Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. According to the American Psychiatric Association (2022), PTSD can arise from situations that feel emotionally or physically harmful, life-threatening, or deeply distressing. This disorder affects not only mental well-being but also physical health, relationships, and even spiritual well-being.
Trauma can take many forms, including severe accidents, intimate partner violence, bullying, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, sexual assault, historical and generational trauma, war, or any experience that leaves a lasting psychological impact. Whether the trauma was experienced firsthand or indirectly, PTSD can profoundly affect an individual’s daily life.
In this post, we’ll explore the key symptoms of PTSD and the most effective treatment options available for recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling, know that healing is possible and help is available.
Who Develops PTSD?
Anyone can develop PTSD, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, or other identifiable factors. The National Center for PTSD at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2025) states that although most individuals will not develop PTSD after a traumatic event, about six out of every 100 individuals in the United States will meet the criteria for PTSD at some point in their lives.
More specifically, this means that 6% of the U.S. population will exhibit PTSD symptoms. In any given year, 5% of the U.S. population meets the criteria for PTSD, with women being more likely to develop PTSD due to the types of traumatic events they are more likely to experience—such as sexual assault—compared to men (The National Center for PTSD, 2025, 'PTSD by the Numbers' section).
What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD symptoms fall into four distinct categories: intrusion, avoidance, alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity.
- Intrusion: These symptoms include repeated and involuntary memories, distressing dreams, and recurrent flashbacks of the traumatic experience.
- Avoidance: Individuals may go to great lengths to avoid reminders of the traumatic event, including people, places, activities, objects, smells, or situations that trigger distressing memories. Avoidance can also include suppressing thoughts or memories related to the trauma.
- Alterations in Cognition and Mood: This category includes difficulty remembering important aspects of the traumatic event, negative thoughts and beliefs about oneself or others, and feelings of guilt, shame, fear, horror, or anger. These negative beliefs can contribute to depression and emotional distress.
- Alterations in Arousal and Reactivity: Symptoms may include irritability, angry outbursts, reckless or self-destructive behavior, hypervigilance, and trouble sleeping or relaxing.
Treatment Options for PTSD
According to the American Psychiatric Association (2022), effective treatment options for PTSD include:
1. Therapy and Counseling
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET)
- Group Therapy
2. Medication
- Antidepressants, such as SSRIs and SNRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), are commonly used to treat core symptoms of PTSD.
Please Reach Out If You Are Ready!
Healing from PTSD is a deeply personal journey, and there is no right or wrong timeline for seeking help. If you are feeling overwhelmed or believe you may have PTSD, know that reaching out for support is a courageous step you do not have to take alone.
Therapist Holly Blalock, M.Ed., APC, NCC, specializes in trauma and is trained in Eye Movement
Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), one of the most effective treatments for PTSD. If you’re ready to take the next step toward healing, support is available.
Best Regards,
Holly Blalock, M.Ed., APC, NCC
Email: holly@pacificacounseling.org
Call or Text: (478) 219 – 3150
References
The National Center for PTSD. (2025, January 15). How common is PTSD in adults. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp
The National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Post-traumatic stress disorder. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd
