Women are more prone to developing PTSD than are men. Symptoms typically begin within 3 months of the traumatic incident, although they can begin years later. PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event which results in psychological trauma, such as the aftermath of an event that involved the threat of death to oneself or to another.

PTSD sufferers may experience “flashbacks” or nightmares of the original trauma. Although most people (50-90%) encounter trauma over a lifetime, only about 8% develop full PTSD. Formal diagnostic criteria require that the symptoms last more than one month and cause significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.