15.6 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder — From Shell Shock to Science | Psychology 2e

• Understand how PTSD evolved as a diagnosis and its unique DSM5 criteria.
• Learn about the prevalence of PTSD and factors that increase risk.
• Explore the biological factors, like genetics, that contribute to PTSD vulnerability.
• Understand how classical conditioning and fragmented memory sustain PTSD.
• Recognize the powerful role of social support in healing from PTSD.
• Summarize PTSD's nature and reflect on modern society's impact on defenses.
• Up next in “Psychology 2e — Full Course (OpenStax) | Intro Psychology Lectures”15.7 Mood and Related Disorders — When Biology and Life Events Collide | Psychology 2e

This lesson explores the biology, psychology, and social dimensions of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), drawing from Section 15.6 of OpenStax Psychology 2e. It traces how the diagnosis evolved from "shell shock" and "combat neurosis" into a disorder recognized across many types of trauma, and explains why PTSD is uniquely the only condition in the DSM-5 that requires a specific external cause. From genetics to classical conditioning to the power of social support, the video breaks down the interlocking mechanisms behind one of psychology's most complex diagnoses. In this video: • How PTSD evolved from shell shock and combat neurosis to include survivors of sexual trauma and other civilian experiences • Why PTSD is the only DSM-5 disorder with an explicitly required external cause — actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence • Prevalence data: the 7% lifetime rate, plus mass-trauma spikes like Hurricane Katrina (21%) and post-9/11 Manhattan (12.6%) • The diathesis-stress model: how a short serotonin-regulating gene interacts with traumatic experience to create biological vulnerability • Classical conditioning and PTSD — the plane crash example of how everyday stimuli become conditioned fear triggers • Why trauma memories are fragmented and disorganized, and how sensory fragments drive intrusive flashbacks • The 14-year Vietnam veteran study showing that strong social support significantly lowers the likelihood of developing PTSD #OpenStax #Psychology #PTSD #MentalHealth #Trauma OpenStax Content adapted from "OpenStax Psychology 2e", by OpenStax licensed under CC BY 4.0. Content based on Web Version: Apr 23, 2026. Read the textbook online https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology-2e Music first girl talking to me. by ikkun (ex. Barradeen) | https://soundcloud.com/ikkunwastaken Royalty Free Music by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US