Common myth: PTSD is a sign of mental weakness - not true!

This, unfortunately, is a very common myth, which may be rooted an individual’s visceral, emotional beliefs about what it means to be a member of the military. Therefore, it is a difficult myth to combat. Developing Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not a sign of weakness, be it mental weakness or weakness of character. It is an understandable human response to uncommon experiences. Although the most common outcome following trauma is one of recovery or resiliency, there are several factors, besides one's own internal strength, which may influence whether an individual will develop PTSD, including severity of the trauma, type of trauma, number of traumas, duration, one's neurobiology and whether the person has a support system to help them. Individuals are at increased risk for PTSD if they do not have a good interpersonal support system, which provides further argument for the damaging effect of stigma.