Health
Most 9/11 first responders experienced improvement in PTSD symptoms about 10 years after the traumatic event, but approximately 10 per cent saw symptoms worsen even two decades later
By Grace Wade
Firefighter Gerard McGibbon prays after the World Trade Center buildings collapsed on 11 September 2001
Mario Tama/Getty Images
For most 9/11 first responders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms didn’t improve until nearly a decade later, and about 10 per cent of those with the condition experienced worsening symptoms 20 years on. The finding underscores just how persistent PTSD can be and highlights the need for more effective treatments.
Frank Mann at Stony Brook University in New York and his colleagues tracked PTSD symptoms…
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