Resources / Understanding PTSD: Symptoms, Types, Treatments, and Resources
9 min read
Last updated 5/28/25
Understanding PTSD: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments That Work
By: Kelsey Cottingham, MSW, LMSW
Clinical Reviewer: Jill Donelan, Psy.D
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can make people feel like the past trauma never ended, affecting how they think, sleep, relate to others, and move through each day. While many people experience trauma, not everyone knows when their distress has become something more—or where to turn when nothing seems to help.
The good news? PTSD is treatable. With proven therapies and emerging options like psychedelic therapy, healing is possible.
What is trauma?
Trauma is any emotionally or physically threatening event that leaves you feeling unsafe, powerless, or changed in ways that are hard to explain, even long after the event is over.¹
Trauma can be:
- Direct, such as a serious injury or assault
- Indirect, like witnessing an accident or a natural disaster
- Vicarious, such as regularly hearing about trauma in caregiving roles⁶
Trauma doesn’t always come from one dramatic, life-threatening event (sometimes referred to as acute trauma). For many people, it’s cumulative, small injuries to safety, dignity, or trust that stack up over time (which is sometimes described as chronic or complex trauma).² And what one person experiences as traumatic might not feel the same to someone else. That doesn’t make your experience any less valid.⁷
If something happened (or kept happening) that left you feeling unsafe, ashamed, or alone, and it’s still affecting your daily life, you might be experiencing a trauma response. Trauma responses are normal reactions to extraordinary situations and you don’t have to hide or minimize your feelings. And, it may be time to seek support.
To learn more about trauma, visit Trauma: What It Is, How It Hurts, and How We Heal
What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that occurs when the brain stays stuck in survival mode—even after the threat or danger has passed.¹ It’s more than a short-term stress response: it’s a prolonged state of emotional and physiological distress caused by unprocessed trauma.²
Trauma can dysregulate the brain’s alarm system, especially areas like the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. The amygdala-–the brain region which processes emotions–-becomes overactive, heightening sensitivity to perceived threats. The hippocampus-–part of the brain responsible for memories-–struggles to sort past from present, while the prefrontal cortex, which helps organizes emotion and reasoning, has trouble calming things down.³
It’s normal and adaptive for the brain to change in response to threatening or dangerous situations. In PTSD however, these changes can become stuck and make it feel like the trauma is still happening or could happen again at any moment. Symptoms can last for months or even years and often affect many areas of life.⁴
Typical signs of PTSD include:
- Reexperiencing: Intrusive memories or flashbacks
- Avoidance: Feeling numb or disconnected; evading any reminders of the traumatic event
- Negative changes in thoughts and feelings: Blame, guilt, shame; unhelpful perceptions of self, others, and the world
- Hyperarousal: Difficulty sleeping or concentrating; heightened startle response or irritability⁵
These symptoms can vary in intensity and may show up differently from person to person. But if you’re experiencing any of the above and they’re interfering with your day-to-day life, you’re not alone, and help is available.
Some experiences that can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder include:
- Combat or military service
- Sexual assault
- Physical or emotional abuse
- Natural disasters
- Serious accidents
- Medical trauma or chronic illness¹
Types of PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder isn’t one-size-fits-all. The way symptoms show up, and when, can vary based on the person and the nature of the trauma.²
- PTSD: Symptoms last longer than three months and may worsen over time without treatment.
- Acute PTSD: Symptoms appear within a few weeks and last less than three months.
- Delayed-Onset PTSD: Symptoms emerge six months or more after the trauma, sometimes after a period of seeming “okay.”¹
- Complex PTSD (CPTSD): Linked to prolonged trauma, or exposure to multiple trauma over time, like childhood abuse. Symptoms often include intense shame, emotional dysregulation, and difficulty in relationships.⁶
- Dissociative Subtype: Involves feeling detached from your body (depersonalization) or surroundings (derealization), like watching life happen from a distance.⁵
Recognizing the type of PTSD someone is facing can guide treatment choices and help explain why standard therapies may or may not be effective right away.⁶
What causes PTSD?
