VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

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According to The National Center for PTSD (www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp) post-traumatic stress disorder (known commonly as “PTSD”) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.

It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months.

If it's been longer than a few months and you're still having symptoms, you may have PTSD. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later on, or they may come and go over time.

VA Screening for PTSD
If you have experienced trauma, you may want to undergo screening in order to deter-mine whether or not you have PTSD. A screen is a very short list of questions which helps to determine whether a veteran needs to be assessed further. A positive screen does not mean a person has PTSD. A positive screen means that this person should be assessed further by a VA mental health provider.

My HealtheVet www.myhealth.va.gov, offers a confidential, anonymous screen for PTSD. None of the results are stored or sent anywhere. You can choose to print a copy of the results for your own records or to give to your physician or a mental health pro-fessional.

What factors affect who develops PTSD?
PTSD can happen to anyone. A number of factors can increase the chance that some-one will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person's control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like exposure to military combat or sexual assault.

Personal factors, like previous traumatic exposure, age, and gender, can affect whether or not a person will develop PTSD. What happens after the traumatic event is also important. Stress can make PTSD more likely, while social support can make it less likely.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?
There are four types of symptoms of PTSD, but they may not be exactly the same for everyone. Each person experiences symptoms in their own way.

Reliving the event
(also called re-experiencing symptoms).

You may have bad memories or nightmares. You even may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback.

Avoiding situations that
remind you of the event.

You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event.

Having more negative
beliefs and feelings.

The way you think about yourself and others may change because of the trauma. You may feel guilt or shame. Or, you may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy. You may feel that the world is dangerous and you can't trust anyone. You might be numb, or find it hard to feel happy.

Feeling keyed up
(also called hyperarousal).

You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. Or, you may have trouble concentrating or sleeping. You might suddenly get angry or irritable, startle easily, or act in unhealthy ways (like smoking, using drugs and alcohol, or driving recklessly.

What other problems do people with PTSD experience?

People with PTSD may also have other related problems. These can include:

• Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
• Depression or anxiety
• Drinking or drug problems
• Physical symptoms or chronic pain
• Employment problems
• Relationship problems, including divorce

The coping skills you learn in treatment can work for PTSD and these related problems.

Will people with PTSD Symptoms get better?

"Getting better" means different things for different people. There are many different treatment options for PTSD. For many people, these treatments can get rid of symptoms altogether. Others find they have fewer symptoms or feel that their symptoms are less intense. Having even less intense (but ongoing) symptoms may not interfere with your everyday activities, work, and relationships.

What treatments are available?

There are two main types of treatment, psychotherapy (sometimes called counseling or talk therapy) and medication. Sometimes people combine psychotherapy and medication.

Psychotherapy for PTSD

Psychotherapy, or counseling, involves meeting with a therapist. There are different types of psychotherapy:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for PTSD. There are different types of CBT, such as cognitive therapy and exposure therapy.

• One type is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) where you learn skills to understand how trauma changed your thoughts and feelings. Changing how you think about the trauma can change how you feel.
• Another type is Prolonged Exposure (PE) where you talk about your trauma repeatedly until memories are no longer upsetting. This will help you get more control over your thoughts and feelings about the trauma. You also go to places or do things that are safe, but that you have been staying away from because they remind you of the trauma.

A similar kind of therapy is called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which involves focusing on sounds or hand movements while you talk about the trauma. This helps your brain work through the traumatic memories.

PTSD Help and Care for Veterans, Military, and Families

• See Help for Veterans with PTSD to learn how to enroll for VA health care and get an assessment.
• All VA Medical Centers provide PTSD care, as well as many VA clinics.
• Some VA's have programs specializing in PTSD treatment. Use the VA PTSD Program Locator to find a PTSD program.
• If you are a war Veteran, find a Vet Center to help with the transition from military to civilian life.
• Call the 24/7 Veteran Combat Call Center 1-877-WAR-VETS (1-877-927-8387) to talk to another combat Veteran.
• DoD's Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) 24/7 Outreach Center for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury provides information and helps locate re-sources.
• Call 1-866-966-1020 or email resources@dcoeoutreach.org
• Military OneSource
• Call 24/7 for counseling and many resources 1-800-342-9647.
• Further information and assistance - Get Help with VA PTSD Care, Benefits, or Claims.