PTSD Estimates

The military has been studying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Available data from these studies suggest:

• While most individuals who are exposed to a traumatic and stress even experience some PTSD symptoms in the days/weeks following exposure, about 8% of males and 20% of females go on to develop PTSD (slightly under a third of whom may develop a chronic form)

• An estimated 7.8% of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives (10.4% female and 5% male)

• Traumatic events most often associated with PTSD for males are childhood physical abuse, childhood neglect, rape, and combat exposure; for females it is childhood physical abuse, rape, sexual molestation, physical attack, and being threatened with a weapon

• About 30% of males and females who have spent time in war zones experience PTSD