Home > Symptoms > PTSD > Causes of PTSD

Causes of PTSD

How does PTSD develop as a result of trauma? What are the factors that influence whether or not you develop PTSD as a response to trauma? Answers to those questions in this article.
Manon van Overdijk
Latest medical review by:
Nine Gramberg 15 April 2025

What Causes PTSD?

PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) occurs in response to experiencing one or more traumatic events in your life. This can include recurring shocking events. Examples include assault or sexual abuse.Other examples of traumatic events include:

  • A burglary or robbery
  • Terrorism and war violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Being bullied over a long period of time
  • Sudden death or prolonged suffering of a loved one

Sometimes it involves a moment in your life that you may not see or recognize as a trauma. This could be because you no longer think about the event or choose not to, or because you believe it wasn’t that significant. 

Who develops PTSD?

Have you experienced a trauma? This does not necessarily lead to PTSD. Whether you develop PTSD depends on several factors:

  1. The nature of the shocking event
    Have you been admitted to hospital, experienced the death of a loved one, or been deployed to a war zone? Different traumas have different consequences in terms of the (severity of the) symptoms you experience.
  2. Single incident or complex trauma
    Was it a one-off event that caused your trauma? We’d call this single incident trauma. Or was it a recurring event, such as abuse or mistreatment? Are you experiencing ongoing or complex trauma? The duration of the events and the number of the events will affect whether or not you develop PTSD.
  3. Your individual resilience
    Everyone has their own emotional carry capacity and everyone processes events in their own way. This is partly hereditary, but your upbringing also plays a role. It determines what you are and aren’t able to process.
  4. Your support network
    Do you have people in your life you can trust, who make you feel supported and understood? Are you able to open up and talk about what happened? If you can speak to somebody, you’ll find it much easier to process trauma.

Genetics and gender: There seem to be certain genetic factors that determine how susceptible you are to developing PTSD after trauma. Women are also more likely to get PTSD than men. 

Want to talk about PTSD?

Have you experienced trauma and are you concerned about developing post-traumatic stress disorder? Do you need someone to answer your questions, offer immediate help or just provide a listening ear? A psychologist can help you.

nine gramberg ipractice psycholoog
GZ- Psychologist
Nine Gramberg
Nine is a Healthcare Psychologist at iPractice. She emphasises the importance of building a safe and trusting psychologist-client relationship, working with you to look at all the factors in order to see the bigger picture.
Register at iPractice
  • Reimbursed care with a rating of 9+
  • Immediate help without waiting
  • Free advice without obligation

Psychologists specialized in Causes of PTSD

Related symptoms

PTSD
You have experienced a serious event, such as an accident or a traumatic experience. The long-term psychological injury following that event is called PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
Recovery and Treatment PTSD
You probably want to recover and get rid of the distressing PTSD symptoms as quickly as possible. PTSD can be cured through proper treatment? This article outlines how PTSD is treated. Read about recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder, tips and the possible treatments.
Symptoms of PTSD
The symptoms of PTSD sometimes resemble the symptoms of other disorders. So how do you know if you’re suffering from PTSD? What are the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and how can you tell the difference between chronic post-traumatic stress and acute stress disorder? 
Long Term Effects of PTSD
How does PTSD affect your daily life and health? And what are the long term effects and hazards?

Get help from a PTSD psychologist

Contact one of our psychologists today without obligation. You can talk about feelings and symptoms. In addition, you will receive information about a suitable treatment that suits you.

Register at iPractice
  • Reimbursed healthcare with a rating of 9+
  • Direct help without long waiting times
  • Free, no-obligation treatment advice