About PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
PTSD affects ~6% of U.S. adults lifetime (~15M, VA/NIMH), often after trauma like assault, accident, combat, or disaster. Flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, or irritability, are some signs of it.
Symptoms
Symptoms: Flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or irritability lasting >1 month. It stems from overwhelming fear response altering brain areas (amygdala/hippocampus).
Treatments
Treatments: Therapy (EMDR, prolonged exposure, CPT), meds (SSRIs like sertraline), yoga/relaxation, or VA apps like PTSD Coach. Many recover—988 or specialized trauma lines help immediately.
