After a traumatic experience, people may feel overwhelming stress, leading to a psychiatric condition named post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A stressor is an event or circumstance that induces significant stress, potentially leading to PTSD. Individuals can recover from traumatic events by identifying their specific stressors or triggers and managing them.
Individuals benefit from differentiating between manageable stressors and traumatic stressors. Manageable stressors differ significantly from traumatic stressors in terms of severity and the individual's ability to cope with them. Manageable stressors, such as job loss, typically allow individuals to employ coping strategies like problem-solving, physical exercise, and social support without overwhelming their capacity to manage stress.
In contrast, traumatic stressors, such as rape or combat, are extreme and can induce emotional distress that exceeds an individual's ability to cope independently, often overwhelming the stress response system and resulting in PTSD. Medical professionals recognize combat trauma as PTSD with diverse stressors. PTSD can result from childhood abuse, sexual assault, physical assault, accidents, natural disasters, or life-threatening medical diagnoses. Each type of stressor impacts individuals differently, influencing the severity and nature of PTSD symptoms.