June is Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month
Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness
According to the National Military Family Association, 1 in 5 service members who served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom is, has been, or will be affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Of those affected by PTSD, up to 50% will not seek treatment and, of those who do seek treatment, only half will receive "minimally adequate" treatment. CDC defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. Injuries may result from blasts in combat, motor vehicle accidents, falls, flying objects, or assaults. According to the DoD, there have been 383,947 service members diagnosed with TBI since 2000.
In response to these alarming statistics, the United States Senate designated June 27 as PTSD Awareness Day in 2010 and, since then, a number of military, veterans, and mental health organizations have asked the general public to spend the month of June raising awareness of PTSD. In 2014, the Senate designated the full month of June for National PTSD Awareness (S. Res. 481). We encourage you to click through the links below to learn more about PTSD and what you can do to raise awareness.
The purpose of PTSD Awareness Month is to encourage everyone to raise public awareness of PTSD and effective treatments.
Greater understanding and awareness of PTSD will help Veterans and others recognize symptoms, and seek and obtain needed care. Dr. Paula P. Schnurr Executive Director of the National Center for PTSD
After a trauma or life-threatening event, it is common to have reactions such as upsetting memories of the event, increased jumpiness, or trouble sleeping. If these reactions do not go away or if they get worse, you may have Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- What is PTSD?
Find out about the symptoms of PTSD and how they develop. - Symptoms of PTSD
Learn about PTSD symptoms and when to get help. - How Common is PTSD?
Find out how many people have PTSD and who is most likely to develop PTSD. - History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5
Learn about the history of the diagnosis of PTSD in a timeline that reflects military events and the importance of Veterans. - Understanding PTSD and PTSD Treatment
Find out more in this quick guide to PTSD Basics.