Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are often confused and it can be hard to tell them apart. They both involve feeling fearful or nervous, avoiding the places or activity associated with a traumatic event, and nightmares and sleep issues. Nonetheless, there are important differences in the intensity and duration of symptoms and in treatment. Read on to learn more about what they are and how they’re different.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress?
PTS is a natural body response to trauma. When facing stressful situations, our nervous system immediately processes the stimuli to create an appropriate reaction to it. This is part of the body’s “fight or flight” response. The person’s brains tell their bodies to breathe faster, pump extra blood and oxygen and tense their muscles, so they’re better able to deal with the situation.
PTS occurs within 30 days of experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event or repeated events. While it’s not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used by mental health providers, it’s understood to be a serious health issue. It is sometimes also called Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS).
Typically PTS is brought on following stressful events such as an accident or the death of a spouse. It can also be caused by unusual events such as being in a hurricane or involved in military combat. PTS symptoms can be very intense but typically subside a few days after the event. They don’t detract from a person’s quality of life. Typically PTS self-resolves within a month without treatment being required. Most people who experience PTS don’t develop PTSD.
PTS symptoms include:
- Racing heart
- Rapid breathing
- Shaky hands
- Slowed digestion
- Increased blood delivery to the body
- Sweating
- Feeling nervous or afraid
- Avoiding the traumatic activity or place
- Nightmares
Understanding the Basics of PTSD
About 6 out of 10 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lifetime according to the National Center for PTSD, a US Department of Veterans Affairs program.
PTSD affects each person differently. It’s a normal response to an abnormal, stressful event.
It is typically caused by experiencing, witnessing or surviving a traumatic event. The trauma severely impacts the nervous system and brain, engaging the amygdala to become hyper-reactive, and the prefrontal cortex to become less active. Typical symptoms last longer than a month and may persist for years.
PTSD typically requires mental health treatment with medication and therapy, possibly for years. Many of those with PTSD develop substance use disorders to cope with their symptoms. Unfortunately this worsens their symptoms over time, as they now have a co-occurring disorder. But successful treatment is possible.
PTSD symptoms include:
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Anger and Aggression
- Avoidance of memories of the event
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks
- Hyper-arousal with overactive nervous system
- Constant waking thoughts
- Depersonalization (feeling as an outside observer or detached from oneself)
- Derealization (experience of unreality, distance or distortion, e.g. things are not real”)
The DSM-5 medical criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD includes:
| Exposure to trauma | At least 2 adverse changes in reactivity or arousal |
| At least 1 intrusion symptom | Symptoms last for more than a month |
| At least 1 avoidance symptom | Symptoms cause distress or functional impairment socially or occupationally |
| At least 2 adverse changes in feelings or mood | Symptoms are not due to medication, substance use or other illness |
Sertraline and Paroxetine are two FDA approved antidepressant medications that can help with symptoms. And trauma-focused psychotherapy approaches such as prolonged exposure therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) have been proven effective and are widely used.
Differences between PTS and PTSD
While similar, the following table shows the main differences:
| Symptom | PTS | PTSD |
| Duration | Short (less than 30 days) | Long (More than 30 days to 7 years) |
| Intensity | Low to moderate after a few days | Severe (High to Very High) |
| Interferes with Ability to Function | Low to no impact after a few days | High to Very High |
| Develop PTSD | Most do not | Don’t have to have PTS first |
| Mental Health Disorder | No | Yes |
| Medical Treatment | Not usually required | Required |
| Therapy | Not usually required | Required |
What Makes Them Similar?
PTS and PTSD are similar in that both are caused by a traumatic event and involve changes in the brain as it processes what happened. Several symptoms are shared including: Feeling nervous or afraid, jittery or jumpy all the time, having flashbacks of the event, being unable to stop thinking about the event, avoiding the traumatic activity or place, and having nightmares.
Treatment for PTS and PTSD in Utah
Treatment is available in Utah. Are you or a loved one looking for a compassionate space to heal from Complex PTSD, other mental health issues or addictions? Our licensed trauma-informed professional therapists and counselors at Corner Canyon Health Centers can provide compassionate help using a range of therapeutic and holistic techniques.
Reach out to our Admissions team now at Corner Canyon. We’re in a peaceful setting bordered by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.
Sources
National Institute of Mental Health. 2023. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
US Department of Veterans Affairs. PTSD and DSM-5.
Bender, J. What Are the Differences Between PTS and PTSD? Brainline.org
