Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often develops in response to experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event characterized by actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Common triggers for PTSD include combat exposure, natural disasters, motor vehicle accidents, physical or sexual assault, childhood abuse or neglect, and medical trauma. Traumatic events can overwhelm an individual's ability to cope, leading to feelings of intense fear, helplessness, or horror. These experiences may result in intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and emotional distress, persisting long after the traumatic event has ended.