Most of human history can be viewed as a great mass of chronically depressed people, lorded over by a handful of sociopaths and psychopaths.

Given actual conditions of disease and violence, it is hard to think many people prior to our era reached maturity without being scarred by episodes that today would be considered sufficient to induce post-traumatic stress disorder. Both this, and frequent bouts of extreme anxiety would have been normal, not aberrant.

Could never understand how there are some who seem blissfully unaware, unaffected, untouched by any life experiences.

Thank you!

And from my professional observations.

I worked in the mental health side of substance dependence for a few years & every female I worked with had been sexually assaulted.

Research reflects that combat veterans with PTSD quite frequently have an underlying Reactive Attachment Disorder.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247759677_The_Attachment_Characteristics_of_Combat_Veterans_with_PTSD

A small study, but findings are robust.

These folks are tough to treat, as the amygdala is uneducable. This is the reason phobias are frequently irrational from a conscious perspective, yet the triggers continue to elicit undesired effects.

There are modalities which are effective, such as neurotherapy & EMDR but for many, in my opinion, medications only mask symptoms. Neural networks must be addressed to overcome trauma.

Thank you for your post, as always.