How Do I Know If PTSD Articles Are Credible?

Medically reviewed by Andrea Brant, LMHC
Updated October 10, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team
Content warning: Please be advised, the below article might mention trauma-related topics that could be triggering to the reader. Please see our Get Help Now page for more immediate resources.

While it’s generally recommended to get your information by speaking to a licensed mental healthcare professional with a background in helping people cope with post-traumatic stress disorder, the internet can provide an outlet to learn about the disorder, too. But like other serious conditions, internet research about post-traumatic stress disorder may do more harm than good if your sources of information aren’t properly vetted. 

There is generally a wealth of reliable information about PTSD via blogs and articles from service providers and nonprofits that specialize in mental health conditions. Knowing how to find them and how to tell if a website is not credible is considered by many to be essential when conducting an online search. 

Getty/Sarah Waiswa
PTSD can be a serious disorder

How to tell if a website is credible: A guide 

As you search for reliable information on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it can help to know how to check that a source is credible. One of the first things you might look for when landing on a website is to determine who is running the site. It should be easy for most to find an “about” tab on the site, either on the landing page or in a drop-down menu outlining who publishes the materials there and what groups they may be affiliated with. 

You may also look for things like biographies, credentials or a short history about why an organization got started. If this information is difficult to find, that may be a red flag that the website may not be entirely credible.

When clicking on a specific post, you might also look for information about the author/editor. Have they written any books or won any awards? Do they have prior experience with writing about or studying post-traumatic stress disorder? Also, if the writer isn’t a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or therapist, you might choose to look for an indication that the post was verified as clinically accurate by a pro.

As you search, there should generally be a link to the author, editor or expert’s contact information and credentials. If there isn’t, but the article still seems legitimate, a quick Google search should yield results that can help to establish the site’s credibility. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it can be helpful to make sure the blogs cite solid sources for statistics, case studies and other information. If there are no hyperlinks within the text, you can also look for footnotes or notations within the article. You can then click on these links and see where they lead. 

If they trend towards “infotainment”, meaning information that comes from pop culture blogs or social media accounts, it may be worth passing over. That doesn’t mean the source isn’t credible—however, there may be more accurate and targeted sources available as you continue your search. 

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Personal experience vs. research

If you aren’t looking for expert advice, you might appreciate articles written by individuals with firsthand experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There can be many moving narratives from people with PTSD who have posted their experiences online to help others. 

Memoirs and personal PTSD books and articles can be particularly helpful if you’re looking to get a firsthand account of someone else’s experiences with PTSD treatment. These resources may describe how they sought trauma-informed mental health care, processed life-threatening traumatic events, and utilized self-help strategies. 

Written accounts can also shed light on how symptoms of PTSD impacted an individual’s relationships. You may benefit from reading about how a partner or family member provided support to a person living with post-traumatic stress disorder. 

It can be prudent to note that personal experience can be a very subjective thing, however, and you may or may not be able to relate on a personal level with everything you read. 

If you’d like to do a little research into autobiographies or publications documenting the experiences of others with post-traumatic stress disorder, a quick Google review search should help. 

If you're looking for factual information or the latest in research on PTSD, however, you may choose to look for sites that have a .edu domain—which means that a college or university might have built the site. 

Sites that have a .gov domain generally belong to a government website, and you can usually count those in your list of trusted resources. Examples of government-hosted sites with information about PTSD are the National Center for PTSD and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Domains such as .com, .org, and .net are domains that anyone can buy and use to build a website. 

That doesn’t mean they aren't credible; it just means you should consider the possibility of implicit bias or inaccuracy when reading them. 

Design and professionalism

A professionally designed site can often be an indication of reliable information. Good design can also make it easy to navigate around the site and find the information you're looking for. 

However, you may benefit from keeping two things in mind: Site-builder programs make it easy for anyone to build a webpage, and sometimes, good-looking sites can be deceiving. If you're not sure if a site is accurate or trustworthy, you can look for other sites or information to validate that the information there will be helpful for you.

Lastly, you might choose to evaluate the writing style of the page. Armed with the knowledge that anyone can build a decent website in an hour or less, you can then review the spelling, grammar and tone of voice for the site. Credible sites are generally mindful of their editing and presentation.

How to find credible PTSD stories and articles

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing a shocking, scary, or dangerous event”. 

This means that anyone can develop PTSD, regardless of age, sexual orientation or class. War veterans, victims of any kind of abuse or neglect, and survivors of natural disasters or other trauma may be at a higher risk of acquiring PTSD. Additionally, people with certain mental health conditions (e.g., eating disorders, depressive disorders) are more likely to develop PTSD. 

If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse, contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Support is available 24/7.

A host of exclusive and nonprofit organizations generally devote their time and attention to educating others and advocating or lobbying for improved services. These types of organizations can be good sources of credible information, and the information they provide may be more current than many alternatives. 

You may want to get on the e-mailing list for a few of your favorites, which can help the most current information, events, and opportunities that will come right into your email inbox.

Getty/kate_sept2004
PTSD can be a serious disorder

PTSD articles and blogs from nonprofit organizations

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)—NAMI was founded in 1979 by Harriet Shelter and Beverly Young, which many believe happened over a conversation at a kitchen table in Madison, Wisconsin. They pondered ways to help themselves and others with family who live with a mental health condition. Since then, NAMI has grown to become one of the largest grassroots mental health organizations that are dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans who can possibly be affected by mental health conditions. Today, NAMI has over 500 affiliates that offer education, support, and advocacy for people living with mental illness.

  • National Institute of Mental Health—The National Institute of Mental Health is thought by many to be the lead federal agency for research on mental health disorders. This site generally has a wealth of information for providers and individuals on all types of mental health conditions. Here, you can find the latest news and events that surround mental health. You can also find the latest information about clinical breakthroughs. You can subscribe to various newsletters and news feeds for the most up-to-date information on all things mental health.

  • Child Mind Institute—The Child Mind Institute is known by many as a national nonprofit organization that serves children and families who face difficulties with mental health and learning disorders. This organization advocates legislatively to advance the science of brain development to support children's mental health as they're growing up. The site notes that of the 74.5 million children in the United States, about 17.1 million have or have had a mental health condition. That is more than the number of children living with cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Children and adolescents who live with mental health disorders can be at risk for trouble in school, addiction, and the juvenile justice system. This group Is noted to be reliable by many, as the publishers draw their information from colleges and universities, scientific journals, and researchers. The site lists lots of mental health topics under the health tab.

How can online therapy help those who are looking for resources? 

Online therapy can be a helpful resource for those who are looking for resources, providing people with support they may need in the moment to address symptoms of PTSD. Your therapist may also be familiar with resources that can help, such as trusted publications or websites. 

Is online therapy effective? 

With the prevalence of online therapy options, many wonder if it is comparable to in-person therapeutic support. An article published in Psychological Bulletin has found that it is a comparable supportive method for depression, which can be a co-morbidity of PTSD. 

Takeaway

The internet can provide valuable insight regarding PTSD and related conditions. If you're on the hunt for PTSD information and stories, it might make sense to read the most reputable articles you can find first. If you need to speak with someone who can help you process and understand PTSD on a more personalized level, speaking to a licensed mental health professional can be a good option. BetterHelp can connect you with a therapist in your area of need.
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