Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma: How it affects the population
Many people suffer from trauma. Trauma is an emotional and physical response to a devastating incident which overwhelms a person’s capability to carry on from it. It can come either from a singular event, or from continuous events. When facing trauma, the brain and body is forced into a survival state, which results in intense fear, helplessness, and tension. For most people, these feelings disappear over time. For some people, the effects linger and intersect with their daily life, which is where PTSD develops.
Types of Trauma
There are many types of trauma. Below are some examples :
Acute Trauma: Caused by a single incident
Chronic Trauma: Caused by repeated incidents
Complex Trauma: Multiple events that are interpersonal
Collective Trauma: Major incident experienced by a group of people
Interpersonal Trauma: Mistreatment from a single person or persons
Intergenerational Trauma: Terrifying events experienced by a generation
Secondary Trauma: Learning about traumatic experiences by others.
PTSD can occur from either a single type or multiple types of trauma.
What is PTSD?
PTSD, also known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a mental health condition that is caused by experiencing a traumatic incident. While many people think otherwise, it is not a sign of weakness. It is the brain staying on high alert, even after the danger or traumatic event passes.
Symptoms
Symptoms include :
Emotional Outbursts
Chronic unexplained physical pain
Heart Palpitations, Sweating, or Trembling Hands
Jumpiness
Digestive Problems
Nightmares/Flashbacks
Social Isolation
People at Higher Risk Include:
Military veterans
First responders (e.g., police officers, firefighters, EMTs)
Survivors of abuse or assault
Survivors of accidents or natural disasters
Common Risk Factors:
Environmental: Exposure to trauma, lack of social support, or ongoing stress
Event-Related: Severity, duration, or proximity to the traumatic event
Personal or Lifestyle: History of mental health issues, substance use, or limited coping skills
Genetic: Family history of anxiety, depression, or PTSD
Treatments
Some treatments for PTSD include psychotherapy and medication. Psychotherapy includes talk therapy, cognitive therapy, exposure therapy and much more. There are two types of medication that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Association (FDA). The drugs are types of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Unfortunately, these two drugs only cause 20-30% of people to achieve remission, with psychotherapy also reaching the same amount. It is important for people to continue their treatment.
Resources
Resource created by the US Department of Veteran Affairs
Provides a helpline and a directory of mental health resources, including for PTSD and trauma.
Offers an overview of PTSD, answers to frequently asked questions, and offers other resources.
Conclusion
Many people struggle to recover from trauma and PTSD. The traumatic events cause people to fall into a deep depression and sometimes suicide. Those events cause people to commit suicide because the trauma is too much to cope from. People think that shoving those events deep down will make them feel better, but the best way to recover from trauma is by telling someone or by talking about it to a loved one.
Works Cited:
“Trauma / PTSD: How to Cope & Understand Their Impact - the Mental Health Coalition.” The Mental Health Coalition, 12 June 2025, www.thementalhealthcoalition.org/trauma-ptsd-roadmap/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20272137815&gbraid=0AAAAApCtPD-oDWSsfay7BBVL__hu6a2c1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_dDIBhB6EiwAvzc1cGIlrnwev2XSWYCJQ81_gMwh6cnTk-J-4NR5YV1G3NptMMdF2VeveRoCcGEQAvD_BwE. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” Cohen Veterans Bioscience, 5 Mar. 2024, www.cohenveteransbioscience.org/resource/about-brain-trauma/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=googlegrant&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19645421163&gbraid=0AAAAABWkj2P6MV25VHQ6Hb4olZP8uS8xE&gclid=CjwKCAiA_dDIBhB6EiwAvzc1cGDM-ZWmOj8Eg6qwu-gxHn35Dl3Jyypo0anE0kXefxtmHPvl5G35yhoCeEEQAvD_BwE.
“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” Cohen Veterans Bioscience, 5 Mar. 2024, www.cohenveteransbioscience.org/resource/about-brain-trauma/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=googlegrant&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19645421163&gbraid=0AAAAABWkj2P6MV25VHQ6Hb4olZP8uS8xE&gclid=CjwKCAiA_dDIBhB6EiwAvzc1cGDM-ZWmOj8Eg6qwu-gxHn35Dl3Jyypo0anE0kXefxtmHPvl5G35yhoCeEEQAvD_BwE.
