Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a normal human reaction to an extreme or abnormal situation. Each person has a different threshold for what is perceived as a traumatic event. PTSD is not a rare or unusual occurrence, in fact, many people experience PTSD as a result of a traumatic experience such as rape or sexual assault.

You may be experiencing PTSD if, following an event where you experienced or were confronted with actual or threatened injury or a threat to your physical integrity, you have:

• shown symptoms of intense horror, helplessness, or fear
• experienced distressing memories of the event (e.g., flashbacks, including nightmares)
• regularly avoided things or triggers that remind you of the event (e.g., people, places, things, etc.)
• shown significant impairment or distress due to the event
• shown at least two symptoms of increased arousal (e.g., sleep difficulties, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, an exaggerated startle response, or irritability or outburts of anger/rage)
• experienced these things for at least a month

The National Center for PTSD has extensive information on PTSD, including information on Coping with PTSD and tips on What You Can Do.