Millions of Americans are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Written By: MSG Stephanie Weaver, National Guard Liaison, Office of Policy, Planning & Innovation; Eileen Zeller, MPH, Public Health Advisor, Suicide Prevention Branch, Center for Mental Health Services; Juliet Bui, MPA, MSW, Public Health Analyst, Office of Behavioral Health Equity
Did you know that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder affects:
- 11-20% of Iraq and Afghanistan war (Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom) Veterans
- 10% of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans
- 30% of Vietnam Veterans
Did you also know that Veterans are not the only population that experiences PTSD:
- 7-8% of the general population will have PTSD at some point in their lives.
- 5.2 million adults have PTSD during a given year. This is only a small portion of those who have experienced trauma.
- Women are more likely than men to develop PTSD. About 10% of women develop PTSD sometime in their lives compared with 5% of men.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) remains committed to raising awareness about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, and providing resources for the millions of Americans affected by PTSD. It is important that people know that treatment is effective, and people suffering from behavioral health conditions can and do recover.
What exactly is PTSD? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that can develop after a traumatic or life-threatening event. PTSD often presents itself in symptoms such as upsetting memories, hypervigilance, or trouble sleeping. While these symptoms are a common response to a traumatic event, worsening or prolonged symptoms may be a sign of PTSD.
How do I get help or help someone else with PTSD? A licensed therapist can assess an individual for trauma and PTSD and help determine the best form of treatment. A number of treatments for PTSD exist and have been proven to be effective, including Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and certain medications. You can find a licensed therapist using SAMHSA’s treatment locator. Individuals in crisis, family, and friends can receive confidential support through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline which can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. Press “1” for the Veterans Crisis Line or visit the Veterans Chat site.
If you are a provider, you can learn more about PTSD, trauma and treatment through online educational courses offered by the National Center for PTSD. SAMHSA offers a number of resources on PTSD and trauma for providers, educators, and families. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides information about the impact of PTSD on men, women and children. The National Center for Trauma Informed Care provides education and training for building awareness of trauma-informed care and promoting the implementation of trauma-informed practices in programs and services. SAMHSA also publishes guides for clinicians, including the recently released Pharmacologic Guidelines for Treating Individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Co-Occurring Opioid Use Disorders.
I’ve read that a lot more people have PTSD than is commonly thought (eg DR. Charles Whitfield’s books) because even traumatic events that are not life-threatening can produce severe effects if they’re repeated over and over, especially in the case of children exposed to trauma from parents. This happens often in families with parents who are alcoholics or drug abusers. The trauma produces a chronic PTSD condition with symptoms such as depression. But most people with depression aren’t being treated for the trauma and so they don’t recover. A treatment technique geared for trauma is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), which I don’t see mentioned in SAMHSA’s materials. I’m wondering why this is the case and why more people with depression and other mental illnesses aren’t treated or even screened for underlying trauma?