Why Women Have Higher Rates of PTSD

Did you know that women have double the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as men? The lifetime prevalence of PTSD is 10-12% in women and 5-6% in men. What’s more, PTSD tends to last longer in women – 4 years versus one. 

Interestingly, women have been found to experience fewer traumas than men (by a third) and yet their risk of PTSD is higher. This may have to do with the type of trauma, note experts. For example, men who experience combat trauma, accidents, natural disasters and disasters caused by humans are more likely to experience PTSD. For women, sexual abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault are most often to blame. Roughly one out of every 6 women has experienced attempted or completed sexual assault or rape in her lifetime and these victims are more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD than nonsexual trauma survivors.

“Sexual traumas are prevalent and particularly toxic to mental health,” Melanie Greenberg PhD, wrote in an article on Psychology Today. “Sexual abuse typically begins at a young age, when the brain is still growing, leading to a lasting impact on emotion regulation and fear response.”

Do You Know the Signs of PTSD?

Dr. Greenberg said that among survivors of sexual trauma, she often sees high levels of fear and vigilance, shame, and self-blame. Other symptoms, which most often interfere with daily living, can include: 

• Nightmares, flashbacks an frightening thoughts.
• Avoiding and shutting out thoughts and feelings related to the trauma.
• Angry outbursts, feeling “on edge,” being hyper-vigilant for threat or trouble sleeping.
• Feeling excessive guilt, blaming yourself unreasonably, having difficulty remembering aspects of the event, seeing yourself or the world negatively.

PTSD and Addiction
About 80 percent of women seeking addiction treatment also have a trauma history, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. And this number doesn’t include women who can’t or refuse to seek help for substance use disorders. Since trauma and addiction often coexist, we offer a dual-focused program to help women begin to restore their well-being and look ahead to lasting recovery. To learn more about our trauma treatment program, call today: 866-746-1558.

Women and PTSD

In honor of National PTSD Awareness Month this June, we’re taking a look at how PTSD can impact women. According to the National Center for PTSD, women are more than twice as likely to develop PTSD than men; women have a 10 percent risk while men have a 4 percent risk. And women with past mental health issues (like depression or anxiety) and lack of social support may be even more at risk for PTSD.

This perhaps isn’t too surprising considering that findings from a large national mental health study show that a little more than half of all women will experience at least one traumatic event in their life. And this includes sexual assault, which is more likely to cause PTSD than many other events, according to the National Center for PTSD. What’s more, women may be more likely to blame themselves for trauma experiences than men. 

The symptoms of PTSD are also often different for women versus men. Women, for example, are more likely to feel jumpy or depressed and anxious while men may feel angry and have trouble controlling their anger.

Untreated PTSD symptoms can have a negative impact on mental health and also lead to physical symptoms like headaches, gastrointestinal problems and sexual dysfunction. Many women with PTSD also turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate. In fact, addiction and PTSD often overlap, with nearly 50 percent of people with PTSD also meeting the criteria for substance use disorder.

Trauma Resolution at Rising Roads

If you’re looking for a safe, non-judgmental place to address your addiction in relation to your trauma, look no further. By using proven techniques like Psychodrama, Art and Somatic Therapy, we help clients stop running from their emotions and feelings and start healing. To learn more about our Trauma Treatment for women, call today: 866-746-1558.