An estimated 7.8 percent of all Americans will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives. Women are twice as likely men to develop PTSD. Roughly 5.2 million people have PTSD during the course of a given year. And PTSD can affect anyone -- from war veterans and abuse victims to persons directly or indirectly traumatized by other catastrophes including crime, natural disasters, and serious accidents. Getting treatment as soon as possible after PTSD symptoms develop may help prevent PTSD form developing into a long-term condition. Treatment may take the form of medication, psychotherapy, or alternative medicine. "What Nurses Know...PTSD" covers all the treatments available today. It examines the causes of the PTSD, describes the symptoms and the effects of PTSD on individuals with the condition and their families, looks at associated problems such as substance abuse, explains what makes PTSD different in children and adolescents, shows how to manage stress, how to talk to your health care provider, and how to get help -- from both traditional and nontraditional sources.
