Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people ... *From Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM-5) ...AsdescribedinthePrivacyPolicyoftheAmericanPsychiatricAssociation(APA),thiswebsite&applicationutilizecookies.Byclosingthismessage,continuingthenavigationorotherwisecontinuingtoviewtheAPA'swebsites&applications,youconfirmthatyouunderstandandacceptthetermsoftheAPA'sPrivacyPolicy,includingtheuseofcookies.ReadOurPrivacyPolicyIagreePatients&FamiliesPosttraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)Patients&FamiliesWhatIsPsychiatry?FindaPsychiatristAddictionandSubstanceUseDisordersAnxietyDisordersDepressionDissociativeDisordersEatingDisordersGenderDysphoriaObsessive-CompulsiveDisorder(OCD)PersonalityDisordersPosttraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)SchizophreniaViewMoreTopics»BacktoPosttraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)PTSDWhatIsPosttraumaticStressDisorder?Posttraumaticstressdisorder(PTSD)isapsychiatricdisorderthatmayoccurinpeoplewhohaveexperiencedorwitnessedatraumaticeventsuchasanaturaldisaster,aseriousaccident,aterroristact,war/combat,orrapeorwhohavebeenthreatenedwithdeath,sexualviolenceorseriousinjury.PTSDhasbeenknownbymanynamesinthepast,suchas“shellshock”duringtheyearsofWorldWarIand“combatfatigue”afterWorldWarII,butPTSDdoesnotjusthappentocombatveterans.PTSDcanoccurinallpeople,ofanyethnicity,nationalityorculture,andatanyage.PTSDaffectsapproximately3.5percentofU.S.adultseveryyear,andanestimatedonein11peoplewill bediagnosedwithPTSDintheirlifetime.WomenaretwiceaslikelyasmentohavePTSD.Threeethnicgroups–U.S.Latinos,AfricanAmericans,andAmericanIndians–aredisproportionatelyaffectedandhavehigherratesofPTSDthannon-Latinowhites.PeoplewithPTSDhaveintense,disturbingthoughtsandfeelingsrelatedtotheirexperiencethatlastlongafterthetraumaticeventhasended.Theymayrelivetheeventthroughflashbacksornightmares;theymayfeelsadness,fearoranger;andtheymayfeeldetachedorestrangedfromotherpeople.PeoplewithPTSDmayavoidsituationsorpeoplethatremindthemofthetraumaticevent