CHICAGO — From battlefields overseas to the streets and homes of the United States, it is the trauma from everyday events now at the center of a new battle front.

A non-profit is working to change the name of the condition for those survivors of trauma. From PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder to PTSI, replacing ‘disorder’ with ‘injury.’

Dr. Frank Ochberg is a psychiatrist and expert in post-traumatic stress, who treated veterans returning from war and saw the impact of PTSI, once called shell shock or war fatigue, before Vietnam.

“It was the vice chief of staff of the US army that recognized this. He’s sending men into battle and they’re coming back, and they have flashbacks,” Ochberg said.

He is now leading the charge on this new initiative.

“I was part of that 45 years ago. We called it PTSD then because we didn’t realize that the name disorder would be stigmatizing. Now we do, and it’s time we doctors who created that label change it to PTSI,” Ochberg said.

“Having the term PTSD or disorder really impacts people seeking care,” Dr. Eugene Lipov, the medical director at Stella Center said.

Dr. Lipov published the findings of a survey of 3,000 people in which a vast majority, 71% of women and 68% of men said that change would lessen the stigma for them and help many people beyond veterans.

“If the name could be changed from PTSD to PTSI, that would lead people to remove the stigma and they would seek care,” Dr. Lipov said.

For him, a small change could make a bigger difference in helping others cope and continue on.

More research can be found on Dr. Lipov’s website: Dr. Eugene Lipov | Stellate Ganglion Treatment for PTSD (dreugenelipov.com)