Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 7.7 million American adults and can also occur in childhood. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that results from a recent emotional threat such as a natural disaster, war, and car accident. PTSD usually occurs due to an injury or imminent death. A person who has experienced a past traumatic event is more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD after a current trauma. PTSD can also be determined by looking at one's genes, different emotions, and current or past family environment. Normally, when a person without PTSD goes through a traumatic event, the body releases stress hormones, which over time return to normal; However, a person with PTSD releases stress hormones that do not return to normal and soon begin to release them more frequently (“post-traumatic stress” 1). PTSD usually begins within the first three months. It usually starts to be noticed between two days and four weeks. PTSD has no specific cause. In fact, it has several causes. One cause is a small area of ​​the brain that processes and regulates fear called the amygdala. This is a relatively new cause among many that are being studied. Some research has found that a person's fear response comes from the amygdala, which then links to PTSD functioning ("Posttraumatic Stress" 2). If a person experiences a traumatic event, the amygdala can turn its gears and trigger more and more fear that remains in the mind. We then begin to relive that traumatic event over and over again with greater fear on the part of the amygdala. Another cause could be a person's family background. By looking at your past you can quickly discern who is most likely to develop PTSD in light of trauma. will be there to help guide and support them as they manage their PTSD. Works Cited Martin, Ben. "In-Depth: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." Psychological center. NRelate. January 30, 2013. Web. March 16. 2014. “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” The New York Times. New York Times. March 8. 2013. np Web. 26 March. 2014. “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Psychology today. Psychology today. June 19th. 2010. Network. March 30. 2014. “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” United States National Library of Medicine. Patient education with X-Plain. June 21st. Network. March 26. 2014. Rosen, Marvin. Understanding PTSD. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2003. Print.Smith, Melinda, and Jeanne Segal. “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” Helpguide.org. np March. 2014. Web. 1 April. 2014.