Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in approximately 20% of people exposed to a traumatic event — including combat, assault, accidents, natural disasters, and childhood abuse. It is not a sign of weakness but reflects the brain's altered threat response following overwhelming experiences. PTSD significantly impairs quality of life, relationships, work function, and physical health. Trauma-focused cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy are the most evidence-based treatments, producing clinically meaningful improvement in 60–80% of patients. EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) is an effective alternative. Sertraline and paroxetine are FDA-approved pharmacological options, typically used in combination with psychotherapy.
