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POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISODER (PTSD)
Nikki and Anne Heart ♥ October 20, 2026
What is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD?
Fear is part of the body’s fight-or-flight response system. It helps us avoid or respond to potential danger.
In general, people experience different reactions after a traumatic event and most will recover from their symptoms over time.
Those who continue to experience symptoms may be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Who develops PTSD?
Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. This includes:
- combat veterans, people who have experienced or witnessed a physical or sexual assault, abuse, an accident, a disaster, a terror attack, or other serious events.
- Not everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Sometimes, learning that a relative or close friend experienced trauma can cause PTSD.
- About 6 of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Center for PTSD, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs program.
- Women are more likely than men to develop PTSD.
- Certain aspects of the traumatic event and biological factors (such as genes) may make some people more likely to develop PTSD.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
Symptoms of PTSD usually begin within 3 months of the traumatic event, but they sometimes emerge later.
Diagnosing PTSD:
- a person must have symptoms for longer than 1 month
- the symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with aspects of daily life, such as relationships or work
- symptoms also must be unrelated to medication, substance use, or other illness.
Some people recover within 6 months, others have symptoms that last for 1 year or longer.
People with PTSD often have co-occurring conditions, such as depression, substance use, or one or more anxiety disorders.
To be diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of the following for at least 1 month:
- At least one re-experiencing symptom
- At least one avoidance symptom
- At least two arousal and reactivity symptoms
- At least two cognition and mood symptoms
How do children and teens react to trauma?
Children and teens can have extreme reactions to traumatic events, but their symptoms may not be the same as those seen in adults. In children younger than age 6, symptoms can include:
- Wetting the bed after having learned to use the toilet
- Forgetting how to talk or being unable to talk
- Acting out the scary event during playtime
- Being unusually clingy with a parent or other adult
Older children and teens usually show symptoms more like those seen in adults. They also may develop disruptive, disrespectful, or destructive behaviors. Older children and teens may feel guilt over not preventing injury or death, or have thoughts of revenge.
Sources used:
- National Institute of Mental Health, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, accessed October 16, 2026.
- Medlineplus.gov, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, accessed October 16, 2026.
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Note: All information in “Nikki’s Story and Mom’s Story” are based on detail journals covering seven years of Nikki’s life on prescription drugs.
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