Is it possible to do OK for awhile, then develop posttraumatic stress disorder?
Yes, posttraumatic stress disorder can have a delayed onset. In fact, those who become completely numb during a trauma, or those who get a strong sense of depersonalization (being out of their body) or derealization (“this isn’t really happening”) may be more at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder later. Talking about what happened – debriefing – appears to be very important. On one extreme, some people may distract themselves for years, perhaps burying themselves in their work, then do poorly during retirement, when they have more time to think, and old memories come back to haunt them.
