PTSD Risk Factors

 Your audio podcasts have opened my eyes about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Could you please give a little more information on risk factors for PTSD?

 The DSM-5 Manual considers PTSD a mental health condition and considers it a Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorder. It can happen to anyone from infants and toddlers to centenarians and supercentenarians. Prevalence estimates are that 3 million children and nearly 8 million adults in the United States have suffered or are suffering from PTSD. Some individuals are more likely to develop the disorder. 

Risk factors include:

·       Witnessing interpersonal violence

·       Combat exposure or living in a war zone

·       First responder exposure

·       Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs

·       Family history of mental illness, mood, or personality disorders

·       Family or personal substance use problem

·       History of experiencing psychotic symptoms

·       Bomb threats or terrorism activities or drive-by shootings

·       Drive-by shootings

·       Other extreme or life-threatening events including pandemics