Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after a traumatic event like combat, assault, or disaster. PTSD symptoms include reliving the trauma through flashbacks or nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, and avoiding situations that trigger memories of the event. It is estimated that 20% of people who experience trauma will develop PTSD, with women being twice as likely as men. While the causes are unknown, psychological, social, and genetic factors all play a role. Treatment options include therapy and medication.

1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
By: Jennifer Buckley
and
Jacqueline Erwin

2. What is PTSD?
 DSM IV of the American Psychiatric
Association defines PTSD according to their
symptoms, their duration, and the nature of the
event.
 Symptoms fall into three categories: re-
experiencing (e.g. flashbacks), hyper-arousal
(e.g. sleeplessness, anxiety) and phobias (e.g.
fear of driving after having been in a crash).
 These symptoms must persist for at least
30 days and impair your function to some
degree

3. PTSD
 A severe anxiety disorder that can
result in psychological trauma.
 PTSD can occur at any age
 It usually occurs after a physical or
psychological trauma, or more
frequently a combination of both

4.  70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced
some type of traumatic event at least once in
their lives
 20% of those people go on to develop PTSD
 It’s estimated that 5% of Americans have
PTSD at any given time. That’s 11.2 million
people
 An estimated 1 out of 10 women develops PTSD.
 Women are twice as likely as men to develop
PTSD.

5.  The causes of PTSD are unknown
 Psychological, physical, social and genetic
factors are all involved
 Some traumatic events that may cause
PTSD symptoms are:
-Natural disaster
-Assault
-Domestic Abuse
-Staying in a prison
-War
-Rape
-Terrorism
-Sudden loss of a loved one

6.  PTSD changes the body’s response to
stress
 It is unknown why traumatic events
cause PTSD in some people but not in
others
 PTSD usually appears within three
months of the trauma, but may
surface months or years later

7. Some Symptoms of PTSD
 Nightmares
 Anger, rage and/or irritability
 Depression
 Loss of self-esteem
 Difficulty trusting others
 Guilt
 Trouble sleeping
 Substance abuse
 Isolation and alienation from others
 Having thoughts and memories that will not go away
 Anxiety
 Heightened sense of danger
 Hyper alertness or startle response changes

8. Treatment of PTSD
 Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing
 Family Therapy
 Behavior Therapy
 Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
 Medication
 Peer Counseling Groups

9. Resources
 Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. 2011. 10 Nov. 2011
http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Post-traumatic-
stress-disorder.html
 PubMed Health. 5 March 2011. 10 Nov. 2011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923
/
 Satel, Sally. “American Enterprise Institute for Public
Policy Research.” Feb. 2011.
 United States Department of Veterans Affairs. 31 Aug.
2011. 9 Nov. 2011 www.ptsd.va.gov/