L17: Trauma & Stressor Related Disorders Flashcards
The commonest types of trauma and stressor related disorders:
- Acute stress disorder
- Post traumatic stress disorder.
- Adjustment disorder.
What Causes Trauma?
Trauma could be caused by natural or man related disaster e.g.; accidents, deaths or rape.
what is Trauma?
It is an extremely distressing experience that causes severe emotional shock and may have long tasting psychological effects.
Characters & Durations in Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
DSM 5 Criteria of Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
Recurrent intrusions in Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
- distressing memories of the traumatic event.
- distressing nightmares that is related to the traumatic event.
- dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event is recurring.
- intense psychological distress or reaction at exposure to internal or external cues that resemble the traumatic event.
Avoidance in Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event as evidenced by
one of the following:
a) avoidance of: distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings associated with the traumatic event.
b) avoidance of: external reminders: people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations, that arouse distressing memories, thoughts or feeling.
Negative alterations in cognition & Mood in Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
- Dissociative amnesia.
- Negative beliefs about oneself, others or the world.
- Distorted cognition about the cause or consequences of the traumatic event that lead the individual to blame himself or others.
- Negative emotional state (fear, horror, anger, guilt).
- Diminished interest or participation in significant activities.
- Feeling detachment or estrangement from others.
- Persistent inability to experience positive emotions.
Symptoms of increased arousal & Reactivity in Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
- Irritable behavior.
- Hypervigilance.
- Exaggerated startle response.
- Problems with concentration.
- Sleep disturbance.
Prevelance & Etiology of Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
- Lifetime prevalence of PTSD is >8%.
- Higher prevalence in women most likely due to greater risk of exposure to traumatic events particularly rape. (F>)
- Exposure to particular trauma particularly in childhood is a risk factor of developing PTSD
Course & Prognosis in Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
Characters of Adjustment Disorder
Managment of Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD
DSM 5 Criteria of Adjustment Disorder
Epidemeolgy of Adjustment Disorder
- Adjustment disorders are very common (5-20% of patients in outpatient mental health clinics).
- They may occur at any age.
Etiology of Adjustment Disorder
- Triggered by psychosocial factors.
Prognosis of Adjustment Disorder
- May be chronic if the stressor is chronic or recurrent.
- Symptoms (by definition) resolve within 6 months of cessation of stressor.
Managment of Adjustment Disorder
- Supportive psychotherapy (most effective).
- Group therapy.
- Occasionally pharmacotherapy is used to treat associated symptoms (insomnia, anxiety, or depression) in a time-limited fashion.
- Acute stress disorders and post traumatic stress disorders have the same clinical picture but differ in the timing of the onset and duration of symptoms.
- Trauma is an extremely distressing experience that cause severe emotional shock and may have long lasting psychological effect.
- Adjustment disorder is due to a stressful life event that is not life threatening as in PTSD, and symptoms resolve within 6 months after cessation of the stressor.
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