Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an intense anxiety response triggered by experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event.
This condition often leads individuals to avoid places or situations that remind them of the trauma, significantly impacting their quality of life and hindering their ability to function normally in daily activities for an extended period.
Approximately 8% of the general population will experience PTSD in their lifetime, with an additional 5-15% potentially experiencing sub-clinical forms.
Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, and it's also more prevalent among young adults due to their higher likelihood of encountering traumatic events.
PTSD can also affect children and adolescents. Historically, the types of traumatic events leading to PTSD have differed between genders; men often develop it after combat exposure, while women more commonly experience it following physical or sexual assault.