If you or someone you love is struggling with symptoms of PTSD, help is available. Healing is possible.
Often called an “invisible wound,” PTSD is one of the most debilitating mental health conditions that can result from trauma exposure. It can have a profound effect on the lives of those who have it, impacting mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
With PTSD, traumatic memories may interfere with daily life. Other symptoms include intrusive memories, in the form of flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance behaviors, negative changes in cognition or mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.
PTSD was first introduced as a diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980. Behavioral health providers may see a wide range of clients with PTSD from many different causes. Trauma-informed clinical practices create an environment that is safe and supportive for all patients.
Elements of PTSD
Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD. Figures from the World Health Organization suggest that around 70% of people globally will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime, but only a minority of around 5.6% will go on to develop PTSD.
The intensity and duration of the trauma and pre-existing conditions like mental illness influence the development of PTSD. Other risk factors include:
- Exposure to previous traumatic experiences, especially in childhood.
- A trauma that results in a physical injury or witnessing another being injured.
- Feeling horror, helplessness, or extreme fear.
- Having little or no social support after the traumatic event.
In Veterans, PTSD is commonly associated with combat trauma. According to the National Center for PTSD, the prevalence of PTSD in Veterans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan is about 11–20%. Military sexual trauma, which can happen to both men and women, can also lead to PTSD.
Honoring the Legacy of Sgt. Joe Biel
Efforts to increase awareness about PTSD on a national level began in 2010. Congress designated June 27 as PTSD Awareness Day at the request of Sen. Kent Conrad, as a tribute to Army Staff Sgt. Joe Biel of the North Dakota National Guard. Sgt. Biel was a former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and served two tours in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon his return home, he suffered from PTSD and died by suicide in 2007. Sgt. Biel’s birthday, June 27, was selected as the official PTSD Awareness Day. In 2014, the U.S. Senate designated June as National PTSD Awareness Month.
Service members have high rates of trauma exposure and therefore greater vulnerability to PTSD, but civilians – including children – also suffer. The most common types of traumas to result in PTSD are combat and sexual assault.
In America, about 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) in the U.S. has PTSD in any given year. In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD.
- Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men.
- PTSD is slightly more common among Veterans than civilians. At some point in their life, 7 out of every 100 Veterans (or 7%) will have PTSD.
- Approximately 5% of U.S. adolescents have met criteria for PTSD in their lifetime.
PTSD Resources
If you or someone you love is struggling with symptoms of PTSD, help is available. Healing is possible. Common PTSD treatments include cognitive processing therapy, exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and medication.
The following links provide more information about PTSD and some of the resources available to you.
About Face: Learn about PTSD from Veterans who’ve lived it. Produced by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD.
Your Wellness Matters: On a Mission to Heal: Navigating Posttraumatic Stress. One of the ways we can be on a “mission to heal” and help navigate PTSD for those we care about, is to learn the facts about PTSD.
Gain Awareness About Trauma and PTSD: This infographic shares important ways to begin healing from trauma.