"Screening for PTSD" resources
Source: click here
Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH), the pioneer in large-scale mental health screenings for the public, announced that it will provide online Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) self-assessments as part of PTSD Awareness Day on June 27, 2014. The initiative is an outreach, education, and screening program to raise awareness about PTSD in the community and help individuals with PTSD find opportunities for assessment and treatment.
Thousands of colleges, community-based organizations, and military installations will be hosting an online screening platform through SMH. Members of the public are urged to visit www.PTSDscreening.org to take a PTSD self-assessment online and to learn more about this common, yet treatable condition.
What is PTSD?
PTSD affects people who have experienced a traumatic event such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or personal assaults such as rape. Symptoms can be persistent and severe enough to significantly impair an individual’s daily life. PTSD often occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, and problems with memory and cognition.
Why is PTSD awareness important?
About 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, according to the National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Overall, about 8 percent of men and 20 percent of women will develop PTSD. Sometimes traumatic events affect an entire community, such as the Boston Marathon bombings. In other instances, traumatic events can affect a single individual. Examples of traumatic events include:
Natural disaster
Fire
Car accident
Acts of violence, war, or terrorism
Media coverage of traumatic events
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
Most people will have stress-related reactions following a traumatic event, yet only some will develop PTSD. If these reactions do not begin to go away over time or get worse, or impact day to day life, it may be PTSD.
Symptoms can include nightmares and flashbacks of the traumatic event; feelings of detachment and estrangement; avoiding places, people, or experiences that trigger memories of the event; and irritability or angry outbursts.
Where can individuals find help?
SMH provides online PTSD screenings at www.PTSDscreening.org. The screening is free and anonymous, providing a comfortable and private way for individuals to assess their symptoms. While the screenings are not diagnostic, they will indicate existing symptoms and if further assessment by a clinician is advisable. After completing a screening, individuals will be provided with treatment resources. The screening site, www.PTSDscreening.org is accessible and free year round to the public.
About Screening for Mental Health
Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH), the pioneer of large-scale mental health screening for the public, provides innovative mental health and substance abuse resources, linking those in need with quality treatment options. SMH programs, offered online and in-person, educate, raise awareness, and screen individuals for common mental health disorders and suicide. Thousands of organizations worldwide including hospitals, military installations, colleges, secondary schools, and corporations utilize our educational and screening programs, and in turn, have reached millions of people ranging from teenagers to adults.
