June observed as PTSD Awareness Month

Each year, the month of June is recognized as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 3.6 percent of adults in the United States had PTSD within the past year.

Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop after exposure to a potential traumatic event that is beyond a typical stressor. Individuals who experience PTSD may have persistent, frightening thoughts and memories of a specific event, experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or may easily be startled. In severe forms, PTSD can significantly impair a person’s ability to function at work, at home, and socially.

Anyone can develop PTSD; personal factors such as previous traumatic exposure, age, and gender can affect whether a person will develop the disorder.

PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not appear until months or years later and could also come and go over many years.

Within the disorder, there are four types of symptoms, and to be diagnosed you need to have each type.

The four symptoms include

Reliving the event, which is also referred to as re-experiencing symptoms.

Avoiding things that remind you of the event.

Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event.

Feeling on edge or keyed up, which is also called hyperarousal.

The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that you should talk to a doctor or mental health care provider if your symptoms last longer than a month, are very upsetting, or disrupt your daily life.

Post-traumatic stress disorder treatment can help you regain a sense of control over your life. The Mayo Clinic states in an online article, “The primary treatment is psychotherapy but can also include medication.”

The different types of therapy include psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). 

All these approaches can help you gain control of lasting fear after a traumatic event.

For further information, visit nimh.nih.gov or mayoclinic.org.