posttraumatic stress disorder

noun

, Psychiatry.

a mental disorder, as battle fatigue, occurring after a traumatic event outside the range of usual human experience, and characterized by symptoms such as reliving the event, reduced involvement with others, and manifestations of autonomic arousal such as hyperalertness and exaggerated startle response. : PTSD

/ pōst′trô-măt′ĭk,-trou- /

A psychological disorder affecting individuals who have experienced or witnessed profoundly traumatic events, such as torture, murder, rape, or wartime combat, characterized by recurrent flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, forgetfulness, and social withdrawal.

posttraumatic stress disorder

A psychological disorder in which a person continues to respond with distress to a traumatic event long after that event has occurred. The affected person may reexperience the event in their thoughts or dreams and exhibit a heightened state of arousal characteristic of extreme stress . Combat and rape are two of the most common causes of this disorder.

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Notes

PTSD was formalized as a disorder after the Vietnam War , when returning soldiers would often continue to show the signs of stress long after they had left the military.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of posttraumatic stress disorder¹

First recorded in 1975–80

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Example Sentences

Posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury have been called the wars' signature injuries.

From The Daily Beast

I was set to soon go off to Fort Thomas, Kentucky, for PTSD therapy (posttraumatic stress disorder, of course).

From The Daily Beast

Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is the most common mental injury suffered by Iraq War veterans.

From The Daily Beast

In April, a clinical psychologist diagnosed her with posttraumatic stress disorder.

From The Daily Beast

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April 19, 2024tortuous

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