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People of all ages can have post-traumatic stress disorder. It's relatively common among adults, with 7 percent to 8 percent of the population having PTSD at some point in their lives. At any given year, about 5 million U.S. adults have PTSD.
- Borderline personality and dependent personality disorders
- Low self-esteem
- Previous trauma
- People with borderline personality disorder often have a history of physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect, hostile conflict, and parental loss or separation. Dependent personality disorder is characterized by low self-esteem, fear of separation, and the excessive need to be cared for by others. All of these features may predispose someone for PTSD who experiences a traumatic event.
- People who have experienced previous trauma(s) are at risk for developing PTSD. Repeated exposure to trauma causes hyperactive release of stress hormones, which may be instrumental in creating symptoms of PTSD.
Risk factors for PTSD include: previous trauma, a predisposing mental health condition, the type and severity of the traumatic event, and lack of adequate and competent support for the person after the trauma. However, PTSD can develop in people who do not possess any of these risk factors.
Pre-Trauma Risk Factors
The psychological history of a person may include risk factors for developing PTSD after a traumatic event:
