Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)is a mental illness that some people develop following a traumatic experience.

Not everyone develops PTSD, but it can be highly distressing for those who do.

Though anyone can be susceptible to PTSD, women are twice as likely than men to develop it.

Woman wearing a sweater gazing out the window at an overcast sky

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Regardless of gender, PTSD symptoms can vary from person to person.

This article discusses PTSD symptoms in women and explains its causes, prevalence, and treatment.

However, they are not the same.

You experience a natural fear response to the trigger, even if there is no present threat.

At the highest risk are those who aretransgenderand/orbisexual.

Additionally, women are more likely to experience trauma at a younger age.

How PTSD Is Diagnosed in Women

Only a licensed mental health or healthcare provider can diagnose PTSD.

For women, PTSD can have a worse or longer-term impact than for men.

Women develop PTSD twice as often as men and experience PTSD differently.

A mental health or medical provider can diagnose PTSD and recommend treatment options for reducing symptoms.

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