What is posttraumatic stress disorder?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can result from living through or witnessing a life- threatening event. The traumatic event produces intense feelings of fear or helplessness. PTSD can occur after combat, a disaster such as an earthquake or a plane crash, or a rape or mugging. PTSD can seriously interfere with your normal day-to-day life and cause great emotional distress.

How does it occur?

Development of PTSD depends partly on how intense, prolonged, and severe the traumatic event was. People who have a history of depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders may be more likely to get PTSD. So are those who have suffered trauma before, especially during childhood.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of PTSD often begin right after the traumatic event, but sometimes they do not occur until months or even years later.

The symptoms fall into three basic groups:

• reliving the trauma
• avoiding anything associated with the trauma
• feeling nervous or on edge after the trauma.

You may have nightmares, hallucinations, and flashbacks. You may feel, think, and act the way you did at the time of the event. You may shut yourself off from others and feel very numb emotionally. You may feel hopeless about the future. You may avoid anything that reminds you of the original event. You may have trouble sleeping and concentrating. You may have bouts of anger. Depression and substance abuse commonly develop in people with PTSD.

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor or therapist will ask you about your symptoms and experiences.

How is it treated?

There are a number of ways to treat PTSD. Antidepressant and antianxiety drugs are often used. So is cognitive behavioral therapy. Recent studies suggest that other medications such as anticonvulsants might help some people.

Since PTSD can occur along with depression or substance abuse, sometimes these problems need attention before treatment for PTSD can begin.

Without treatment, PTSD can last for a few months or years, depending on the traumatic event and your response to it over time. However, this disorder can be successfully treated. Many people who have had it lead very productive lives.

How can I help myself?

• Check for support groups in your local area. There are many support groups for different forms of PTSD.
• Contact the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Anxiety Disorders Association, and other organizations where you can meet people who have experience with PTSD and understand it. NAMI's toll-free number is 1-800-950- NAMI. NAMI's website address is http://www.nami.org.
• Read all you can about this disorder and work with your doctor or therapist to deal with the past trauma.