Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder — Definition and Symptoms

What PTSD Is

PTSD Definition

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can occur after someone has gone through a traumatic event, such as:

War-related combat
Sexual or physical assault
A natural or man-made disaster

Early Treatment Encouraged

Early Intervention

The USAF strongly encourages Airmen to seek treatment early or encourages early intervention.

Why Education Matters

Education Critical

Because this disorder impacts not only the person who suffers from it, but those who are close to them, it is important for all military members to be educated about PTSD.

Awareness Goals

With enhanced awareness:

Many people may be prevented from developing this condition
Those who suffer from PTSD may receive treatment before symptoms become disabling and chronic

Four Symptom Categories

Four PTSD Symptom Categories

Symptoms of PTSD include:

Intrusive or unwanted thoughts — distressing memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
Avoidance behavior — efforts to avoid reminders of the traumatic event
Negative thoughts and moods — feeling disconnected from others or believing that the world is a dangerous place
Hyper-arousal symptoms — including difficulty sleeping and irritability

Prevalence

PTSD Prevalence

Approximately 7 to 8 percent of the United States population will have PTSD at some point during their lives.

Treatment Effectiveness

Recent Treatment Advances

Within the last decade, researchers have developed highly effective treatments that can lead to:

Symptom reduction
Even loss of the diagnosis of PTSD

PTSD — Helpful Actions to Take

Why Responding Is Challenging

Invisible Wound

Knowing how to respond to someone with an invisible wound, such as PTSD, is challenging because there is so much going on inside the individual that is not visible on the outside.

Their Behavior May Affect You

Their Behavior

Some of their behaviors or moods may make you feel uncomfortable, confused, or even annoyed.

Why It's Important to Remember

Remember Distractions

It is important to remember that a person with PTSD may be so distracted by painful thoughts, memories, or physical injuries, that they are not fully able to focus and concentrate as well as they would like to.

The Empathy Approach

Practice Empathy

A great way to determine how to respond to a person with an invisible wound is to put yourself in their shoes — to practice empathy:

Imagine Their Situation

Try to imagine how you would feel in their situation, even if you don't know all of the details of what they've experienced
Remind yourself and those around you of the sacrifice that has been made in service of our country

Don't Be Afraid to Ask

Ask Despite Discomfort

Don't be afraid to ask about what is going on. Give yourself permission to intervene if you think they need help and make the time to have a sincere conversation with them.

Question Starters

Sample Questions

Question starters to help you talk about this topic:

"What's going on in your life? I've noticed you seem upset."
"I'm concerned about you. Can we talk about it?"
"Is there something I can do to help you?"
"What do you think might help?"

Listen Without Rushing

Listening

Once you've asked a question, allow time and space for the answer. Encourage them to share without fear of judgment or interruption.

Listening Builds Rapport

Listening shows you care, will help you understand, and builds rapport.

Acknowledge the Distress

Don't Dismiss

Acknowledge the distress. It is NOT helpful to tell them they shouldn't feel a certain way.

Real Brain Changes

PTSD is a real condition that produces measurable changes in brain function.

Acknowledgment Removes Stigma

Acknowledging distress is a key step in dispelling myths about invisible wounds and removing the stigma associated with getting help.

Discuss Needs and Help Plan

Suggest Resources

Discuss needs and offer to help make a plan to address them. Often, this means suggesting a helping resource.

Offer to Accompany

Offering to accompany them can be a good way to make getting help seem less difficult.

Additional Training

Resilience Resources

Additional training on how to interact with Airmen with invisible wounds, such as PTSD, can be found in the invisible wounds videos located at the Department of the Air Force Resilience website (https://www.resilience.af.mil/).