Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. PTSD is the most prevalent mental health challenge faced by our nation’s veterans.

5

The number of active-duty troops who attempt suicide each day.

7.8

Percentage of Americans who will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, with women (10.4 percent) twice as likely as men (5 percent) to develop PTSD.

30

Percentage of the men and women who have spent time in war zones and develop PTSD. An additional 20 to 25 percent have had partial PTSD at some point in their lives. More than half of all male Vietnam veterans and almost half of all female Vietnam veterans have experienced “clinically serious stress reaction symptoms.” PTSD has also been detected among veterans of other wars. Estimates of PTSD from the Gulf War are as high as 10 percent. Estimates from the war in Afghanistan are between six and 11 percent. Current estimates of PTSD in military personnel who served in Iraq range from 12 percent to 20 percent.

33

Percentage of youths exposed to community violence who develop PTSD.

70

Percentage of U.S. adults who have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. That’s 223.4 million people.

Source: National Center for PTSD