Signs & Symptoms
This cognitive symptom involves re-experiencing a traumatic event through vivid, distressing recollections or nightmares.
What are flashbacks (or intrusive memories)?
This central requirement for a PTSD diagnosis involves direct or indirect exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.
What is trauma?
This evidence-based trauma therapy uses guided side-to-side eye movements to help the brain process traumatic memories.
What is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)?
"PTSD only affects military veterans who have been in combat."
What is "PTSD is strictly a military condition"?
The 24/7, 3-digit national hotline in the United States for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis.
What is 988?
This behavioral indicator occurs when a person goes out of their way to stay away from places, people, or thoughts that remind them of trauma.
What is avoidance?
This brain structure, responsible for threat detection, often becomes hyperactive in individuals living with PTSD.
What is the amygdala?
A specialized form of CBT where a person safely talks through or confronts trauma memories in a controlled environment until fear decreases.
What is Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy?
"Showing signs of PTSD right after a tragedy means you are weak."
What is "PTSD is a sign of personal weakness"?
A dedicated line reached by pressing "1" after calling 988, providing confidential support specifically for former and active service members.
What is the Veterans Crisis Line?
A physical symptom characterized by being constantly alert, easily startled, and unable to relax or sleep.
What is hypervigilance (or hyperarousal)?
This memory-processing center in the brain can shrink in volume or underperform during trauma, making it hard to distinguish past memories from present safety.
What is the hippocampus?
These medication types, such as sertraline and paroxetine, are FDA-approved first-line treatments for managing PTSD symptoms.
What are SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)?
"PTSD symptoms always start immediately after the traumatic event."
"PTSD always begins right away"?
The leading federal research agency dedicated to understanding and treating mental health conditions including trauma (.gov).
What is NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health)?
An emotional response where a person feels emotionally detached, unable to feel positive emotions, or disconnected from loved ones.
What is emotional numbing (or anhedonia)?
Environmental factors experienced during childhood, such as severe neglect or domestic abuse, fall into this clinical classification.
What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?
A grounding exercise using the physical senses (5 things you see, 4 you touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste) to manage flashbacks.
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique?
"Everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD."
What is "Trauma guarantees a PTSD diagnosis"?
A national division within the Department of Veterans Affairs dedicated specifically to trauma research and recovery programs.
What is the National Center for PTSD?
Under the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, symptoms of PTSD must persist for longer than this time period to receive a formal diagnosis.
What is one month?
Having a weak social support network immediately following a traumatic event serves as this type of risk factor.
What is a post-trauma risk factor?
This therapy focuses specifically on evaluating and changing unhelpful beliefs (like self-blame or feeling unsafe everywhere) related to the trauma.
What is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)?
"PTSD is incurable and symptoms will never go away."
What is "PTSD cannot be treated"?
A free text-based support service reached by sending "HOME" to 741741 for confidential crisis help.
What is the Crisis Text Line?