PTSD & COVID-19

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stress-related disorder thought originally to be experienced only by military personnel. Not so. it can happen to anyone, especially to those who experience an intense, often life-threatening, event. PTSD differs from acute stress disorder in that the experiences are more long-term and will usually disturb daily life. An estimated 7.7 million Americans have suffered or are suffering from PTSD. Another 8 percent of the population will eventually develop the disorder. PTSD is defined as a type of anxiety disorder triggered by exposure to actual death, the threat of death, serious injury and/or sexual violation, and war. Symptoms can appear as soon as the episode ends or even years later. The event may be experienced personally or witnessed in person or experienced by hearing about a traumatic event. COVID-19 and its global interference with life as most people knew it, definitely matches some of the criteria for placing some human brains at higher risk for PTSD. More tomorrow.