Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by distressing, frightening and very stressful events in your life. Examples of these events include: 

  • serious health problems 
  • a serious road accident 
  • a violent personal attack 
  • witnessing domestic violence
  • sexual assault or abuse

These events may have caused physical or emotional harm to yourself or to someone else. PTSD may develop immediately after the distressing event, or it can occur weeks, months or years later. People can react differently to traumatic situations and not everyone will experience PTSD. 

If you would like to understand more about PTSD and find ways to help you manage the symptoms, look at our self-help resources in the section further down this page  for more information.