Post-traumatic stress disorder

**Post-traumatic stress disorder** (**PTSD**) be a mental disorder wey dey develop from experiencing a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare den ein associated traumas, natural disaster, bereavement, traffic collision, anaa oda threats on a person ein life anaa well-being. Symptoms fi dey include disturbing thoughts, feelings, anaa dreams related to de events, mental anaa physical distress to trauma-related cues, attempts to avoid trauma-related cues, alterations insyd de way a person dey think den dey feel, den an increase insyd de fight-or-flight response. Dese symptoms dey last for more dan a month after de event den fi include triggers such as misophonia. Young kiddies be less likely to show distress, buh instead fi express dema memories thru play.

Chaw people wey dey experience traumatic events no dey develop PTSD. People wey dey experience interpersonal violence such as rape, oda sexual assaults, being kidnapped, stalking, physical abuse by an intimate partner, den childhood abuse be more likely to develop PTSD dan those wey dey experience non-assault based trauma, such as accidents den natural disasters. Insyd de United States, about 3.5% of adults get PTSD insyd a given year, den 9% of people develop am at sam point insyd dema lives. In much of de rest of de world, rates during a given year be between 0.5% den 1%. Higher rates fi occur insyd regions of armed conflict. E be more common insyd women dan men.

Na a recent systematic review den meta-analysis report say de pooled prevalence rates for ICD-11 PTSD den complex PTSD be 2% den 4%, respectively, among adults insyd non-war-exposed/economically developed countries/regions; dem increase to 6% den 15%, respectively, insyd war-exposed/less economically developed countries/regions.

Prevention fi be possible wen na dem target counselling at those plus early symptoms, buh e no be effective wen dem provide to all trauma-exposed individuals regardless of whether symptoms be present. De main treatments for people plus PTSD be counselling (psychotherapy) den medication. Chaw combination therapy (psychotherapy den pharmacotherapy) no dey seem to be more effective dan psychotherapy alone, except for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Benefits from medication be less dan those dem see plus counselling. Antidepressants of de SSRI anaa SNRI type be de first-line medications dem use for PTSD wey be moderately beneficial for about half of people. Medications, oda dan sam SSRIs anaa SNRIs, no get enough evidence to support dema use den, insyd de case of benzodiazepines, fi worsen outcomes.

Na dem document symptoms of trauma-related mental disorders since at least de time of de ancient Greeks. Na dem argue a few instances of evidence of post-traumatic illness to exist from de seventeenth den eighteenth centuries, such as de diary of Samuel Pepys, wey dem describe intrusive den distressing symptoms following de 1666 Fire of London. During de world wars, na dem know de condition under various terms, wey dey include "shell shock", "war nerves", neurasthenia den 'combat neurosis'. De term "post-traumatic stress disorder" cam into use insyd de 1970s, in large part secof de diagnoses of U.S. military veterans of de Vietnam War. Na dem officially recognize am by de American Psychiatric Association insyd 1980 insyd de third edition of de *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders* (DSM-III).

## References


## External links

* Post traumatic stress disorder information from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
* Information resources from The University of Queensland School of Medicine
* APA practice parameters for assessment and treatment for PTSD (Updated 2025)
* Resources for professionals from the VA National PTSD Center