MedlinePlus: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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- Services and providers for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is the National Institute of Mental Health
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Also called: PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a real illness. You can get PTSD after living through or seeing a traumatic event, such as war, a hurricane, rape, physical abuse or a bad accident. PTSD makes you feel stressed and afraid after the danger is over. It affects your life and the people around you.

PTSD can cause problems like

Flashbacks, or feeling like the event is happening again
Trouble sleeping or nightmares
Feeling alone
Angry outbursts
Feeling worried, guilty or sad

PTSD starts at different times for different people. Signs of PTSD may start soon after a frightening event and then continue. Other people develop new or more severe signs months or even years later. PTSD can happen to anyone, even children.

Medicines can help you feel less afraid and tense. It might take a few weeks for them to work. Talking to a specially trained doctor or counselor also helps many people with PTSD. This is called talk therapy.

National Institute of Mental Health

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(National Institute of Mental Health)
Also available in Spanish
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
What Can I Do If I Think I Have PTSD?(National Center for PTSD)

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews Latest News Diagnosis/Symptoms Treatment	Coping Specific Conditions Related Issues	Tutorials Videos
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Clinical Trials Research Journal Articles	Dictionaries/Glossaries Directories Organizations Statistics	MedlinePlus Magazine Children Teenagers Women Seniors

Overviews
- Common Reactions After Trauma(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- JAMA Patient Page: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder(American Medical Association)
  Also available in Spanish
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  Also available in Spanish
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(National Institute of Mental Health)
Latest News
- Poor Health Linked to PTSD Risk Among Vets(04/17/2009, HealthDay)
- Study Challenges Link Between Panic Attacks, PTSD(04/10/2009, HealthDay)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Common in Migraine Sufferers(04/03/2009, Reuters Health)
- More News on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Effects of Traumatic Stress in a Disaster Situation(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- FAQs about PTSD Assessment(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- How Is PTSD Measured?(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
Treatment
- Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Conditions: What to Look for and How to Choose a Therapist(Sidran Institute)
- Treatment of PTSD(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
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Coping
- Coping with PTSD and Recommended Lifestyle Changes for PTSD Patients(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Having Trouble Coping? There Is Hope(Center for Mental Health Services) - Links to PDF
- In the Wake of Trauma: Tips for College Students(Center for Mental Health Services) - Links to PDF
- Managing Stress and Recovering from Trauma: Facts and Resources for Veterans and Families(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Managing Traumatic Stress: Tips for Recovering from Disasters and Other Traumatic Events(American Psychological Association)
  Also available in Spanish
- Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event: Managing Your Stress(Center for Mental Health Services) - Links to PDF
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Specific Conditions
- Complex PTSD(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Dealing with Trauma: Frightening Events Can Have Lasting Effects(National Institutes of Health)
- Post-Traumatic Stress After a Traffic Accident(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  Also available in Spanish
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Cancer Survivors(National Cancer Institute)
- Returning from the War Zone: A Guide for Families of Military Members(National Center for PTSD)
- Returning from the War Zone: A Guide for Military Personnel(National Center for PTSD) - Large PDF file
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Related Issues
- Answers in the Aftermath(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Disaster Rescue and Response Workers(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Discussing Trauma and PTSD with Your Doctor(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Finding a PTSD Therapist(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Frequently Asked Questions about PTSD & Employment(Office of Disability Employment Policy, Veterans' Employment and Training Service)
- How Do People Respond during Traumatic Exposure?(American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress) - Links to PDF
- PTSD and Physical Health(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- PTSD and Suicide(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- PTSD and the Family(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Sleep and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Tips for Communicating with People with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(Office of Disability Employment Policy, Veterans' Employment and Training Service)
- Trauma and Relationships(International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies)
- Trauma, Loss and Traumatic Grief(International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies)
- Traumatic Stress and Substance Use Problems(International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies)
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Tutorials
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(Patient Education Institute)
  Also available in Spanish
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Videos
- Wounds Within(Dept. of Defense)
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Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic(National Institutes of Health)
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Research
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Research(National Institute of Mental Health)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(National Institutes of Health) - Links to PDF
- Task Force Finds Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effective for Children and Adolescents Exposed to Trauma(National Institute of Mental Health)
- Virtual Reality, Psychotherapy, Show Promise in Treating PTSD Symptoms; Civilian Access to Care Remains a Concern(National Institute of Mental Health)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Reviving health care in Liberia.
- Article: Tracing the flow of knowledge: geographic variability in the diffusion...
- Article: Mental health in adults with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities:...
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder -- see more articles
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Dissociative Disorders Glossary(Sidran Institute)
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Directories
- Mental Health Services Locator(Center for Mental Health Services)
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Organizations
- Center for Mental Health Services
- National Center for PTSD
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- National Institute of Mental Health
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Statistics
- How Common Is PTSD?(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
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MedlinePlus Magazine
- NIH Research to Results
- PTSD: A Growing Epidemic
- PTSD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
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Children
- For Parents: Childhood Traumatic Grief Educational Materials(National Child Traumatic Stress Network) - Large PDF file
- Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do(National Institute of Mental Health)
- Resources for Helping Children Cope with Trauma and Death(NYU Child Study Center) - Large PDF file
- Understanding Child Traumatic Stress(National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
  Also available in Spanish
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Teenagers
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder(Nemours Foundation)
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Women
- Women, Trauma and PTSD(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
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Seniors
- PTSD and Older Veterans(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
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