Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an issue that many people do not understand or even know much about. The symptoms are difficult to recognize because they mimic other disorders and may not appear until weeks or months after an incident. But for those who suffer from it, the pain is very real.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), PTSD is usually triggered by a traumatic or dangerous event. We frequently hear about soldiers who are diagnosed with it when they return home after serving in an armed conflict and seeing their comrades killed or maimed, or being injured themselves.
More recent events that would impact insurers involve home and business owners affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate; the wildfires in California; or more horrifically, the shootings in Nevada, Maryland, Texas and California.
|Who is likely to be affected?
PTSD presents differently in each person. Not everyone who witnesses or is involved in a traumatic event develops PTSD. In the U.S., 60% of men and 50% of women will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime says Teresa Bartlett, M.D., senior vice president of medical quality for Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. Of those individuals, 8% of the men and 20% of the women will develop PTSD.
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Patricia L. Harman
Patricia L. Harman is the editor-in-chief of Claims magazine, a contributing editor to PropertyCasualty360.com, and chairs the annual America's Claims Event (ACE), which focuses on providing claims professionals with cutting-edge education and networking opportunities. She covers auto, property & casualty, workers' compensation, fraud, risk and cybersecurity, and is a frequent speaker at insurance industry events. Contact her at [email protected]
