PTSD Flashcards
What are the different ways one could be exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence?
- directly experiencing
- witnessing, in person
- learning that the traumatic event happened to a close friend or family member. In cases of actual or threatened death, must have been violent or accidental (ie not passing away due to illness)
- experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of traumatic event(s) eg first responders collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse
- experiencing in the media doesn’t count
Criterion B of PTSD = intrusion symptoms
How many do you need?
1 or more
What are the intrusion symptoms?
Must be associated with traumatic event and begin to occur after the event.
- Recurrent, involuntary, distressing memories
- Recurrent distressing dreams
- Dissociative reactions (eg flashbacks) - feels or acts like the traumatic event is recurring
- Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to external or internal cues (eg memories) that are reminders of the event
- Marked physiological reactions to cues that are reminders of the event
Duration of PTSD symptoms must last at least
one month
Criterion C = persistant avoidance of stimuli associated with traumatic event, beginning after the event as evidenced by one or both of the following:
- avoidance of/efforts to avoid distressing thoughts, memories, or feelings about the event
- avoidance of/efforts to avoid external reminders that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, feelings about the event - generalises quickly
Criterion D = negative alterations in cognition and mood, evidenced by TWO or more of the following:
- Inability to remember an important aspect of the event (due to dissociative amnesia, not something else)
fragmented memory - Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs about oneself, others and the world (eg No one can be trusted) after event
- Persistent, distorted cognitions about the causes/consequences of the event leading the individual to blame themselves or others
- Persistent negative emotions (eg guilt, shame, fear, horror, anger)
- Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities
- Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
- Persistent inability to experience positive emotions
Criterion E = marked alterations in arousal and reactivity as evidenced by TWO or more of the following:
- Irritable behaviour and angry outbursts (with little or no provocation) typically expressed as verbal or physical aggression towards people or objects
- seen esp. in war veterans - Reckless or self-destructive behaviour
- Hypervigilance
- Exaggerated startle response
- Problems with concentration
- Sleep disturbance
What are Criteria B-E for PTSD?
Intrusion symptoms (1 or more) Persistent avoidance of stimuli (1+) Negative changes in cognition, mood (2+) Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity (2+)
What is the timeframe for Acute Stress Disorder?
3 days to 1 month
After 1 month, the symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder either..
resolve, or diagnosis is changed to PTSD
ASD places more emphasis on _________ symptoms than PTSD
dissociative symptoms
- depersonalisation
- derealisation
- numbing
- reduced awareness
- dissociative amnesia
Dissociative symptoms are predictive of ______. ASD is like a __________ for PTSD.
PTSD, risk factor
Approximately ___% of people experience a traumatic event
60
About ____ of women and ____ of men develop PTSD after traumatic event
10-20%, 6-8%
Distress following trauma drops substantially within 3 months in ___ of people
75%