Stress-Related Disorders & PTSD

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following symptoms are associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? (Select all that apply)

Heightened happiness

Negative changes in thinking and mood (correct)

Intrusive memories and flashbacks (correct)

Avoidance symptoms (correct)

PTSD can only occur after direct exposure to a traumatic event.

False

What is the condition called where individuals feel detached from their mental processes or body?

Depersonalization

What type of therapy is often used for treating PTSD?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Signup and view all the answers

PTSD symptoms must last longer than ______ month to warrant a diagnosis.

one Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential harmful approach to treating trauma victims?

Single debriefing session Signup and view all the answers

Match the following PTSD symptoms with their descriptions:

Intrusive Memories = Experiencing distressing memories and flashbacks Avoidance Symptoms = Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event Hyperarousal = Being easily startled and feeling tense Negative Changes in Mood = Experiencing persistent negative thoughts and emotional detachment Signup and view all the answers

What typically triggers Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Exposure to traumatic event Signup and view all the answers

Victims of PTSD may relive the traumatic event through flashbacks.

True Signup and view all the answers

What are two common symptoms of PTSD?

Intrusive memories and avoidance symptoms Signup and view all the answers

Persistent negative thoughts and feelings of __________ are common in PTSD.

guilt Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can be a specifier for PTSD?

With dissociative symptoms Signup and view all the answers

What is one treatment approach for PTSD?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Signup and view all the answers

Single debriefing sessions are always beneficial for trauma survivors.

False Signup and view all the answers

What factors contribute to vulnerability to developing PTSD?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The DSM-5TR groups various disorders that develop after a stressful life event, often a traumatic or extremely stressful experience.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD typically arises from exposure to a traumatic event where the individual witnesses or experiences death, sexual violation, or serious injury.
Learning about a traumatic event happening to a loved one, encountering traumatic details repeatedly (e.g., first responders dealing with deceased individuals), or direct exposure can all trigger PTSD.

Reexperiencing Symptoms

Traumatic events are relived through nightmares, memories, and flashbacks.
Flashbacks involve sudden surfacing of memories with intense emotions, feeling like one is re-experiencing the traumatic event.

Intrusive Memories and Flashbacks

People with PTSD may experience distressing memories, nightmares, and flashbacks of a traumatic event.

Avoidance Symptoms

People with PTSD may avoid places, people, situations, or activities that trigger memories of the traumatic event.
They may also avoid talking about the event.

Hyperarousal and Reactivity

People with PTSD may be hypervigilant, easily startled, have difficulty sleeping, experience angry outbursts, and have difficulty concentrating.

Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood

People with PTSD may experience persistent negative thoughts, feelings of guilt and shame, reduced interest in activities, and social detachment.
Individuals might blame themselves for the traumatic event.

Duration and Impairment

Symptoms of PTSD must last for more than one month and interfere with social, occupational, or significant areas of functioning.

Specifier: With Dissociative Symptoms (Severe Cases)

Individuals with these symptoms meet PTSD criteria.
Experiencing ongoing or recurring symptoms of depersonalization or derealization when faced with the stressor:
- Depersonalization involves feeling detached from one's body or mind, as if observing oneself from an external perspective (e.g., feeling like being in a dream, sensing an unreal aspect of self, body, or time).
- Derealization involves a persistent feeling that surroundings are unreal (e.g., perceiving the world as dreamlike, distant, or distorted).

Specifier: With Delayed Expression

Full diagnostic criteria for PTSD are not fulfilled until six months or more after the traumatic event. However, some symptoms may present immediately.

Prevalence of PTSD

The prevalence of PTSD among trauma victims, including those with repeated sexual assaults, is remarkably low.
However, its prevalence is significantly higher among women who have experienced repeated sexual assaults.

Why Do Some Develop PTSD Easier Than Others?

Severity of trauma, personal vulnerability, lack of social support, coping mechanisms, subsequent stressors, and biological factors all contribute to PTSD development.

Treatment of PTSD

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): helps individuals process traumatic memories, modify negative thought patterns, and develop coping skills to manage symptoms.
Psychoanalytic Therapy: focuses on reliving emotional trauma to relieve suffering through a process called catharsis.
Psychological First-Aid and Debriefing Session for Trauma Survivors: immediate support for trauma survivors.

Beware

Evidence suggests that single debriefing sessions, where trauma victims are forced to express their feelings of distress, can be harmful.

Medication

Medications are often prescribed for PTSD, but are typically used in conjunction with psychotherapy.

The DSM-5TR groups various disorders arising from stressful life events, particularly traumatic experiences.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD arises from exposure to traumatic events involving death, serious injury, or sexual violation.
Exposure can be direct experience, witnessing the event, or learning about a loved one's traumatic experience.
Repeated encounters with traumatic details can also trigger PTSD, like first responders dealing with remains.

PTSD Symptoms

Reexperiencing: Reliving the traumatic event through memories, nightmares, and flashbacks.
- Flashbacks are intense, sudden memories that evoke feelings of reliving the event.
Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of the trauma, including places, people, activities, or situations.
Hyperarousal and Reactivity: Hypervigilance, being easily startled, feeling tense, difficulty sleeping, angry outbursts, and difficulty concentrating.
Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood: Persistent negative thoughts, guilt, shame, reduced interest in activities, and social detachment. A tendency to blame oneself for the trauma.
Duration and Impairment: Symptoms lasting more than a month, significantly affecting social, occupational, or other essential life areas.

PTSD Specifiers

With Dissociative Symptoms (severe cases):
- Depersonalization: Feeling detached from one's mental processes or body. Experience of being an outside observer.
- Derealization: Persistent feeling that surroundings are unreal or distorted.
With Delayed Expression: Full diagnostic criteria are not met until at least six months after the event, although some symptoms can be immediate.

PTSD Prevalence

Prevalence is remarkably low among trauma victims.
Higher prevalence in women who have experienced repeated sexual assaults.

PTSD Development Factors

Severity of trauma.
Personal vulnerability.
Lack of social support.
Coping mechanisms.
Subsequent stressors.
Biological factors.

PTSD Treatment

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Processing traumatic memories, changing negative thought patterns, and developing coping skills to manage symptoms.
Psychoanalytic Therapy: Reliving emotional trauma to relieve suffering through catharsis.
Psychological First-Aid and Debriefing Sessions: Help for trauma survivors, though evidence suggests a single debriefing session can be harmful.
Medication: Various drugs can be used to address specific symptoms.

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Description

This quiz explores the key concepts related to stress-related disorders as classified in the DSM-5TR, focusing specifically on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Participants will learn about the symptoms, triggers, and experiences associated with PTSD, including reexperiencing and avoidance symptoms. Gain a deeper understanding of how traumatic events impact individuals and the classification of these disorders.