PTSD in Adults: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment
Key takeaway
- PTSD can develop after a frightening, dangerous or deeply upsetting experience, and symptoms last more than a month.
- Common signs include unwanted memories or nightmares, avoidance, feeling on edge and changes in mood.
- PTSD is diagnosed through a careful clinical evaluation.
- Trauma-focused therapy and medication can greatly reduce symptoms, and recovery is possible.
1. Overview
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, such as an accident, assault, combat, a disaster, or the sudden loss of a loved one. Many people have strong reactions after trauma that ease over the following weeks. With PTSD, the symptoms continue for more than a month and get in the way of daily life.
PTSD can begin soon after an event or months or even years later. It is not a sign of weakness. It is a real and treatable response to experiences that overwhelm the mind’s usual ways of coping.
2. Symptoms
PTSD symptoms fall into 4 groups. The first is reliving the event through unwanted memories, flashbacks or nightmares. The second is avoiding reminders, such as places, people, conversations or thoughts linked to the event. The third is negative changes in thinking and mood, such as guilt, shame, feeling detached from others, or losing interest in things. The fourth is feeling on edge, such as being easily startled, irritable, always on alert, or having trouble sleeping and concentrating.
Some people also have physical symptoms such as a racing heart or tension when reminded of the trauma. The articles below explain specific symptoms in more detail.
3. Causes
PTSD is caused by exposure to a traumatic event, but not everyone who goes through trauma develops it. The type and length of the trauma, past trauma, ongoing stress afterward, family history and the amount of support a person has can all affect the risk.
Having strong reactions after trauma is a normal human response. PTSD is not caused by a personal failure, and it does not mean a person should have been able to handle things better.
4. Diagnosis
There is no blood test or scan for PTSD. A diagnosis comes from a clinical evaluation, where a qualified clinician asks about your symptoms, when they started and how they affect your daily life. You do not have to share every detail of what happened to get an accurate evaluation, and you can go at your own pace.
A careful evaluation also looks for conditions that often appear with PTSD, such as depression, anxiety, sleep problems and substance use, so treatment can address the full picture.
5. Treatment
PTSD is treatable. Trauma-focused therapies, such as cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), are among the most effective treatments. They help the brain process the memory so it loses its power over daily life. We can work alongside your therapist or help you find one.
Medication can help reduce symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, nightmares and poor sleep, and many people do best with both therapy and medication. Steady routines, safe relationships and physical activity also support recovery. We build the plan with you and adjust it over time.
6. Medications
Certain antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline and paroxetine, and the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine, are commonly used for PTSD. They are taken daily and usually take several weeks to reach their full effect. Prazosin is sometimes used to help with trauma-related nightmares.
Every medication has possible benefits and side effects, and the right choice depends on your symptoms, health history and preferences. We will talk through your options and monitor how you are doing over time.
7. Co-occurring conditions
Many people with PTSD also live with depression, anxiety, insomnia or substance use. Some people use alcohol or other substances to quiet memories or get to sleep, which can make PTSD symptoms worse over time. Chronic pain and other physical health problems are also common.
Treating PTSD alone may not be enough when another condition is also present. We look at the whole picture so your plan addresses everything that is affecting you.
8. Living with PTSD
Grounding skills, such as slow breathing, noticing what you can see and hear around you, and holding something with a strong texture or temperature, can help bring you back to the present when memories feel overwhelming. Regular sleep, movement and limiting alcohol also help calm the body’s alarm system.
Recovery is usually gradual. Learning your triggers, building a support network of people you trust, and being patient with yourself all make a difference. Many people with PTSD go on to feel safe and connected again.
9. Getting help and starting care with us
If memories, nightmares, avoidance or feeling on edge have lasted more than a month after a difficult experience, it is worth talking to a professional. At Peak Wellness Psychiatry, our psychiatric nurse practitioners provide PTSD evaluations and ongoing care through secure video visits for adults in California, Arizona, Washington and Nevada. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Your first visit is about 60 minutes. We review your history and symptoms, answer your questions and, when it is appropriate, build a treatment plan with you. You can book online in a few minutes or call us at 888-909-8676. We take most major insurance plans.
We take most major insurance plans.
Appointments available in as little as a couple of days.
CALIFORNIA: Aetna • Aetna Student Health • Anthem • Blue Cross • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) • Cigna and Evernorth • Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) • Humana • Meritain Health • Optum • Oxford • United Medical Resources (UMR) • UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH • RegalMed
Patient first cost guarantee:
- We verify your insurance benefits for you before visit.
- You receive a clear, itemized cost estimate.
- No surprise billing. Ever.