Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD "is defined by its cause" (Davidson 1995, p. 1230) requiring exposure to a traumatic event or stressor that results in physiological changes associated with the fight-or-flight response, a complex interplay among several systems of the body that leads to increased blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate; increased blood supply to the muscles; and vigilance (Guyton and Hall 1997; Perry and Pollard 1998). This response dissipates with time except in cases of severe, prolonged, or chronic stress, in which it may persist and may have potentially detrimental consequences, especially for the developing child (Perry and Pollard 1998).