According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
“PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.

It’s normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months.

If it’s been longer than a few months and you’re still having symptoms, you may have PTSD. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later on, or they may come and go over time.

There are four types of symptoms of PTSD, but they may not be exactly the same for everyone. Each person experiences symptoms in their own way.

1. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms
2. Avoiding situations that remind you of the event
3. Having more negative beliefs and feelings
4. Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal) and very agitated

If experiencing any of these symptoms, seek help as soon as possible on your campus or work counseling centers.