Post-traumatic stress disorder

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What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition triggered by a traumatic event, is characterized by many symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and hypervigilance. PTSD is also sometimes called Post-traumatic stress (PTS) or Post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI).



Common symptoms reported by people with post-traumatic stress disorder

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
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Treatments taken by people for post-traumatic stress disorder

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Zoloft)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
8,854
Treatment name(s)

(Effexor XR)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
5,161
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
7,090
Treatment name(s)

(Paxil)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
3,863
Treatment name(s)

(Prozac)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
6,369
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
1,963
Treatment name(s)

(Depression Skills Group Therapy)
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
5,786
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
2,743

Data from patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
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Compare treatments taken by people with post-traumatic stress disorder

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Zoloft)
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (7 evaluations)
Side effects
chills decreased appetite 5 more
Total evaluations
8
Treatment name(s)

(Effexor XR)
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (3 evaluations)
Side effects
nightmares
Total evaluations
3
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (7 evaluations)
Side effects
obsessive thinking
Total evaluations
10
Treatment name(s)

(Paxil)
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (4 evaluations)
Side effects
mood swings sweating
Total evaluations
4
Treatment name(s)

(Prozac)
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (5 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
5
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (7 evaluations)
Side effects
difficulty processing things at times increased anxiety 1 more
Total evaluations
7
Treatment name(s)

(Depression Skills Group Therapy)
Perceived effectiveness
for post-traumatic stress disorder (3 evaluations)
Side effects
overwhelming emotions
Total evaluations
3
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
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Who has post-traumatic stress disorder on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 35 new patients joined this month
  • 18,945 say PTSD is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 52
20s 1,070
30s 5,015
40s 8,508
50s 8,830
60s 5,765
70+ 2,068
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 4,026
20-29 years 3,134
30-39 years 2,065
40-49 years 1,324
50-59 years 447
60-69 years 89
70+ years 14

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 9,897
Female 21,505

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 14,019
Not Diagnosed 1,805

These charts show data from PTSD patients who have completed their condition history
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