WHAT IS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)?

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) typically appear several weeks or, in some cases, months after having experienced or witnessed a severe trauma such as war, natural disaster, rape. If this has happened to you, you may be unable to resume with your life because you continue to relive the trauma –– over and over. You may have nightmares or flashbacks, become withdrawn, angry or hyper-vigilant or have one of numerous other uncomfortable symptoms.

Frequently in the past, soldiers were diagnosed as having "shell shock" or "battle fatigue" when they presented with the same symptoms, which we now call PTSD.