Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that results from exposure to a traumatic event. When the body senses that it is in danger, it reacts with a “flight or fight” response that is intended to protect a person from danger. When the body is faced with terror, functions such as memory, emotions and thinking are turned off because they are less important at that moment. This allows the body to focus solely on increasing the heart rate, moving more blood to the muscles for running, and adds stress hormones to help fight infection and bleeding if injured (National Alliance on Mental Health website, 2014). As a result, traumatic experiences are not processed as they happen because the body is so focused on immediate physical safety. Therefore, these unprocessed memories can occur at any time, without warning, leaving a person with PTSD stressed or afraid even when they are no longer in danger. Scientists are currently studying ways that could increase your chances of being at risk for PTSD. Scientists believe that genes may play a role in creating fear memories; identified the genes that produce stathmin (a protein needed to form fear memories) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) (a signaling chemical released in the brain during emotional events), testing both in mice (National Institute of Mental Health, 2013). In a study on stathmin, “mice that did not produce stathmin were less likely than normal mice to “freeze,” a natural, protective response to danger, after being exposed to a frightening experience. They also showed less innate fear and explored open spaces more willingly than normal mice” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2013, p...... half of the document ......ses, the increase in troops with low levels of psychiatric casualties and the withdrawal period in which large numbers of psychiatric casualties occurred (Kabatchnick, 2009, p. 273). Troops appeared to respond quite well in the second phase to interventions implemented until the end of that phase in 1968. From 1968 to 1975 the psychiatric disposition of the troops decayed, psychiatric disorders were believed to be masked by large amounts of substance abuse The high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder in Vietnam War veterans is believed is attributed to the nature of the conflict disorder itself: “non-existent battle lines, young age of the soldiers and public disgrace upon returning to America” (Kabatchnick, 2009, p. 274) post-traumatic stress disorder was later officially recognized as a mental disorder in 1979 after the amount of battle trauma experienced by Vietnam veterans (Kabatchnick, 2009).