Chapter 7 Flashcards
What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a psychological disorder triggered by extreme stress following a traumatic event, characterized by symptoms such as intrusive memories, avoidance behaviors, negative mood, and heightened arousa
What are the four symptom clusters required for a PTSD diagnosis?
- Intrusively reexperiencing the trauma (e.g., nightmares, intrusive memories).
- Avoidance of reminders and thoughts related to the event.
- Negative mood and thoughts (e.g., detachment, negative beliefs).
- Increased arousal and reactivity (e.g., jumpiness, irritability, trouble sleeping).
How does trauma exposure differ between men and women?
Men are more likely to experience military trauma, accidents, or physical assault, whereas women are more likely to experience childhood maltreatment, sexual assault, or intimate partner violence.
How persistent are PTSD symptoms without treatment?
PTSD symptoms can remain chronic, with about half of people still experiencing diagnosable symptoms several years after the trauma. Even after 40 years, some veterans still meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
What is the primary difference between Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and PTSD?
ASD is diagnosed when symptoms last 3 days to 1 month after trauma, whereas PTSD is diagnosed when symptoms persist for more than a month
What is “complex PTSD” and how does it differ from regular PTSD?
Complex PTSD, proposed for individuals exposed to prolonged trauma (e.g., childhood abuse), involves broader symptoms, including negative emotions, relationship issues, and negative self-concept, but it is not an official DSM diagnosis.
What are some common comorbid conditions in individuals with PTSD?
Common comorbid conditions include anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, and personality disorders.
How do cultural differences affect PTSD prevalence and symptoms?
PTSD prevalence varies across cultures, influenced by trauma exposure, societal factors, and culture-specific symptoms (e.g., ataque de nervios in Puerto Rico).
What groups are at higher risk of developing PTSD?
Women, ethnic and racial minorities, children, transgender individuals, and people with same-sex partners are at higher risk of experiencing trauma and developing PTSD.
How does PTSD impact physical health?
PTSD is linked to higher rates of medical illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, and increases the risk of early death from medical illnesses, accidents, and suicides.
How does PTSD affect social relationships?
PTSD can lead to dissatisfaction in relationships, with marital dissatisfaction and divorce being common. It also often results in social withdrawal and difficulty maintaining connections with others.
How does PTSD relate to suicide?
PTSD increases the risk of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury. It is associated with elevated rates of suicide risk, especially when combined with other mental health disorders.
Why are women more likely than men to develop PTSD?
Women are more likely to experience sexual assault and childhood abuse, which increase the risk of PTSD. However, when controlling for sexual trauma, men and women show similar PTSD rates.
What brain regions are associated with PTSD and anxiety disorders?
PTSD is linked to dysregulation of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, locus coeruleus, and hippocampus. The amygdala and prefrontal cortex are also involved in anxiety disorders
How does the locus coeruleus contribute to PTSD?
The locus coeruleus releases norepinephrine, leading to hyperreactivity to threat-related stimuli, which plays a role in the heightened fear response in PTSD
Why is the hippocampus crucial in PTSD?
The hippocampus helps us place memories in space, time, and context. People with PTSD show reduced hippocampal activation, which can make it harder to differentiate between safe and threatening situations.
What is functional connectivity and how is it affected in PTSD?
Functional connectivity refers to the coordination among brain regions. In PTSD, this is disrupted, including networks responsible for emotional regulation and processing self-relevant memories.
How does avoidance coping relate to PTSD development?
Avoiding trauma-related memories can increase the risk of developing PTSD. Symptoms like dissociation (feeling numb or detached) during and after a trauma are associated with higher PTSD risk.
What role does social support play in PTSD recovery?
Strong social support can protect against PTSD. People with more social support tend to have lower PTSD symptoms, as it provides comfort and helps make sense of trauma
Which medications are FDA-approved for treating PTSD?
The FDA has approved SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) like paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft) for PTSD. However, many patients relapse after discontinuing the medication.
What is prolonged exposure therapy in PTSD treatment?
Prolonged exposure therapy involves facing trauma-related memories to reduce fear and avoidance. The patient gradually confronts memories in a controlled way to extinguish fear responses.
What is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)?
CPT helps trauma survivors challenge negative beliefs (like self-blame) about the trauma. It helps reframe the meaning of the trauma and is particularly effective in reducing guilt and dissociation.
How does Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) work?
In EMDR, the patient recalls trauma-related memories while following a therapist’s hand movements. The therapy aims to reduce the distress linked to the memory, though its effectiveness compared to other therapies is still debated.
