Understanding post traumatic stress syndrome
... Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a horrifying event or ordeal in which severe or grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. ... Traumatic events that can trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults such as rape or mugging, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. ... In delayed onset PTSD, symptoms first appear at least 6 months after the traumatic event. ... Not everyone exposed to a traumatic stressor develops the full-blown syndrome or qualifies for the diagnosis. ... Classical conditioning accounts for the fear responses elicited by various stimuli that were originally associated with the traumatic event.