Science
Astronomers Were Sure It Was a Star. Now They Have Serious Doubts
12 September 2025
How Does Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Develop?
For years, we thought PTSD was a straightforward response to a single traumatic event, but new research by Ukrainian scientists shows the matter is more complex. Our entire life history influences whether we develop PTSD.
Professor Liana Spytska took on this problem. She not only analyzed available scientific literature but also conducted her own research. She engaged 250 adults, aged 21 to 55, for the task, including 110 women and 140 men. Some of the participants had no prior history of mental illness. Each person filled out a survey and answered questions designed to check if they:
- Still “see” or feel the traumatic event?
- Avoid things that remind them of the trauma?
- Feel a severely depressed mood?
- Are constantly tense, vigilant, or have trouble sleeping?
PTSD almost never comes alone. A review of studies revealed a shocking truth: post-traumatic stress disorder usually co-occurs with depression, addictions, or somatic illnesses.
But that’s not all. The presence of these problems itself increases a person’s vulnerability to trauma, creating a vicious cycle that leads directly to PTSD.
Previous traumas, a lack of support from loved ones, and existing mental health issues also contribute to the risk. This means some people are more vulnerable even before a traumatic event occurs.
Researchers have determined that the predisposition to PTSD is hereditary and depends on prior life experiences. They showed this through biological predispositions, specifically disruptions in the regulation of stress hormones and structural differences in the brain.
But there’s more.
What Decides Who Gets PTSD? More Factors Exist
A full 76% of the surveyed people suffered from PTSD, and age and the degree of trauma strongly influenced the results. Participants over 40 and those who had experienced very severe situations reported the strongest symptoms. Conversely, individuals with milder traumas experienced fewer PTSD symptoms.
The study, published in The Humanistic Psychologist, states: “We have determined that not all possible risk factors for the development of PTSD have been identified. The development of this pathology is associated with the following factors: traumatic events and their severity, individual characteristics, the presence or absence of prior psychological injuries in a person’s medical history, sex, age, the presence or absence of a person’s somatic illnesses, social support, education level, and genetic and epigenetic factors.”
Epigenetics is the study of how lifestyle, environment, and experiences can turn our genes on or off without changing their structure.
The study’s results also showed that men were more susceptible to PTSD due to health problems, such as heart attacks or strokes, while women were more at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder after trauma from abuse. Stable employment and support from loved ones were factors that mitigated the risk of developing the disorder. Unemployed and lonely people more often reported symptoms.
The experiment also showed that all study participants developed post-traumatic stress disorder within six months of the traumatic events.
Read more: This Drug Could Delete Fear. Is It a New Cure for PTSD?
Polish version: PTSD nie wynika tylko z traumy. Dlaczego jedni chorują, a inni nie?
