PTSD Flashcards
How does Disaster Syndrome work?
Three stages: Short-Term
Shock
Suggestibility
Recovery
What characterizes PTSD?
Experienced or witnessed traumatic event(s):
Event(s) involved actual or threatened death, serious injury or threat to the physical integrity of self or others
Learning of a trauma occurring to person close to individual
Response to event(s) involved intense fear, helplessness or horror and clinically significant distress or impairment
avoidance of stimuli associated with trauma
Duration of symptoms 1 month +
How might someone re-experience the event?
Intrusive memories
Nightmares
Act or feel as if the traumatic event were recurring (e.g., flashback)
Intense psychological distress to reminders
Physiological reactivity to internal or external cues
How might someone experience avoidance and numbing? (symptoms)
Avoidance of internal and external cues Dissociative amnesia (no memory of trauma) Diminished interest and participation Detachment from others Restricted range of affect (lower range of emotions) Sense of foreshortened future (think they're going to die soon)
How might someone experience hyperarousal? (symptoms)
Insomnia Irritability, anger outbursts Problems with attention and concentration Hypervigilance Exaggerated startle response
What are the subtypes (specifiers - description for an individual) for PTSD?
Acute Less than 3 months Chronic 3 months or more With delayed onset Onset 6 months or more after trauma
What characterizes acute stress disorder?
Duration of symptoms:
At least 2 days;
No more than 4 weeks
Within 4 weeks of trauma
What are some traumatic experiences commonly associated with PTSD?
Rape Combat exposure Childhood physical abuse Physical attack Being threatened with a weapon Torture Serious accident Natural disaster
What is the relationship between rape and PTSD?
Most common cause of PTSD in women (acquaintance and stranger)
Paralytic effect of intense fear
Disclosing the rape
What is the relationship between combat exposure and PTSD?
Soldiers and civilians
Unpredictable and uncontrollable stressors
Protective aspect of wounds (Will shoot themselves to go home)
Goals of combat (If you believe in the cause you’re less liekly to get PTSD)
Coping mechanisms?
What are some risk factors associated with PTSD?
Unpredictability
Uncontrollability
Nature of stressor
Level of exposure to stressor
What are some Psychosocial and Sociocultural risk factors for PTSD?
Stress reaction seen as personal weakness
Self-blame, guilt (e.g., survivor)
Dissociation during trauma (amnesia or out-of-body experience)
History of disorders (family or self)
Stigma
Insecure attachment style
Early separation from parents
Previous exposure to traumas
Trying to push the memories of trauma out of one’s mind
Tendency to take personal responsibility for failure
Tendency to come with stress by focusing on emotions rather than of the problems themselves
What is the treatment for PTSD?
Medication - Controversial, May be specific to symptoms
Cognitive behavioral therapy: Imagery Based
Change the thought process
Direct exposure – not always possible
More effective than counselling or no intervention
Prolonged Exposure therapy:
Combined CBT approach that involves a step-by-step process
Being exposed to imagery or actual life situations reflecting trauma
Exposure is accompanied by changing thoughts and cognitive appraisals
Taught specific skills such as regulating and controlling breathing.
Research indicates that prolonged exposure therapy is effective.
When is it important to intervene?
Many experts on trauma agree that it is best to intervene in some fashion as soon as possible after a traumatic event, well before PTSD has a chance to develop.
What are some Protective factors for PTSD?
Strong social support
Higher cognitive ability
Secure attachement style
