Who is at risk for PTSD is a difficult question to answer. At a basic level, the experience of a traumatic event is what "causes" PTSD to occur. That is, you cannot have a diagnosis of PTSD if you have not experienced a traumatic event.
However, things get more complicated when you move beyond the traumatic event. Some people who experience traumatic events never develop PTSD while others develop severe cases of the disorder. Why does this happen?
Researchers are currently trying to answer this question. So far, researchers have successfully identified numerous factors that may increase the risk for developing PTSD following a traumatic event.
These factors include the type of traumatic event experienced, as well as specific characteristics of the event and the person who experienced the event. Finally, your age, sex, and marital status may also impact whether or not you develop PTSD following a traumatic event.
