{"id":28523,"date":"2023-08-04T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-04T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=28523"},"modified":"2025-06-10T22:25:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T22:25:42","slug":"how-to-get-help-for-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-to-get-help-for-ptsd\/","title":{"rendered":"PTSD can happen to anyone: How to get help and support a loved one","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re probably familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) \u2014 this mental health condition is a frequent subject of movies, television shows and internet memes.<\/p>\n

While these media portrayals can support awareness of PTSD, they can also fuel stigma and myths.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the biggest misconceptions about PTSD is that there\u2019s something inherently wrong with a person who develops it \u2014 that they are weak in some way,\u201d says Lauren Baker, MS, LMHCA, a mental health therapist with the MultiCare Behavioral Health Network<\/a>. \u201cBut the reality is that they are reacting normally to an abnormal situation. Anyone can develop PTSD after a traumatic event, and it\u2019s a lot more common than people think.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is PTSD?<\/h2>\n

Descriptions of PTSD-like symptoms and illnesses date back centuries<\/a> \u2014 they can be found in classical works of literature like \u201cThe Iliad.\u201d Fast-forward through time, and for nearly every major war Americans have fought, a term has been coined to describe the collection of symptoms many veterans experience, from \u201csoldier\u2019s heart\u201d to \u201cshell shock\u201d to \u201ccombat fatigue\u201d and others.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until 1980 that the American Psychological Association (APA)<\/a> added PTSD to its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).<\/p>\n

\u201cI describe PTSD as a decrease in well-being \u2014 to the point where it impacts a person\u2019s ability to function after being exposed to a traumatic event,\u201d says Joseph Tomsic, ARNP, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and outpatient medical director for the MultiCare Behavioral Health Network.<\/p>\n

This means that a person may have PTSD if their symptoms are interfering with their relationships or their ability to work, attend school or pursue daily activities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat people might not know is that you don\u2019t even have to directly experience the traumatic event \u2014 people can develop PTSD after witnessing a traumatic event happening to someone else or hearing about it happening to someone close to them,\u201d Tomsic says.<\/p>\n

While the history of PTSD is rooted in combat exposure, it\u2019s a myth that this condition only affects military veterans. There are a variety of traumatic events that can lead to PTSD. Some of the most common include sexual and physical assault, rape, motor vehicle accidents, natural disasters and bullying. Even trauma related to medical illnesses or events, such as ectopic pregnancies or stillbirths, can cause PTSD.<\/p>\n

What these events have in common is that they are life-threatening or have the potential to cause serious harm or injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe National Institutes of Health shares that, over the past year, between nine and 10 million adults in the U.S. met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis,\u201d Tomsic says. \u201cThat\u2019s more than the entire population of Washington state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s at risk for PTSD?<\/h2>\n

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event goes on to develop PTSD, but there are some factors that may increase a person\u2019s risk for this condition. One of those risks is preexisting mental health challenges.<\/p>\n

Another is repeated exposure to traumatic events over time. For example, people who are first responders, such as firefighters, emergency medical professionals or law enforcement officers, may be more susceptible to PTSD due to the frequency to which they are exposed to traumatic events.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s important to note that many people who develop PTSD have no known risk factors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t fully understand why some people develop PTSD and others don\u2019t,\u201d Baker says. \u201cSometimes people with PTSD feel shame that they haven\u2019t been able to \u2018get over\u2019 what has happened to them, but they are not flawed. Every person\u2019s reaction to trauma is different, but recovery is possible for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Common PTSD symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n

PTSD symptoms fall into four categories. Here are common examples of each:<\/p>\n