Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.
They may also have problems sleeping and find concentrating difficult.
These symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person’s day to day life.
Causes of PTSD
Any situation that a person finds traumatic can cause PTSD, including:
- Serious road accidents
- Violent personal assaults, such as sexual assault, mugging or robbery
- Serious health problems
- Childbirth experiences
- Serving in the Armed Forces
PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later.
PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it’s not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others do not.
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
People who repeatedly experience traumatic situations, such as severe neglect, abuse or violence, may be diagnosed with complex PTSD.
Complex PTSD can cause similar symptoms to PTSD and may not develop until years after the event.
It’s often more severe if the trauma was experienced early in life, as this can affect a child’s development.
How is PTSD treated?
PTSD can be successfully treated, even when it develops many years after a traumatic event.
Treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and how soon they occur after the traumatic event. The following treatment options may be recommended:
- Watchful waiting – monitoring your symptoms to see whether they improve or get worse without treatment
- Antidepressants – such as paroxetine or mirtazapine
- Psychological therapies – such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
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Find out more about PTSD on the NHS website
Find out more about PTSD on the NHS website
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