We at the William James College INTERFACE Referral Service are keenly aware of the shortage of mental health providers of color and how racial inequities exist in medical and mental health care. The College’s Black Mental Health Academy, Center for Multicultural and Global Mental Health, and other programs and academic offerings are playing a critical role in reversing this trend. We invite you to read a statement from our Black Mental Health Graduate Academy Scholars, and to stand with us as allies to drive change and address systemic racism.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

At INTERFACE Referral Service, we focus on connecting members of our communities with mental health providers. We also value the importance of learning about the mental health conditions that may be affecting your thinking, feeling, behavior, or mood.

Therefore, we have created "Mental Health Topic Pages". The majority of our topic pages will direct you to Network of Care Massachusetts! Network of Care Massachusetts has a library database of over 30,000 fact sheets and articles. Topics on behavioral health issues are written by leading experts and organizations in their fields.

WHAT IS PTSD?

 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening.

Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD. But people don't always have to see a traumatic event or have it happen to them to get PTSD. Sometimes learning that a traumatic event happened to a loved one can cause PTSD.

These events can include:

  • Combat or being sent to a combat zone.
  • Military sexual trauma.
  • Terrorist attacks.
  • Physical violence.
  • Sexual violence, such as rape.
  • Serious accidents, such as a car wreck.
  • Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, flood, or earthquake.
  • Life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer.
  • Living in or near a conflict, such as war.

Source: Network of Care Massachusetts

 

To learn more, visit these Network of Care Resources:

 Helping Traumatized Children: An Overview for Caregivers

 Deciding to Get Treatment for PTSD   

 Self Care And Self-Help Following Disasters

 Talking To Children About Terrorism And War