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It's hard to say exactly what will happen to you if you have post-traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD for short). But getting treatment can help you feel better and get on with your life. And it's never too late to start treatment.

Treatment makes a big difference to people who have PTSD. If you have treatment, you're more likely to get better more quickly.¹

If you are like most people with PTSD, your symptoms will come and go. They may get worse if you suddenly come across something that reminds you of what you went through. Or they may flare up if you are having a tough time or if you live through another frightening event.²

The good news is that many people recover within the first year after going through a frightening or life-threatening event. But PTSD can be a life-long condition. For about 1 in 3 people it doesn't go away.¹ If this is the case, having treatment can still help you cope.

If you get PTSD, you're also more likely to have another mental illness.³

There are two reasons for this.

• If you have a mental illness, such as depression, before you go through a traumatic event, you're more likely to get PTSD.^{3 4 5}
• If you get PTSD, you are more likely to then get another mental illness afterward.^{3 6} As many as 8 in 10 people with PTSD get at least one other mental illness, such as anxiety.

If you have PTSD, you may also:

• Be depressed
• Have anxiety disorder
• Have panic attacks
• Misuse drugs or alcohol.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.