The Factors That Causes PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Post-traumatic stress disorder, as stated by the United State’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs is suffered by approximately 5.2 million each year.

PTSD is generally associated with wars and conflicts. In reality, the first tests that were carried out on PTSD were done on World War II veterans, and this condition was known as shell shock at the time. To date, the bulk of PTSD research has concentrated on veterans (“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” n.d.). Trauma, on the other hand, can hit someone at any moment. In reality, trauma can be highly subjective, depending on the person and their prior experiences.

As stated by the National Center for PTSD, about 7 to 8 people out of every 100 will suffer from PTSD at some stage in their lives. Women are more probable than men to develop PTSD, and some individuals may be predisposed to it due to genetics.

When you are under a lot of pressure in a given situation, you develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Your nervous system is “trapped,” unable to return to its normal state of equilibrium, and you are unable to move on from the incident, even though the situation is under control. Helping your nervous system become “untrapped” so you can heal and move on from the trauma is an essential part of recovering from PTSD.

Each person suffering from PTSD is unique. They are of various ages, races, backgrounds, and religious beliefs. They may have all arrived at mental illness by different paths, but they all have the same risk factors and weaknesses that led to a PTSD diagnosis. A person who frequently sees violent movies, for example, may not be as disturbed by seeing a stranger, or a known person even, being shot. However, for others, this may be an occurrence that triggers nightmares and the avoidance of the place where the traumatic event happened for days or even months.

These are only a couple of the commonalities.

Traumatic Exposure

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is not a condition that appears out of nowhere. Instead, this is a mental disorder that develops in the wake of an overwhelming and/or frightening event.

For others, this occurrence happens during a battle. These individuals may take part in the war or be witnesses to events that occur as a result of war-related fighting. Others have experienced a violent act, such as abduction or rape. For some, the occurrence occurs as a result of a mishap.

In theory, any traumatic experience may cause PTSD symptoms, but the most devastating events result in the sense of helplessness. People in these cases are conscious that something terrible is going on, but they are unable to intervene and stop it. The degree to which the traumatic incident was unforeseen, uncontrollable, and inevitable is also significant and affects PTSD causes.

When traumatic incidents include a severe threat to your health or personal safety, you’re more likely to develop PTSD as a result. A traumatic incident influences PTSD causes. The more severe and persistent the danger, the greater the chance of developing PTSD as a result. Human-inflicted injury, such as rape, abuse, and torture, is often more painful than more minor personal accidents and disasters. 

As reported by the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder will manifest as soon as a traumatic incident occurs. However, some people’s symptoms worsen or improve months or even years later. There are many factors that can be numbered as PTSD causes.

Aspects of Genetics

Though incidents are at the heart of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, not everyone who experiences a traumatic incident develops mental illness symptoms. Those who do can have generic vulnerabilities that make them vulnerable in a disaster.

Any of these genetic threats, according to the Mayo Clinic, can manifest as other mental illnesses. People with one type of mental disorder may be more likely to develop PTSD, and hereditary personality characteristics may also play a role. People who are inherently introverted and contemplative, for example, can not address their problems or forget them quickly, putting them at risk for PTSD after a traumatic event. Genetics is a relevant factor for PTSD causes.

The Brain Changes

Brain scans depict that areas of the brain involved in emotional control are different in people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that is responsible for memory and emotions. The hippocampus tends to be smaller in people with PTSD. However, it’s uncertain whether the hippocampus was smaller prior to the actual trauma or has shrunk as a result of it.

Changes in this area of the brain are believed to be linked to fear and anxiety, memory disorders, and flashbacks servibng as PTSD causes. Since the hippocampus is malfunctioning, flashbacks and nightmares may not be adequately processed, resulting in anxiety that does not diminish with time. Stress hormones, which are released during stressful events, are also abnormally elevated in people with PTSD. Some PTSD symptoms, such as hypersensitivity and numbness, can be caused by elevated hormone levels.

Lack of Coping Skills

The level of psychological health and coping skills can also influence a person’s vulnerability to PTSD. People with poor coping skills or lower psychological functioning levels are more vulnerable to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. They may feel powerless in the face of their situations, or they may accuse themselves of the trauma.not having a coping skill is another factor of PTSD causes.

After a stressful incident, those who use avoidant coping mechanisms are less likely to seek positive services or make healthy connections. People who tend to deal with problems in a solitary manner may be at a higher risk of developing PTSD.

Good social and family relationships have been shown in studies to help moderate the impact of stress and trauma and reduce the factors of PTSD causes. People who do not have supportive relationships or environments, on the other hand, are more vulnerable to stress and, as a result, are more likely to experience PTSD after a traumatic event without being able to cope with it. A social atmosphere that fosters feelings of embarrassment, remorse, social stigma, or self-hatred increases the risk.

Perception of Sensations

The way you perceive sensation is one of PTSD causes. As stated by Stewart and White, a reaction leading to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may be caused when the sensory detail that is often not connected to the trauma is overstimulated. Some people will never want to experience something that reminds them of an incident because they have stopped thinking or feeling about it for a very long period.

For instance, a lady who was wearing a particular outfit on the day she found that her husband was cheating could toss it away and never want to wear that colour anymore. This is one type of generalization whereby the person identifies the trauma with similar colours, sounds, or individual as his/her personal PTSD causes. This is not the exact situation of someone who has had a post-traumatic response to a vehicle backfiring after becoming a survivor or witness to a gun shooting. This happens because the sounds heard are somewhat close, and both occur at the same time.

An Inappropriate Help

People need time in the days following a traumatic and life-changing event to:

• Examine the trauma in great detail
• Regret the defeats they have suffered
• Get a feeling of forgiveness for the choices you have made
• Leave the horror in the past

Most times, this also entails involves mental health therapy. A professional can assist individuals suffering from trauma in objectively examining the event. That professional can also help the individual in understanding that decisions taken in the past cannot be changed in the present. People who receive this type of assistance may rapidly recover from their trauma. 

Those that do not seek help and attempt to suppress or bury their memories can develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder over time. The pain simply has to be worked through, and if the individual refuses to do so consciously, the unconscious will step in.

You can feel cut off from others if you have PTSD. You may feel compelled to isolate yourself from social interactions and loved ones to avoid the PTSD causes too. However, it is crucial to maintain a connection to life and the people who care for you. You don’t have to address the trauma if you wouldn’t want to, but others’ loving support and companionship are essential to your healing. Reach out to someone you are able to relate to for an extended period, someone who will listen to you without judging, criticizing, or being distracted.

Thankfully, this assistance is available well after the incident has occurred. That is precisely what Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatments are intended to accomplish. People should look at the event critically and come to a new understanding. Please call if you would like to learn more about this type of therapy.

To Help Yourself While at Treatment, You Can Do the Following:

• Talk to your doctor about care options when you are in treatment to support yourself
• To help you relax, engage in some light physical activity or workout
• Make attainable goals for yourself
• Break down big tasks into smaller ones, establish some goals, and get as much done as you can
• Make an effort to interact with others and confide in a trusted friend or relative. Inform others about things that could cause symptoms
• Expect the symptoms to change over time, not overnight
• Identify and search out favourable circumstances, people, and locations

It is essential for family and friends to provide encouragement, empathy, and a listening ear when asked, whether silently or verbally. Individuals suffering from PTSD can find it very hard to express their emotions. It does necessitate a lot of patience from others in their support circle. It’s also essential to note that while PTSD symptoms can be challenging to communicate, this does not necessarily mean that trust is lacking in people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

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