Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by highly stressful, frightening, or distressing events.
Symptoms of PTSD
People with PTSD often relive the traumatic experience through nightmares or flashbacks.
They may also feel isolated, irritable, and guilty. Other common symptoms include insomnia, difficulty focusing, and heightened anxiety.
These symptoms can be intense and long-lasting, greatly impacting a person’s daily life.
Causes of PTSD
PTSD can result from any event that a person views as traumatic, such as:
- Serious car accidents
- Violent assaults (e.g., sexual assault, mugging, or robbery)
- Major health issues
- Traumatic childbirth experiences
PTSD can develop right after a traumatic event, or it may appear weeks, months, or even years later.
It’s estimated that about 1 in 3 people who experience trauma will develop PTSD, but the exact reasons why some people develop it and others do not are still not fully understood.
