Exam Prep Notes Pyc4802

TRAUMA AND STRESSOR RELATED DISORDERS

ACUTE AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

PTSD

Jan/Feb 2016

>Definition of PTSD

(Wikipedia)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, or other threats on a person's life.

The disturbance, regardless of its trigger, causes clinically significant distress or impairment in the indi- vidual’s social interactions, capacity to work or other important areas of functioning.

Symptoms may include:

1. Disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events

2. Mental or physical distress to trauma-related cues

3. Attempts to avoid trauma-related cues

4. Alterations in how a person thinks and feels (eg. Persistent negative beliefs)

5. Alterations in arousal and reactivity (eg. Irritable behavior or hypervigilance)

>Aetiology of PTSD

A). (DSM 5)

Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation through one of the following:-

-Directly experiencing a traumatic event (death)

-Witnessing in person the event as it occurred to others

-Learning that the traumatic event (violent/accidental) happened to a close family member or close friend.

-Repeated exposure to aversive details of a traumatic event. EG Paramedics, police officers, child welfare / rape crisis workers etc

>Diagnostic criteria for PTSD

R.A.N. Around…

Re-experiencing

Avoidance

Negative Cognitions & Mood

Arousal

There are four distinct clusters for diagnosing PTSD: They are described as Re-experiencing, Avoidance, Negative cognitions and mood, and Arousal.

Re-experiencing covers spontaneous memories of the traumatic event, recurrent dreams related to it, fashbacks or other intense or prolonged psychological distress.

Avoidance refers to distressing memories, thoughts, feelings or external reminders of the event.

Negative cognitions and mood represents myriad feelings, from a persistent and distorted sense of blame...