Condition Lookup
Category:
Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
Number of Conditions: 1
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Specialty: Mental Health and Psychology
Category: Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
Symptoms:
intrusive thoughts; flashbacks; avoidance of trauma-related stimuli; hyperarousal; negative changes in cognition and mood; sleep disturbances
Root Cause:
Dysregulation of the stress response system, including hyperactivity in the amygdala, reduced prefrontal cortex regulation, and altered functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation using DSM-5 criteria, including exposure to a traumatic event and presence of specific symptom clusters for at least one month.
Treatment:
Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and pharmacotherapy.
Medications:
SSRIs (e.g., sertraline , paroxetine ) are FDA-approved for PTSD. Prazosin may be used to treat nightmares, and benzodiazepines are generally avoided due to dependency risks.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 3.5% of the U.S. population annually, with higher rates among veterans and trauma survivors.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Exposure to severe or prolonged trauma, prior mental health issues, lack of social support, and genetic predisposition.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With treatment, many individuals experience symptom reduction, though some may have chronic symptoms requiring long-term care.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Depression, substance use disorders, relationship difficulties, and an increased risk of physical health issues such as heart disease.