People who experience a highly stressful event may have trouble returning to a normal state of mind afterwards. In some cases, they develop a mental health disorder related to the experience. This is known as a trauma disorder, and there are 7 different types: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) Secondhand Trauma Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED) Adjustment Disorders Other and Unspecified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

PTSD is one of the most well-known trauma disorders. It’s estimated to affect around 8 million U.S. adults in a given year. Individuals develop PTSD following a traumatic event. While it’s common for initial symptoms to begin in the days following a traumatic event, symptoms can even begin to surface months later. Symptoms can be grouped into four categories:

• Intrusive thoughts about the event, including nightmares and flashbacks
• Avoidance of anything that reminds you of the trauma
• Behavioral changes such as insomnia, withdrawing from loved ones, and engaging in reckless or self-destructive behaviors
• Cognitive disturbances like irritability, negative thoughts about self or others, and fear/paranoia