Awareness & Understanding

PTSD Awareness

Surviving an experience does not always mean its effects have ended.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, when distressing responses continue for more than a month and affect daily life.

Learn

What PTSD is

Most people have strong reactions after trauma, and many improve over time. When the effects persist and interfere with life, a qualified professional may assess for PTSD. Only a professional can make that diagnosis.

Experiences often described

Intrusive memories, flashbacks or nightmares
Avoiding thoughts, places or people linked to the event
Changes in mood and beliefs — guilt, shame, feeling detached
Heightened alertness: feeling on guard, jumpy, irritable
Trouble sleeping or concentrating

Treatment and support

PTSD is treatable. Evidence-based therapies such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure and EMDR help many people. Medication may also help. Peer and faith support can walk alongside professional care.

“You can be grateful to have survived and still struggle with what happened.”

Gratitude and grief can live side by side. Struggling doesn't erase your strength or your faith — and asking for help is part of healing, not a failure of it.

Recognize

Reliving the event in ways you can't control
Arranging your life around avoiding reminders
Feeling constantly on guard or unlike yourself

These are things people commonly describe — not a checklist for diagnosis.

Find support

If you are thinking about suicide or harming yourself, call or text 988 now (Veterans press 1).
Talk with a doctor or licensed mental health professional if symptoms last more than a month.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Veterans press 1
National Center for PTSD (ptsd.va.gov)
A licensed therapist trained in trauma-focused care

Find Help near you Emergency help Active Trauma Support

Journal

What would I want someone to understand about what I carry?

Your journal is private to you.

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Educational and supportive only — not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please talk with a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation.