Final answer:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that occurs when a person's normal response to a traumatic event does not fade over a few days or weeks. It is characterized by intrusive memories, negative emotional states, and avoidance of reminders.
Step-by-step explanation:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that occurs when a person's normal response to a traumatic event does not fade over the course of a few days or weeks. It is an anxiety disorder that can result from experiencing severe psychological trauma.
PTSD is characterized by intrusive and painful memories of the event, jumpiness, persistent negative emotional states, detachment from others, angry outbursts, and avoidance of reminders of the event. It can occur after exposure to events such as military combat, physical assault, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and automobile accidents.
PTSD is different from acute stress disorder because the symptoms of PTSD last longer than a few days or weeks. It is also distinct from chronic stress disorder and anxiety disorder, as these terms are not specific to trauma-related stress.