Some interesting facts about PTSD include: 70% of adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. 20% of people who experience a traumatic event will develop PTSD. About 13 million people have PTSD in a given year. 1 in 13 people will develop PTSD at some point in their life.
1. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that involves the over-activation of the fight and flight response. 2. PTSD symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma through flashbacks or nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, and avoiding people and places that may remind one of the trauma.
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people.
In the United States: Trauma is the leading cause of death for individuals up to the age of 45 years (Table of Causes of Death) Trauma is the fourth leading cause of death overall for all ages. There are almost 40,000 homicide and suicide deaths each year in the US.
People who have experienced trauma are: 15 times more likely to attempt suicide. 4 times more likely to become an alcoholic. 4 times more likely to develop a sexually transmitted disease.
Some of the most common traumatic events include: physical assault. sexual assault, including childhood sexual abuse. verbal assault.
As its name implies, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is unique among the mental disorders in that it is a reaction to a clear precipitating event – a traumatic experience.
Outcomes of Trauma Exposure
Estimates from community studies suggest that women experience PTSD at two to three times the rate that men do (4). U.S. prevalence estimates of lifetime PTSD from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication are 9.7% for women and 3.6% for men (5).
And while not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD, about 5-10% of Australians will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives.
People who experience traumatic events or who have PTSD may also experience panic disorder, depression, substance use, or suicidal thoughts. Treatment for these conditions can help with recovery after trauma. Research shows that support from family and friends also can be an essential part of recovery.
The typical onset age for PTSD is in young and middle adulthood. The NCS-R reported a median onset age of 23 (interquartile range: ages 15-39) among adults (Kessler et al., 2005).
About 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) in the U.S. has PTSD in any given year. In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. About 8 of every 100 women (or 8%) and 4 of every 100 men (or 4%) will have PTSD at some point in their life.
The first case of chronic mental symptoms caused by sudden fright in the battlefield is reported in the account of the battle of Marathon by Herodotus, written in 440 bc (History, Book VI, transi.
Mick Jagger is the lead singer of the iconic rock band The Rolling Stones. Jagger has said he developed PTSD after his girlfriend, L'Wren Scott died by suicide in their home.
PTSD symptoms were termed shell shock in the First World War because it was thought they were caused by concussive physical trauma due to shells used in trench warfare.
The term "post-traumatic stress disorder" came into use in the 1970s in large part due to the diagnoses of U.S. military veterans of the Vietnam War. It was officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III).
The benefits of post-traumatic growth are stronger relationships, greater awareness of new possibilities, increased personal strength, spiritual enhancement, and deeper appreciation for life.
Death of a loved one. Divorce. Moving. Major illness or injury.
Young Children and Trauma. Children can experience trauma as early as infancy. In fact, young children between the ages of 0 and 5 are the most vulnerable to the effects of trauma since their brains are still in the early formative years.
Their paper, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, finds that Canada has the highest levels of PTSD, followed by the Netherlands, Australia, the US and New Zealand. The lowest levels were found in Nigeria, China and Romania.