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September 2, 2005 Registration Healthcare Professionals
You are in: Mental Health and BehaviorPost-traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Causes
When you are afraid, your body activates the "fight or flight"
response—a reference to our caveman ancestors facing a tiger. In
reaction, your body releases adrenaline, which is responsible for
increasing blood pressure and heart rate and increasing glucose to
muscles (to allow you to run away quickly in the face of immediate
danger). However, once the immediate danger (which may or may not
have actually existed) is gone, the body begins a process of shutting
down the stress response, and this process involves the release of
another hormone known as cortisol.
If your body does not generate enough cortisol to shut down the flight
or stress reaction, you may continue to feel the stress effects of the
adrenaline. Trauma victims who develop PTSD often have higher levels of
other stimulating hormones (catecholamines) under normal conditions in
which the threat of trauma is not present. These same hormones kick in
when they are reminded of their trauma.
Physically, your body also increases your heart rate. After a month in
this heightened state, with stress hormones elevated, you may develop
further physical changes, such as heightened hearing. This cascade of
physical changes, one triggering another, suggests that early
intervention may be the key to heading off the effects of PTSD.
<Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), What Is PTSD?
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms>
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms- When to Seek Medical Care-
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