What disorder is triggered by exposure to extremely traumatic events?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is specifically associated with experiencing or witnessing extremely traumatic events. These events can include severe situations such as combat, natural disasters, assaults, or accidents that are life-threatening or cause significant fear or helplessness. PTSD is characterized by a range of symptoms, including intrusive memories of the traumatic event, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, negative changes in thoughts and mood, as well as heightened arousal and reactivity.

In contrast, while anxiety disorders encompass a broader range of anxiety-related conditions, they are not necessarily linked to specific traumatic events as the catalyst for the disorder. Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life without the direct link to a traumatic experience. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by unwanted recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviors, which also do not stem from trauma in the same way PTSD does. Thus, PTSD is uniquely defined by its relationship with traumatic events, making it the correct answer.