Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault. PTSD can occur in all people regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality, culture, or age. PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed PTSD in their lifetime. People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to seemingly ordinary triggers.

Numerous divisions and programs within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences are involved in the research and treatment of PTSD. For more information, please visit the links below.