What causes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often is associated with people who deal with high-stress situations, such as emergency medical technicians, firefighters, police officers, or soldiers. But every person has the potential to be struck by this debilitating anxiety disorder. The loss of a family member, severe injury, losing your job or your home -- these are just some circumstances that put you at greater risk for PTSD. Between 8% to10% of Americans will experience post-traumatic stress disorder at some point during their lifetimes; women are twice as likely to experience PTSD than men.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often is associated with people who deal with high-stress situations, such as emergency medical technicians, firefighters, police officers, or soldiers. But every person has the potential to be struck by this... More -
Challenge America answered:Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the very few psychiatric conditions that is caused by external events, rather than genetics or brain chemistry. Experiencing or witnessing violent, dangerous, upsetting events is a shock to your system, and research suggests the strong emotions that result can create actual biological changes in the brain. A traumatic event triggers the “fight or flight” reaction in your body, which releases adrenaline to raise your blood pressure and heart rate. After the danger is gone, your body produces cortisol to shut down the stress reaction. For some people, the body does not produce enough cortisol to reduce the amount of adrenaline in their system. The stress hormones stay elevated. Remaining in this heightened state of awareness may even lead to other physical changes, such as a keener sense of hearing. No one knows for certain why some people develop PTSD in response to trauma, while others do not. In any case, it is believed that early treatment is key to diminishing the symptoms and perhaps heading off long-term effects on the brain.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the very few psychiatric conditions that is caused by external events, rather than genetics or brain chemistry. Experiencing or witnessing violent, dangerous, upsetting events is a shock to your... More -
Katherine Lee of Tarzana Treatment Centers answered:PTSD is caused by being exposed to some kind of traumatic event that has threat of harm or death or actual death and helplessness.
PTSD is caused by being exposed to some kind of traumatic event that has threat of harm or death or actual death and helplessness. More
