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for either of them to die. So the death of a sibling could be a “normal” event or not, depending on the person. Now consider Bill, the soldier from the beginning of the chapter. Fighting in a war is not a “normal” experience. That is, it’s not normal in many parts of the world. In some parts of the world, it’s not uncommon at all. Warfare is the type of trauma most closely associated with PTSD. After the Civil War, soldiers like Bill were said to have “soldier’s heart.” But you don’t have to be a soldier to experience trauma. Unfortunately, lots of us have soldier’s hearts. In the next chapter, we’ll look at the history of PTSD, which was first identified in veterans. Later, we’ll talk about how modern doctors are finding signs of PTSD in people who have never been in an actual war.

People in law enforcement are also at risk of PTSD because they are exposed to trauma in their jobs.