I Think I’m Having PTSD Symptoms: What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Since your car accident a few months ago, you’ve avoided driving. Or you keep having nightmares about when you were mugged ­— but can’t recall details of the actual mugging. Maybe you constantly feel tense. These frightening thoughts and feelings are interfering with your life. If this sounds like you, you may be having symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“Unfortunately, 60-85% of people experience some sort of trauma in their lifetime ­— witnessing it, or having it happen to them,” says Jennifer Kim Penberthy, MA, PhD, ABPP, a clinical psychologist and behavioral health expert at UVA Health. An anxiety and depression expert who treats adolescents, children, and adults at UVA Health, Penberthy helps us get a clearer picture of PTSD symptoms and what causes them.

What Is PTSD?

After a traumatic event, it takes time for us to process what happened and get back to feeling secure. Most people recover within a few weeks. “The good news is most people that have these horrible experiences work through them on their own,” assures Penberthy.