Why does PTSD happen?
When something traumatic happens to us, we are, by definition, overwhelmed by the amount of negative feeling that the event provokes. Our normal capacity to function is lost, for a time. We are traumatized. Immediately after the event is over, all that remains is a memory. Our brains have the capacity to heal naturally from the effects of traumatic events, by converting traumatic memory into ordinary memory. The result is that the memory no longer functionally disturbs us, although we may always be uncomfortable about what happened to us. However, if our brain has not been able to recover from an extremely distressing, painful, fearful, or shameful experience that occurred in the past, posttraumatic stress symptoms (described in the next section) will result. Whether or not these symptoms constitute formal PTSD, they will still produce a serious anxiety disorder, with complex and disabling consequences. Failure to heal from a psychological trauma will result in continuing hypersensitiv
