBT, EMDR and medicines, greatly improve symptoms for most people.
Trauma-focused treatments involve processing the traumatic memory, but therapists use structured, gradual approaches to make this tolerable. You work with your therapist to face trauma memories at a pace you can manage. Avoidance maintains {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}, so processing trauma, while difficult, is key to recovery.
Flashbacks involve suddenly feeling like the trauma is happening in the present moment. This can include vivid sensory experiences—seeing, hearing, or smelling aspects of the trauma. Some people lose awareness of their current surroundings completely, while others maintain some awareness but experience intense re-experiencing.
Yes, {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} occurs across all ages, including young children. Symptoms may look different—young children might reenact trauma through play, have nightmares without clear content, or show regressive behaviors like bedwetting. Diagnostic criteria have some developmental modifications for children.
Survivor guilt is a common {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptom, particularly when others died or were seriously harmed in the same trauma. This involves persistent, distorted thoughts about personal responsibility. Cognitive processing therapy specifically addresses these guilt-related cognitions, which maintain {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptoms.
No. Being traumatized means experiencing a traumatic event and its immediate aftermath. {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} is a specific diagnosis requiring particular symptoms across four categories that persist beyond one month and cause significant impairment. Many traumatized people don't develop {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}.
Yes, untreated {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} can worsen over time. Avoidance behaviors often expand, shrinking a person's world. Additional stressors or new traumas can exacerbate symptoms. Anniversary reactions or new trauma reminders can intensify symptoms even years later. This is why treatment shouldn't be delayed.
Emotional numbing is a core {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptom involving diminished interest in activities, detachment from others, and inability to experience positive emotions. This develops as the brain's way of managing overwhelming emotion but becomes problematic, preventing connection and joy. Trauma-focused treatment addresses numbing along with hyperarousal.
SSRIs like sertraline and paroxetine don't just mask symptoms—they can reduce {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptom severity by addressing underlying neurobiological changes. However, they work best combined with trauma-focused psychotherapy. Medications alone typically don't lead to full recovery, but they can make it easier to engage in effective therapy.
Trauma changes the brain's threat detection system. The amygdala becomes hyperresponsive, flagging trauma reminders as dangerous even when rational thought says they're safe. Avoidance reduces short-term distress but maintains {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} long-term. Treatment helps recalibrate threat detection through safe exposure to reminders.
Complex {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}, recognized in ICD-11 but not DSM-5, results from chronic or repeated trauma like long-term abuse. It includes {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptoms plus disturbances in self-organization: affect dysregulation, negative self-concept, and relationship difficulties. Treatment requires addressing both {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptoms and these additional challenges.
The diagnostic manual (DSM-5) requires exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence. Emotional trauma without these elements wouldn't count as {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD}, though it could lead to other conditions like adjustment disorder. But emotional abuse often comes with threats that do count.
Exaggerated startle response is a {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} hyperarousal symptom. Trauma dysregulates the nervous system, leaving it in a state of high alert. Your body reacts to sudden stimuli as potential threats. This physiological change reflects altered brain functioning, particularly in the amygdala and stress response systems.
Yes, {link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} symptoms can fluctuate in intensity. Stressors, trauma reminders, anniversaries, or life changes can temporarily worsen symptoms. Some people experience periods of relative stability interrupted by symptom increases. This doesn't mean treatment isn't working—learning to manage fluctuations is part of recovery.
Yes, the diagnostic manual (DSM-5) includes learning that a trauma (involving actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence) happened to a close family member or friend. This is especially relevant for family members of people who went through trauma. Repeated exposure to details of trauma is also included, which is relevant for workers like first responders.
{link:condition:posttraumatic-stress-disorder:PTSD} involves specific symptom clusters—involuntary re-experiencing, effortful avoidance, negative cognitive and mood changes, and altered arousal—that persist beyond one month and significantly impair functioning. Normal stress responses don't include flashbacks, don't last as long, and don't cause the same level of impairment.
This information about mental health conditions is for educational purposes only. If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for proper evaluation and diagnosis.
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