3.15: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Page ID
- 11682
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder that can occur after living through or seeing a dangerous event. It can also occur after a sudden traumatic event. This can include:
- Being a victim of or seeing violence
- Being a victim of sexual or physical abuse or assault
- The death or serious illness of a loved one
- Fighting in a war
- A severe car crash or a plane crash
- Hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires
You can start having PTSD symptoms right after the event or symptoms can develop months or even years later. Symptoms may include:
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks, or feeling like the event is happening again
- Staying away from places and things that remind you of what happened
- Being irritable, angry, or jumpy
- Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling numb
- Having trouble remembering the event
Women are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop PTSD than men. Also, people with ongoing stress in their lives are more likely to develop PTSD after a dangerous event.