PTSD are the initials that stand for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a severe type of anxiety disorder. PTSD results from a person witnessing or being involved in a traumatic event that causes intense fear, helplessness or horror, such as, a natural disaster, rape, childhood abuse, a tragic accident, or war. Diagnostic manuals say that signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder typically begin within three months of a traumatic event but can, in some instances, occur years after the event. The symptoms of PTSD are commonly grouped into categories:

Intrusive memories - flashbacks and nightmares of events.
Avoidance and numbing – feeling emotionally numb, hopelessness about the future, avoiding anything that is a reminder of the precipitating event.
Hyperarousal -  increased anxiety, irritability or anger, self-destructive behavior (i.e. excessive drinking),  and an exaggerated startle response.

In the last couple of years acupuncture, has been getting more attention as a treatment for PTSD, particularly from the military and veterans because soldiers are at a high risk for suffering from PTSD after serving in combat.