PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a mental health condition that sometimes occurs after living through or witnessing a traumatic event. It can have serious and lasting effects on mental health. Treatment for PTSD often requires the help of a mental health professional.
In this video, learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for PTSD.
American Psychiatric Association. (2020). What is posttraumatic stress disorder?
Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2021). Treatment & facts post-traumatic stress disorder.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). (2014). Exhibit 1.3-4, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services.
Lancaster, C., et al. (2016). Posttraumatic stress disorder: overview of evidence-based assessment and treatment. Journal of Clinical Medicine.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2017). Posttraumatic stress disorder.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2019). Post-traumatic stress disorder.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Medications for PTSD.
Watkins, L. E., et al. (2018). Treating PTSD: a review of evidence-based psychotherapy interventions. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Wilson, G., et al. (2018). The use of eye-movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating post-traumatic stress disorder — a systematic narrative review. Frontiers in Psychology.
For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.