Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder What Is It? In post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), distressing symptoms occur after a
frightening incident. For the most part, a person with this
disorder must have experienced the event himself or herself, or
witnessed the event in person. The person may also have learned
about violence to a close loved one. The event must have
involved serious physical injury or the threat of serious injury
or death. Exposure to violence through media (news reports or
electronic images) is usually not considered a traumatic
incident for the purposes of this diagnosis, unless it is part
of a person's work (for example, police officers or first
responders to a violent event). Some examples of traumas
include: - Serious motor vehicle accidents, plane crashes and
boating accidents - Industrial accidents - Natural disasters
(tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions) - Robberies,
muggings and shootings - Military combat (PTSD was first
diagnosed in soldiers and was known as shell shock or war ne