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Help identify and treat Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as soon as you can

	Your symptoms of PTSD may come and go. They may get worse if you suddenly encounter a reminder of what you went through, or if you are having a tough time in general. ConsumerReportsHealth.org can guide you to treatments for PTSD that work well.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org today and find out whether talking therapy or medications rate best for treating PTSD.

If you or someone you know is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you're not alone. Consumer Reports Health can help with the best research about PTSD, and expert evidence and advice about treatments.

Key points for people with post-traumatic stress disorder

• It's normal to feel shocked and upset if something frightening has happened to you.
• But if these feelings don't fade within a month and you can't get on with your life, you may have PTSD.
• If you have PTSD, it's important to get treatment right away. The sooner you get treatment, the more likely it is to help you get better.
• About 5 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 54 have PTSD.
• Children can get PTSD, too. And it's just as important for them to get treatment as it is for adults.

People often think that you only get PTSD if you've survived something terrifying, like a rape or a war. But you can also get it if someone close to you dies suddenly or if you've been told you have a serious illness. And sometimes people who witness disasters get PTSD. For example, thousands of people who saw the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 experienced some form of PTSD.

The difference between PTSD and other feelings you might have after a frightening or stressful event is that PTSD keeps you from living a normal life. Although it’s important to treat PTSD with talking therapy and medication as soon as possible, it is never too late to seek treatment for PTSD. We encourage you to read our entire condition report and to consult with your doctor to learn more about PTSD. As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for you.

Our in-depth, complete report on post-traumatic stress disorder including Treatment Ratings, is available to subscribers.