National PTSD Awareness Day

According to a 2020 survey, since the 9/11 attack, 83% of all US veterans, as well as men and women on active duty, have experienced some form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their military service. PTSD patients can experience symptoms including hypervigilance, mood swings, avoidance, and recurring and involuntary flashbacks of said trauma.



PTSD can be caused by several factors. It is most notably caused by being thrust into a combat situation that adds an overwhelming amount of stress to an already stressful situation, which may include actions during war, politics around the world, location of combat, and the type of enemy faced. Moreover, in addition to being in a highly stressful environment, a large number of veterans have reportedly experienced sexual assault as well as sexual harassment when in active duty.



Historically, PTSD has been recorded from as far back as 50BC by a war soldier who was haunted by PTSD-like flashbacks and these symptoms have since been consistently mentioned with different labels because of its unfamiliarity.



In 1980, PTSD was officially acknowledged in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM). National PTSD Awareness Day was recognized on June 27th in 2010 in honor of a North Dakota National Guard member who had committed suicide after two tours of duty in Iraq, and in 2014, the month of June was recognized as PTSD Awareness Month.



The Council adopted a resolution recognizing June 27, 2022 as national PTSD Awareness Day, affirming its support for veterans and all those suffering from PTSD.