About post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Learn more about PTSD and its symptoms and impact in Canada.
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About PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosable, mental health disorder that may occur after exposure to psychological stress. It can result from a single specific, severe, potentially psychologically traumatic event, or from a series of such events.
Symptoms
PTSD has specific psychological symptoms and can affect people of any age, culture or gender.
If you have PTSD, your symptoms might include:
- flashbacks
- sleep disturbances
- intrusive memories
- persistently negative thoughts
- low mood, anger, or feeling emotionally numb
You may experience triggers, such as sounds, sights, smells, thoughts, or memories that remind you of the traumatic event.
You may also have trouble feeling emotionally connected to family or close friends.
Your memory of the traumatic event could be affected. You may:
- remember it often and vividly
- have trouble remembering parts of it (amnesia), or
- try to avoid remembering it
How common is PTSD
About 8% of adults in Canada have moderate to severe symptoms of PTSD. It's more common for women (10%) than men (6%). It's most common among people aged 18 to 24 (14%) and least common among those aged 65 and older (3%).
About 5% of adults in Canada report that they've been diagnosed with PTSD.
Not everyone with PTSD symptoms will seek care or get diagnosed. This is why there are more people with symptoms than with a diagnosis.
Diagnosis
A PTSD diagnosis must come from a healthcare professional, such as a:
- family doctor
- psychologist
- psychiatrist
They will use information about your symptoms as part of their assessment.
You might be diagnosed with PTSD if your symptoms:
- last longer than a month, and
- cause significant distress or problems:
- at work or school
- in social or family life
- in other important areas of functioning
Glossary of terms on psychological trauma
Discussions around PTSD and related mental health conditions often lack a common language for people living and working in different contexts. This glossary tries to bridge those gaps by sharing terms that describe trauma-related mental health challenges.
The glossary was developed and is updated by experts across Canada. It's not a product of the Government of Canada.
For more information, please refer to:
Related links
- Post-traumatic stress disorder among adults in Canada
- Symptoms of PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic (infographic)
- Mental illness during the pandemic
- Survey on COVID-19 and mental health
- Projects addressing PTSD and trauma in those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
- What is PTSD?
- Post-traumatic stress disorder and war-related stress
- Post-traumatic stress injuries and support for public safety officers
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