Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder than can develop after a person witnesses a traumatic event. A traumatic event can take many forms, including a natural disaster, sexual abuse, or a terrorist attack such as 9/11, but for veterans, PTSD is most often related to combat or military exposure.
In wars prior to Vietnam, the disorder was referred to as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue” and was not very well understood beyond the fact that it limited the soldier’s performance on the battlefield. Nowadays the disorder is more widely studied. We know, for example, that PTSD can lead to other mental health problems, such as depression, social withdrawal, and substance abuse.
The effects can also be long-term. According to the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder , 1 in 3 people who develop PTSD will always have some symptoms.
The good news is that more resources and treatments are available. Some treatments, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), are new and emerging. Others, such as Virtual Iraq, an exposure therapy-type video game, are still in development.
Our PTSD section for veterans includes resources where you can find out more about PTSD, learn about treatments, and read about how PTSD affects families and children of veterans.
|
| Resources |
About PTSD
Fact sheet and other resources related to PTSD from NAMI. | Joining Forces
Joining Forces initiative, a four-part series developed by HealthPartners in Minneapolis, in cooperation with the local public television station, and partnering with the AHA -- to orient people in community hospitals to the kinds of challenges, medical, social and emotional, that veterans and their families face as the return home to their daily lives. | Understanding PTSD and Recovery, NAMI's brochure on PTSD
NAMI's 14-page brochure on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), its treatment and recovery. | NAMI FaithNet
NAMI FaithNet was established for the purposes of facilitating the development within the Faith Community of a non-threatening, supportive environment for those with serious mental illness and their families. | What is PTSD?
Fact sheet from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD), an educational resource for veterans, mental health practitioners, researchers, and the general public. | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Real Illness
An easy-to-read booklet on post-traumatic stress disorder created by the National Institute on Mental Health. It explains what PTSD is, when it starts, how long it lasts, and how to get help. There is also a self-test. | Sidran Traumatic Stress Institute
Baltimore-based institute offers information online about PTSD, geographic lists of therapists with experience treating people with PTSD, and books, articles, and referrals to support groups. There is also a free help desk service for locating trauma resources in your area. |
| Treatment |
Virtual Iraq
Defense Update magazine's Web site describes a treatment currently in development for PTSD called Virtual Iraq, an exposure therapy treatment using virtual simulation of events in Iraq. | Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
The Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Institute offers information on EMDR, a new and emerging treatment for PTSD. NAMI recommends reviewing this option with a psychiatrist who is familiar with it before proceeding. |
| For Families and Children |
NCPTSD Fact Sheet for Partners of Veterans
The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD) offers a fact sheet for partners of veterans with PTSD. | NCPTSD Fact Sheet for Children
A fact sheet prepared by the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD) discusses the common problems experienced by children of veterans with PTSD. |
|
| 