PTSD develops after one or more traumatic experiences that overwhelm a person’s ability to cope. These events can exceed the brain’s natural ability to process stress, especially when they’re terrifying, painful, prolonged, or tangled with feelings like shame or helplessness.² Globally, about 70% of people experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.⁴ But the impact of trauma varies widely. One person may develop PTSD from a single event; another may struggle after cumulative stressors. What matters isn’t the nature of the event, but the internal and external resources available to support recovery. Trauma is personal, and the path to healing is too.²
Examples of trauma types include:
- Racial trauma from discrimination or systemic inequality²
- Medical trauma from life-threatening illness, injuries, or invasive procedures⁶
- Intergenerational trauma passed through families⁴
- Emotional trauma from prolonged gaslighting, neglect, or verbal abuse⁷
- Interpersonal trauma from physical or emotional abuse by someone you are close to or dependent on
Sometimes, PTSD develops after learning that something traumatic happened to a loved one, especially if you felt helpless to intervene.⁵ For caregivers, first responders, or those in helping professions, being regularly exposed to others' trauma can also have a cumulative personal effect.⁶
Risk factors for PTSD
Not everyone who goes through trauma develops PTSD, and that can be confusing or even isolating. It’s important to know that there’s no “right” way to respond to trauma, and no shame if you're still affected.
Common risk factors include:
- Childhood trauma, especially without a safe adult to help process it⁷
- History of mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression¹
- Lack of social support following the trauma⁴
- Marginalized identity, particularly when it affects access to safety, validation, or care²
- Repeated, prolonged, or intense trauma that overwhelms coping ability⁶
These factors don’t guarantee someone will develop PTSD, but they can affect how the brain and body respond to stress. Two people might walk away from the same event, one with lingering distress—the other relatively unaffected. This doesn’t reflect personal strength or weakness, it reflects biology, context, timing, and many other factors.
Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD symptoms are grouped into four main categories according to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the standard diagnostic tool used by mental health professionals.⁵
1. Intrusion symptoms
- Flashbacks that make it feel like the trauma is happening again
- Disturbing nightmares or sleep disruptions
- Intrusive, negative thoughts that are hard to shut off
These symptoms can sneak in when you least expect them, while driving, watching TV, or even in a quiet moment. They often feel vivid and overwhelming, as if the trauma is happening all over again.²
2. Avoidance symptoms
- Avoiding thoughts, feelings, people, or places that remind you of what happened
- Withdrawing from conversations or turning off media that feels “too close to home”⁵
For example, someone who survived a serious car accident might avoid driving altogether—or even riding in a car. A person who lost a loved one in a tragic way might avoid going near places that bring up memories of that person.
3. Negative changes in mood or thinking
- Persistent negative beliefs (“I can’t trust anyone,” “I’m broken”)
- Emotional numbness or disconnection from others
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Guilt, shame, or a feeling of emptiness⁵
You might find yourself going through the motions but feeling like you’re not really “there.” It can be hard to connect, even with people you love. Or, you may notice that your self-esteem has dropped significantly and you regularly feel unsafe in your interactions with others.
4. Arousal and reactivity symptoms
- Feeling on edge or hyperaware of your surroundings (hypervigilance)
- Angry outbursts or irritability over small things
- Trouble sleeping or staying asleep
- Difficulty concentrating or staying present⁵
This might look like jumping at sudden noises, always scanning for exits, or snapping at a partner for leaving the light on.³
If you're experiencing symptoms of PTSD, talking to a mental health professional can be a powerful first step toward healing. At Psych Hub, we connect you with trusted, evidence-based resources to help you better understand your diagnosis and feel supported on your journey to recovery.
PTSD in children and adolescents
Young children experience trauma differently than adults. They might not have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t affected. In fact, trauma in childhood can shape how a young brain develops, often showing up in behavior long before a child can name what’s going on.⁸ Also, just like adults, individual responses to trauma vary greatly, and not every child who experiences a trauma will develop PTSD.
