Trauma comes in ways that are unexpected and sometimes your response to what seems to others like an every-day issue, may cause you severe and debilitating trauma.
Many people who live with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) don’t recognise their symptoms as PTSD.
PTSD is the most common mental health disorder after depression. Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD, but at any one time over 1 million Australians have PTSD.
Trauma can have a devastating effect on people’s lives. Any one of us can be affected and the psychological impacts can be deep and complex, but for many reasons, not everyone seeks treatment.
This Saturday, June 27, is PTSD Awareness Day and Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health wants the community to better understand PTSD and the impact of trauma.
Director at Phoenix Australia, Professor David Forbes, says that PTSD Awareness Day is about creating awareness about this disorder and overcoming stigma. Importantly, people need to know that effective treatments are available for PTSD. ‘People need help moving beyond harrowing events, and no one should feel ashamed to seek help.’
Between five and 10 per cent of Australians will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives. Psychological trauma comes in many forms and impacts people from all walks of life. While one in ten military personnel and emergency service workers worldwide have PTSD, they are not the only ones who suffer PTSD – anyone can be affected.
Phoenix Australia Ambassador, Wing Commander Sharon Bown (Ret’d) served in the RAAF and was diagnosed with PTSD. Sharon, a big believer in life beyond PTSD. ‘People who have experienced trauma need to know that they can get better, and to be confident that there is a standard of treatment available to them that is effective and based in evidence.’
Treatments for PTSD include therapy, medication, or a combination of both.
Phoenix Australia’s website has information and resources on trauma and PTSD, including the signs of PTSD, where to get professional help, and how to support people with PTSD.
Follow Phoenix Australia’s social media pages and share our posts to help raise awareness of PTSD in Australia. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.
Phoenix Australia is Australia’s National Centre of Excellence in Posttraumatic Mental Health. Our staff are international experts in posttraumatic mental health and advocates for the use of evidence-based responses following trauma to reduce the mental health effects on survivors, their families and the community.
For more information, there are links to resources on the Phoenix Australia website.
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