Can you describe the symptoms of PTSD?
And, how many people do you think have PTSD after a car accident?
of disaster survivors are affected by PTSD;
of friends and family members of homicide victims have PTSD after the incident.
In case you are wondering (as in unaware) , PTSD is characterized by symptoms of reexperiencing a traumatic event (e.g., nightmares), avoiding reminders of the event, having negative changes in mood following the event, and alterations in reactivity (e.g., being easily startled, or "on edge.")
The question of who PTSD awareness needs to be raised among is not a matter of either/or—it's a matter of and/both. Efforts should continue to be made to increase awareness about PTSD among military populations and also raise awareness about the suffering caused by PTSD among civilians. Increasing PTSD awareness can reduce stigma associated with the disorder, enhance recognition of symptoms, and encourage treatment seeking behaviors that improve the quality of people's lives.
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