Post-traumatic
stress disorder, otherwise known as PTSD, is a mental health problem. It can
cause us to have anxiety, nightmares, upsetting memories and a lot of other
symptoms. If you have these types of symptoms and they last more than a couple
of months, PTSD could be the cause.
During this
month, we always think about our veterans and the sacrifices they endured in
the line of duty. Many of them have PTSD due to their experiences. But PTSD can
also have an impact on people who have been in a car accident, had a sexual
assault, or been involved in another type of life-threatening event. A disaster
such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, or fire can be a
life-threatening event. A life-threatening event can also be a pandemic like we
are currently experiencing with COVID-19.
There are
over 8 million people in the United States who have PTSD. That doesn’t account
for all the new cases caused by COVID-19 that we don’t even know about yet.
Spread the word that there are treatments available and they can lead to an improved
quality of life. The best chance of getting better is by working with a mental
health professional for self-help and coping. Practicing mindfulness and
participating in support groups are good choices. Many people don’t get the
help they need because they don’t know it is out there. Please help raise PTSD
awareness this month. The links below can help.
