As many as 70% of adults in the United States have experienced trauma. Traumatic experiences are associated with a wide range of mental health symptoms including depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and substance use disorders.
Post traumatic stress disorder is often associated with the traumatic experiences of combat veterans, and while many veterans do experience PTSD as a result of their service, PTSD can be caused by any event that triggers extreme fear and distress that continues to impact you for at least 6 months after the event. Many people experience symptoms of PTSD associated with car accidents, sexual assaults, and childhood abuse and neglect.
If you are struggling to cope with daily life after a traumatic experience; reliving the experience through nightmares or intrusive memories; avoiding places, people, and situations that remind you of the traumatic experience; feeling anxious, on edge, or easily startled; and sometimes feeling detached or numb or engaging in behaviors such as substance abuse that allow you to avoid coping with strong negative emotions, you may be experiencing PTSD.