Many people are often surprised to learn that abuse and trauma from childhood can lead to PTSD as an adult. Often it does not appear for many years. Did you know that women are actually twice as likely to develop PTSD compared to men? A major reason for this is that women are more likely to be a victim of sexual violence. Sexual assault, rape, and molestation are common factors that cause PTSD to develop. This can include events such as muggings, kidnapping, robbery, or threats at gunpoint.
Many people may not understand just how traumatic it can be to go through a major natural disaster. A traumatic event is an incident that causes physical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological harm. The person experiencing the distressing event may feel physically threatened or extremely frightened as a result.
In some cases, they may not know how to respond or may be in denial about the effect such an event has had. The person will need support and time to recover from the traumatic event and regain emotional and mental stability. While this article is focused on the causes and effects of physical or life threatening trauma, emotional and psychological stress can feel as strong to those experiencing it.
Complicated grief can occur as a result of the death of a loved one or a difficult divorce. Life changes like moving to a new location, parental abandonment, or family conflicts can trigger adjustment disorder.
Faced with these kinds of events, some people may experience shock that feels equivalent to the traumatic events listed above. People respond to traumatic events in different ways. Often there are no visible signs, but people may have serious emotional reactions.
Shock and denial are often used to protect yourself from the emotional impact of the event. You may feel numb or detached. Moving past the initial shock usually takes 4—6 weeks from the event. This is seen as the difference between an acute stress reaction within 4 weeks from the event or a post-traumatic reaction usually after 4—6 weeks.
Once you have moved past the initial shock, responses to a traumatic event may vary. Common responses include:. A condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD can sometimes occur after you experience a life-threatening event or witness a death. People with this disorder require strong social support and ongoing therapy. Additionally, there is research in the retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha RORA protein due to the role it plays in neuroprotection, helping protect neurons and glial cells from degenerative effects of oxidative stress, which is an impact of experiencing traumatic stress.
Social support, or lack of, is a critical risk factor. Those who are limited in options for social support can be at greater risk for PTSD. After the traumatic event, the need for safe support resources is essential to help individuals process their experience in a healthy way and to regain hope through secure and safe emotional connections. Those with more avoidant coping strategies will be less likely to utilize supportive resources or seek healthy connections after experiencing a traumatic event.
People who try to generally cope with challenges in isolation may be at greater risk for developing PTSD. Even if you do have support available, it may not be enough to curb the development of PTSD. Two risk factors that have been shown to possibly influence the development of PTSD after trauma are IQ and neuroticism. In addition, people who have greater neuroticism have shown to be more likely to have PTSD.
Neuroticism is a personality trait of people who are more likely than average to experience anxiety, feelings of guilt, worry, fear, anger, frustration, and sadness. As mentioned previously, there is an increasing number of research studies dedicated to exploring the role of genetics in the development of PTSD. Being that PTSD does not occur in everyone who experiences a traumatic event, these continued findings help to better determine who may be at greatest risk so that interventions and treatments can be of the most help.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, along with other conditions such as major depression, is associated with decreased brain volume, particularly in the prefrontal areas.
Research has shown that this decreased volume was associated with greater self-reports of anxiety in participants. Understanding that the emotional impact of trauma can have a cumulative effect—it can be easier to understand how past traumatic experiences can be a risk factor for someone developing PTSD after a marked traumatic event.
Another risk factor in the development of PTSD after a traumatic event is having experienced another trauma in the past. The impact of trauma has been found to have a cumulative effect. This means that a trauma survivor who did not previously show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder could develop PTSD after subsequent trauma. A history of struggling with a mental health condition prior to the traumatic event can also be a risk factor in the development of PTSD.
It has been shown that existing mood disorders, anxiety-related disorders, and conduct disorder can be influential risk factors. Life stressors are a risk factor as well.
When people are currently experiencing life stressors such as divorce , financial strain , work stress, or for children who are experiencing emotional challenges at school or home, the likelihood of developing PTSD can increase. The nature of the triggering event is something to consider as an influential factor. It has been shown that the more intense the event, such as witnessing death or extreme violence or having been injured during the traumatic event, can be a risk factor.
When someone has experienced physical pain as a result of their trauma, such as with sexual abuse , the risk of PTSD can be greater, since the physical pain is a reminder of the traumatic event. Remember, your caring support after a traumatic event may make a big difference in how well and how fast the traumatized person recovers.
Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Trauma redefined in the DSM rationale and implications for counseling practice. The Professional Counselor. Neurosci Lett. Mol Psychiatry.
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