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PTSD statistics 2025

These PTSD statistics show the prevalence of post-traumatic stress by age, trauma, and more
Leandra Beabout
By | Updated on Apr. 9, 2025 Medically reviewed by Marissa Walsh, Pharm.D., BCPS-AQ ID & Leslie Greenberg, MD
Map of America with charts and graphs: PTSD Statistics
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Whether surviving a natural disaster, witnessing a horrific act of violence, or navigating the sudden death or injury of a loved one—all are scary and unsettling experiences that can trigger anxiety and jitteriness for days or weeks. It’s common for people who live through traumatic experiences to replay these events in their head, but for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the anxiety can intrude on daily life for months or even years.  

Below, find statistics and information on how common PTSD is and how it is treated.

What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that develops in some people after personally experiencing or witnessing a shocking or dangerous event, according to MedlinePlus. 

It’s very normal to feel anxious or jittery after experiencing something traumatic. But for people with PTSD, the stress and fear don’t fully disappear. You might feel fine some days but then highly agitated or alert on other days. Or you might experience flashbacks or memories when something reminds you of the original trauma. 

Who is at risk for PTSD?

Anyone who has been through a dangerous event—or even learned about a traumatic event secondhand from a loved one—can develop PTSD. Some examples of traumatic events include violence and terrorist attacks, natural disasters, sexual abuse, and injurious or fatal accidents.

Still, not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. Per MedlinePlus, risk factors include the following:

  • Childhood trauma
  • Prolonged trauma (such as abuse)
  • Lack of social support after the traumatic event
  • Extra stress (such as loss of job or a loved one) soon after the traumatic event
  • History of mental illness
  • History of substance abuse
  • Being female (women have a significantly higher risk of PTSD compared to men)

How is PTSD diagnosed?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), to be diagnosed with  PTSD, healthcare providers must confirm that the patient has experienced all of the following for at least one month:

  • One or more re-experiencing symptoms (e.g., flashbacks, bad dreams, or physical signs of stress in response to a trigger)
  • One or more avoidance symptoms (e.g., avoiding places, events, objects, thoughts, or feelings that relate to or could remind someone of the traumatic event)
  • One or more arousal and reactivity symptoms (e.g., feeling startled, tense, restless, or angry)
  • One or more cognition and mood symptoms (e.g., misremembering key parts of the event, loss of interest in hobbies or activities, exaggerated self-blame, social isolation)

How does PTSD affect a person’s life?

PTSD affects the cadence of everyday life. “Trauma shrinks a person’s world,” says Shauna Springer, Ph.D., a psychologist at Hidden Ivy Consulting based in California. “It creates tunnel vision, and leaves people in a sustained state of ‘survival mode.’ We are flooded by anxiety and may vacillate between feeling angry and feeling detached from those we love.”

According to NIMH, PTSD symptoms in children can include urinary accidents after being dry, inability to talk, acting out the traumatic event, or clinging to family members. Teens may present symptoms of PTSD in destructive, disrespectful, or disruptive behaviors.

Ultimately, people with PTSD experience thoughts, feelings, and physical reactions that interfere with their ability to enjoy life. People with PTSD are also more susceptible to other mental health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and sleep problems.

How common is PTSD?

  • Nearly 4% of the global population had PTSD at some point in their lives. (World Health Organization, 2024)
  • Of the 70% of people who experience a potentially traumatic event, about 5.6% develop PTSD. (WHO, 2024)
  • In the U.S., the lifetime prevalence of PTSD is 10-12% for women and 5-6% for men. (American Psychological Association, 2024)

U.S. PTSD statistics

  • About 9 million Americans are affected by PTSD. (National Alliance on Mental Health, 2024)
  • About 37% of Americans with PTSD have severe symptoms. (NAMI, 2024)
  • About 6% of Americans will have PTSD at some point in their lives. (NIMH, 2023)
  • About 7% of U.S. veterans will have PTSD at some point. (National Center for PTSD, 2024)
  • As is true in the global population, U.S. women are significantly more likely than men to experience PTSD. (NAMI, 2024)

PTSD statistics by age

Research is inconclusive on whether rates of PTSD are higher among children and adolescents or adults. Most PTSD research has focused on adults. Because PTSD is directly linked to lived experiences, it also makes sense that risk factors increase with age—and so would the self-awareness to seek out a support group for medical help.

  • PTSD can occur at any age. (NAMI, 2024)
  • In the U.S., PTSD is most often diagnosed in adults aged 25–35 years. (European Psychiatry, 2021) 
  • In the U.S., PTSD diagnosis is lowest in adults aged 55–64 years. (European Psychiatry, 2021) 

PTSD statistics by trauma

PTSD is rooted in traumatic events. Sexual trauma presents the most significant risk of PTSD, according to a 2017 European Journal of Psychotraumatology report using data from 24 countries. This is the most comprehensive snapshot of global PTSD statistics to date.

The following statistics from the report illustrate the percentage of these traumatic experiences that result in the person receiving a PTSD diagnosis:

  • Rape: 19.0%
  • Physical abuse by romantic partner (now called intimate partner violence): 11.7%
  • Kidnapping: 11%
  • Sexual assault (other than rape): 10.5%
  • Being stalked: 7.6%
  • Witnessing war-related atrocities: 5.4%
  • Unexpected death of a loved one: 5.4%
  • Physical abuse during childhood: 5%
  • Serious accidents (non-automobile)t: 4.9%
  • Being a war refugee: 4.5%
  • Combat experience: 3.6%
  • Accidentally killing or injuring someone: 2.8%
  • Automobile accident: 2.6%
  • Physically assaulted: 2.5%
  • Experiencing life-threatening illness: 2.0%
  • Experiencing natural disaster: 0.3%

PTSD in military veterans

Witnessing or taking part in war-related activities increases the risk of PTSD and other mental health conditions, such as substance use disorders. Here are some statistics on PTSD in war veterans:

  • An estimated 354 million adult war survivors globally have PTSD and/or major depression. (European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2019)
  • About 29% of living U.S. veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have had PTSD. (National Center for PTSD, 2024)
  • About 21% of living U.S. veterans who served during the Persian Gulf War (Desert Storm) have had PTSD. (National Center for PTSD, 2024)
  • About 10% of living U.S. veterans who served during the Vietnam War have had PTSD. (National Center for PTSD, 2024)

PTSD treatment

There’s good news: PTSD can be treated. Up to 40% of people with PTSD recover within a year, according to the WHO. Effective PTSD treatment options include psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two can. 

Psychotherapy

There are multiple types of psychotherapies used to treat PTSD. However, it’s a good idea to seek psychotherapy from a mental health clinician who specializes in treating trauma. NIMH suggests that effective psychotherapies for PTSD typically include exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). 

Other psychiatric therapies for PTSD may include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and mantram therapy, a meditation-based therapy.

Medication

The best medication for PTSD depends on the individual’s symptoms, symptom severity, medical history, willingness to take medication, and other medications they may be taking. Some options may include antidepressants such as Prozac or Lexapro or antipsychotics such as Abilify or Zyprexa. Ultimately, the choice to treat PTSD with medication—and if so, which medication—is a shared decision between the patient and healthcare provider.