Trauma Disorders Flashcards
What is an adjustment disorder?
A maladaptive reaction to an identified stressor or stressors that occur shortly following exposure to the stressors and result in impaired functioning or signs of emotional distress that exceed what would normally be expected in the situation
How can we resolve an adjustment disorder?
Reaction may be resolved if the stressor is removed or the individual learns to adapt to it successfully
What is acute stress disorder?
A traumatic reaction occurring in the days and weeks following exposure to a traumatic event
How long does acute stress disorder last?
4 weeks or less
What is PTSD?
Disorder involved in impairing functioning following exposure to a traumatic experience
How long do PTSD symptoms last?
At least one month, and my persist for months, years, or decades
What are the diagnostic criteria for PTSD?
Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence
Intrusive symptoms
Avoidance
Negative alterations in cognitions and moods
Alterations in arousal and reactivity
More than 1 month
Cause clinical distress
Not attributed to physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition
What is dissociation?
Feelings of detachment form oneself or one’s environment
What increases the risk of developing PTSD?
Higher for people living in war-torn countries and for those engaging in hazardous activities or occupations
What part of the brain can constant stress cause damage to?
The hippocampus
What are some other specified trauma and stressor related disorders?
Adjustment-like disorders with the delayed onset of symptoms that occur more than 3 months after the stressor
Adjustment-like disorders with prolonged duration of more than 6 months without prolonged duration of stressor
Ataque de nervios
Other cultural symptoms
Persistent complex bereavement disorder
What is trauma?
An imprint of a life-threatening event that continues to replay in the present and affects the brain and body
Perceived control is critical
-no control = more likely to develop trauma reactions
Why are no two traumas alike?
Trauma occurs from within the person and the event
Some develop a traumatic reaction whiles others do not, even from a similar event
What is the prefrontal cortex like with PTSD?
Dysfunctional thought processes and decision making
Inappropriate responses to situations
What is the amygdala like with PTSD?
Sets off fight or flight in response to memories or thoughts about danger
What are some common reactions to trauma?
Fear and anxiety Reexperiencing the trauma Increased alertness Avoidance Angry and irritable Guilt and shame Grief and depression Views of the world Use of alcohol or drugs
What are some red flags associated with PTSD?
Frequent sick days Prone to be angry or irritable Relationship difficulty Reckless behaviour Nightmares Sleep difficulty Apathy Unhealthy coping Avoidance Suicidal thoughts
What are some risk factors associated with PTSD?
Strength of immunity fallacy Intensity of trauma Length of the traumatic event Death Sustaining personal injury Perception of control during the event Level of support after the event
How can we help prevent trauma responses?
Acknowledge that you are not immune Find an outlet Self care Choose to be around healthy people Define yourself by more than one thing Avoid "stuffing"
What do we do before we start treating PTSD?
Provide information on the treatment process
Obtain informed consent
Develop grounding strategies
Create a trauma inventory
Consider the number of sessions per week
Enlist outside support
What are some things that we do while treating PTSD?
Build a solid therapeutic relationship Stabilize emotional and biological arousal Provide psychoeducation Process emotions Discuss triggers Plan and debrief exposures Engage in cognitive reframing Explore coping Engage in suicide risk assessments Instill hope Process trauma
What is prolonged exposure?
A specific type of cognitive behavioural therapy that teaches individuals to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations
What is imaginal exposure?
Occurs in session with the patient describing the event in detail in the present tense with guidance from a therapist
What is in vivo exposure?
Involves confronting feared stimuli outside of therapy in a gradual fashion
What is exposure?
Directly facing a feared object, situation, or activity in real life
What are the different types of exposure?
Graded exposure
Flooding
Systematic desensitization
How does exposure help?
Habituation
Extinction
Self-efficacy
Emotional processing
What is cognitive-processing therapy?
A type of cognitive behavioural therapy that helps patients learn how to modify and challenge unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma
What is the goal of cognitive-processing therapy?
For the client to become more aware of the relationship between thoughts and emotions and begins to identify automatic thoughts that may be maintaining PTSD symptoms
What is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing?
A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation
What does EMDR do?
Intended to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms
What are some additional treatment approaches?
Cognitive behavioural therapy Acceptance and commitment therapy Compassion-focused therapy Dialectical behaviour therapy Gestalt therapy Suicide risk assessments
