PTSD Flashcards
What is PTSD?
Delayed reaction to a severe stressor
What increases your vulnerability of developing PTSD?
- Previous mood disorder
- Previous trauma
- Lack of support network
What are the 3 key symptoms of PTSD?
Hyperarousal
Re-experience phenomenom
Avoidance of reminders
What are the symptoms of hyperarousal?
Decreased concentration
Insomnia
Irritability
Persistent anxiety
What are the symptoms of the re-experience phenomenoms?
Nightmares at night
Flashbacks in the daytime
How do PTSD sufferers avoid reminders?
Become emotionally numb
Avoid cues
Decreased interest
Recall difficulty
What does decreased interest mean in PTSD?
They don’t go out and do stuff for fear of being triggered
What is recall difficulty?
Because PTSD sufferers have constant anxiety of recalling the trauma they find it difficult to recall anything
Typical presentation?
” A 24 y/o woman presents with difficulty sleeping, low mood, nervoussness and disinterest in her friends. She states these symptoms started after she was raped by a co-worker 2 months ago. She constantly has nightmares about it and is terrified it will happen again so she has been avoiding men. “
This history hows hyperarousal, avoidance of reminders and re-experience phenomenom.
What is done for people who have experienced disasters?
Screening for PTSD 1 month after the disaster
What are 2 1st line treatments for PTSD?
Trauma focused CBT
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
What is eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing?
The patient is asked to recall the event while being exposed to a bilateral physical stimulus to contextualise the memory
Contextualisation aids in accepting difficult memories
What drugs are used adjunct to trauma focused CBT/eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing?
SSRIs/SNRIs
What SSRIs are good in PTSD?
Paroxetine/fluoxetine
