1. POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

2. What is PTSD?
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that some people get after seeing or living through a dangerous event.
The normal “fight or flight” response is changed so some people may feel scared or stressed, even when the danger has passed.

3. What causes PTSD? Traumatic events in a person’s life such as: War
Terrorist attack
Prison
Rape
Domestic abuse
Natural disaster

4. Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
There are three main categories of symptoms
Reliving the event
Avoidance and numbing
Arousal

5. Reliving the Event Affects day to day activities: Flashbacks
Nightmares
Reactions to an uncomfortable situation that reminds the person of the trauma
Distressing recurrent images, thoughts or perceptions of the event

6. Avoidance and Numbing Avoiding reminders of the event
Thoughts, feelings or conversations
Activities, places or people
Decreased interest
Feeling detached
Restricted emotional state

7. Increased arousal
Increased physiological and mental arousal (requires 2 or more of the following):
Sleep difficulty
Irritability or anger
Impaired concentration
Hypervigilance (increased watchfulness for any situation that may remind the person of the event)
Increased startle response

8. Other Symptoms Guilty feelings such as survivor guilt Agitation
Dizziness
Fainting
Palpitations
Headache

9. PTSD
Symptoms must be present for at least 30 days to be classified as PTSD
At least 1 re-living experience
At least 3 avoidance episodes
At least 2 arousal episodes
Other symptoms that impair daily life
Less than 30 days is considered ASD (acute stress disorder)

10. Treatment
Psychotherapy and medications are both used as treatment for PTSD
Desensitization
Group therapy
Support groups
SSRIs
Other anti anxiety medications

11. PTSD PTSD can be complicated by other factors Alcohol abuse Depression
Other mental issues
Panic attack

12. PTSD Good prognosis is expected if: Early diagnosis Prompt treatment
Good support
Group therapy
Family support

13. National Institute of Mental Health
Science Writing, Press & Dissemination Branch
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892–9663
Phone: –443– or
1–866–615–NIMH (6464) toll-free
TTY: 301–443–8431
TTY: 866–415–8051 toll-free
FAX: 301–443–4279
Web site:

14. References http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923/
Michael J Murphy, Ronald L Cowan, Lloyd I Sederer, Blueprints Psychiatry, 5th ed. Wolters Kluwer, 2009