We usually think of PTSD stemming from extremely violent experiences like war. But the stress of growing up in such an unpredictable, fearful, volatile environment of alcoholism is much the same. For many ACoA's, an angry person (boss) can be like a car backfiring for a combat veteran with PTSD. It is a trigger that puts us right back in the dysfunctional family environment (the war zone) and we respond with our go-to defense mechanisms. One manifestation of this is a near constant state of hyper-vigilence for danger with an exaggerated and prolonged fight or flight response (anxiety) to that perceived threat.