Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops PTSD. Research looking at factors related to the causes of PTSD has identified several mechanisms that could contribute to the development of ongoing symptoms including changes to brain and body activity in response to a traumatic event. These models help guide choice of effective interventions.
Risk factors
Known risk factors include:
- the type and severity of the trauma – for example, sexual assault and abuse, military combat and terrorist acts are linked to a higher rate of PTSD than motor vehicle accidents and natural disasters
- lack of social support and
- subsequent life stress