Warning signs of PTSD in children and adolescents can include:
- Reenacting the trauma during play
- Regressive behaviors like bedwetting or thumb-sucking
- Clinginess or sudden separation anxiety
- Mood swings, irritability, or confusion about what’s safe
- Physical complaints like headaches and stomach aches, without medical cause
Because many of these behaviors overlap with ADHD or anxiety disorders, trauma in kids is often missed or misdiagnosed. That’s why it’s important to work with a mental health professional trained in child development and trauma.⁸
PTSD treatment: Therapies that work
Post-traumatic stress disorder can feel like it’s taken over your life, but with the right support, recovery is not only possible, it’s expected.² A combination of evidence-based therapy and, when appropriate, medication can significantly reduce symptoms and help people reconnect with themselves and others.³
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): Helps reframe unhelpful beliefs by examining and challenging them with a therapist’s support.⁹
- Prolonged Exposure (PE): Gradually exposes you to avoided memories and situations, helping reduce fear and restore a sense of safety.¹⁰
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Uses guided eye movements or tapping while recalling trauma to reduce the emotional charge.¹¹
- Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT): A therapy for children and teens that combines education, coping skills, and gradual exposure, often with caregiver involvement.⁸
Medications for PTSD
Medications can play a valuable role in PTSD treatment, particularly when symptoms like anxiety, depression, or sleep disruption make it hard to participate in therapy.¹² They’re typically used to support therapy, not replace it.
- SSRIs and SNRIs (e.g., sertraline, paroxetine): Often first-line treatments for PTSD
- Prazosin: Commonly used to ease trauma-related nightmares and improve sleep
- Anti-anxiety or antipsychotic medications: Sometimes used short-term for hyperarousal or emotional dysregulation
It’s important to work with a healthcare provider to understand how medications may affect you. Everyone’s response is different, and it can take time to find the right fit. Many people begin to feel improvement within 8–12 weeks.³
Emerging treatments: Psychedelic-assisted therapy
For people with treatment-resistant PTSD, promising new therapies are on the horizon.¹² Early clinical trials show that psychedelics can lead to significant symptom reduction for people who haven’t responded to traditional treatments.
While not yet widely available, research is paving the way for future access. These therapies won’t be the right fit for everyone, but for those who haven’t found relief through conventional methods, they offer real promise. As this field grows, access to safe, regulated care will be essential to ensure positive outcomes.
To learn more about psychedelic treatment options for PTSD, visit our guide Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Answers to Your Most Important Questions
When to seek help
Living with PTSD can be exhausting, especially when you're trying to hold everything together on the outside. It's not always clear when what you're feeling has crossed the line from normal stress into something that deserves professional support. Many people wait months—or even years—before reaching out, unsure if it’s “bad enough” or worried they’ll be judged.²
Signs it may be time to reach out:
- Symptoms lasting more than a month
- Feeling constantly on edge or emotionally numb
- Sleep, work, or relationships are suffering¹
- Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
- Avoiding trauma reminders
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide¹
Trauma reactions aren’t signs of weakness, they’re your brain’s way of letting you know you went through something very difficult. PTSD is a health condition, and it deserves care.³
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential, and available 24/7.¹
For a list of more free resources, visit Free Crisis, Traumatic Event & Trauma Resources for Everyone
Where to go from here
If you're living with PTSD—or love someone who is—you’re carrying a lot. The hypervigilance. The shutdown. The confusion and exhaustion that make even basic tasks feel overwhelming.
You’re not alone. And things can get better.
PTSD can shape how you think, feel, and connect—but it doesn’t define you. With the right support, people heal. If you’re noticing signs of PTSD, reaching out to a mental health professional can make a meaningful difference. Psych Hub’s free well-being assessment is a great place to start—offering personalized insights and guidance to help you take the next step toward care with confidence.
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