What is ptsd?
PTSD is a mental health condition that can follow experiencing or witnessing traumatic events such as accidents, assault, abuse, combat, childbirth complications or medical emergencies. Core features include reliving the event through flashbacks and nightmares, avoiding reminders, negative changes in mood and beliefs, and hyperarousal — feeling jumpy, irritable and unable to relax. Complex PTSD can follow prolonged or repeated trauma and adds difficulties with emotions, self-worth and relationships.
Most people exposed to trauma do not develop PTSD, but a significant minority do, sometimes months or years later. Diagnosis is made through a clinical assessment by a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist, exploring the trauma history and current symptoms; validated questionnaires support the assessment. Effective, evidence-based treatments exist, and recovery is the expected outcome for most people.
Common symptoms
- Flashbacks or intrusive memories of the event
- Nightmares and disturbed sleep
- Avoiding places, people or conversations linked to the trauma
- Feeling constantly on edge or easily startled
- Emotional numbness or detachment
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Negative beliefs about oneself or the world
How long will you wait?
NHS talking therapies accept self-referrals for PTSD with assessments often within weeks, but waits for a course of trauma-focused therapy vary from a few weeks to several months, and specialist trauma services can take longer.
Privately, you can typically see a trauma-specialist psychologist or psychiatrist within 3–7 days and begin therapy within 1–2 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Trauma-focused CBT. A structured therapy that safely processes traumatic memories and the meanings attached to them.
- EMDR. Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, a NICE-recommended therapy that reduces the distress attached to traumatic memories.
- Medication. SSRIs or venlafaxine when therapy alone is insufficient, unavailable or not preferred.
- Stabilisation and grounding work. Skills for managing flashbacks and overwhelming emotions, often a first phase in complex PTSD.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, private trauma-focused therapy or EMDR costs around £90–£180 per session, with an initial psychiatric assessment around £250–£400 if medication or diagnosis clarification is needed.
Does health insurance cover ptsd?
PTSD treatment falls under mental health benefits, which vary widely: some policies include outpatient therapy as standard, others only via an optional add-on, usually with session or annual limits. Pre-existing PTSD is typically excluded when a policy starts, and recurrent claims can lead to chronic classification, restricting future cover. Employer schemes and occupational health routes are sometimes more generous than personal policies.
Frequently asked questions
How soon after a trauma can PTSD be diagnosed?
Distress in the first month after trauma is a normal reaction, and many people recover naturally with support from family and friends. PTSD is generally diagnosed when symptoms persist beyond a month and are causing significant difficulty. If you are struggling at any stage, talk to your GP; and if you ever feel in crisis, call NHS 111 or Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night.
Does treatment mean reliving everything in detail?
Not in the way people fear. Trauma-focused therapies do involve working with the memory, but at a carefully controlled pace, with grounding skills established first and you in control throughout. EMDR in particular does not require detailed verbal retelling. Therapists are trained to keep the work within a tolerable range — feeling safe in therapy is a precondition, not an afterthought.
Can PTSD develop years after the event?
Yes. Delayed-onset PTSD is well recognised: symptoms can emerge or intensify months or years later, sometimes triggered by a reminder, a life change, retirement or another stressful event. This is not unusual and does not make treatment any less effective. The same trauma-focused therapies work regardless of how long ago the original events occurred.