VA established the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in 1989, with a mandate to promote research into the causes and diagnosis of the disorder, to train health care and related personnel in diagnosis and treatment, and to serve as an information resource for professionals across the United States and, eventually, around the world. 

The center consists of seven divisions with distinct but complementary responsibilities:

• Behavioral science
• Women’s health sciences
• Clinical neurosciences
• Education
• Evaluation
• Pacific Islands ethnocultural
• Executive and resource center divisions.

The main features of PTSD can be summarized as follows:

Trauma
PTSD is different from most mental-health diagnoses because it is tied to a to particular life experience. A traumatic experience typically involves the potential for death or serious injury resulting in intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

Symptoms
PTSD is characterized by a specific group of symptoms that sets it apart from other types of reactions to trauma. Increasingly, evidence points to four major types of symptoms: re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and arousal.

• Re-experiencing symptoms involve a sort of mental replay of the trauma, often accompanied by strong emotional reactions. This can happen in reaction to thoughts or reminders of the experience when the person is awake or in the form of nightmares during sleep
• Avoidance symptoms are often exhibited as efforts to evade activities, places, or people that are reminders of the trauma.
• Numbing symptoms are typically experienced as a loss of emotions, particularly positive feelings.
• Arousal symptoms reflect excessive physiological activation and include a heightened sense of being on guard as well as difficulty with sleep and concentration.

Knowing what kind of help is available, where to look for help, and what kind of questions to ask might make the process of seeking help easier and lead to more successful outcomes.

In recent years, a great deal of attention has been aimed at developing reliable assessment tools to aid in the diagnosis of PTSD.  Today, there is a range of available measures that clinicians can use to diagnose PTSD.  Read More on PTSD Assessment

PTSD is treated with a variety of forms of mental health treatment, including psychotherapy and medication.  Today there are some promising treatments that include cognitive behavioral interventions such as cognitive restructuring and exposure.  Read more on PTSD Treatment

If you feel your Soldier is suffering from PTSD, assure him or her they are safe and seek help. Keep in mind that recovery may include therapy, self-care, medication, or a combination of those treatments. Be supportive. Also, if needed, seek help for yourself. Some sources of help:

Military OneSource
www.militaryonesource.com / 800.342.9647

U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Readjustment Counseling Services
www.va.gov/rcs / 800.905.4675 (Eastern) / 866.496.8838 (Pacific)

National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov

State Mental Health Centers
https://www.ncd.gov/mental.htm

Military Medical treatment Facilities (MTFs)

Chaplain Services

Army Behavioral Health
www.behavioralhealth.army.mil 

Army Behavioral Health Website News Release
Veiw the News Piece
Download the Article

PTSD Guide For Family
download
PTSD Brief
download

To find out more about PTSD:

U. S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/dhpw/Population/combat.aspx
Army Battlemind Training
http://www.battlemind.org
DoD DeploymentLINK
http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil
DoD Deployment Health Clinical Center (DHCC)
http://www.pdhealth.mil
For an online self-assessment for Soldiers and families:
www.MilitaryMentalHealth.org