PTSD: 7 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About the Disorder

PTSD is an awful ordeal for a lot of people, including family members of people suffering from this disorder. Thoughts, memories, or flashbacks can stay in your mind and give you trouble for months or even years after you experience trauma. At times, this lurks in your subconscious and you don’t even realize directly what’s causing the problem. The best way to effectively deal with, as well as help people who deal with the disorder, is to understand it. Here are some facts you need to know.

Number Seven: It’s Far More Common in Women

About 10% of women live with PTSD, or 1 in 10 women. This is double the number of men who have the problem. This is because women are more likely to experience abuse or sexual trauma.

Number Six: 1 of 6 US Soldiers has It When They Get Home

PTSD is sadly common for combat war veterans. It may sound unbelievable, but it’s true, 1 out of every 6 American soldiers who experienced combat will return to their home soil with the disorder.

Number Five: Denial Can Last for Months

It’s possible to go months or even years with PTSD and not realize you have it. Someone can appear perfectly normal or happy on the outside, when that is not necessarily the case. This can go on until the condition gets noticed by the sufferer or a close friend or family member.

Number Four: 18 Vets Commit Suicide Each Day Because of It

These are veterans that were involved in combat. That adds up to over 6,500 per year!

Number Three: Only Half of Sufferers Seek Treatment

Of all of the people living with this problem, only half of them pursue medical treatment. The best way to improve these numbers is education and spreading knowledge.

Number Two: Statistics on PTSD

About 70% of adults in the United States will experience a traumatic event. Of this 70%, about 20% will go on to develop PTSD.

Number One: Less than Minimally Adequate Treatment

Of all of the people who receive treatment for this disorder, most of them report that their treatment is not enough. We hope you learned some things from this article. Thanks for reading our list.