Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders

Understanding Stress

• Stress is the body's reaction to changes requiring adjustment, manifesting physically, mentally, and emotionally.
• Stress can arise from various sources including environment, body, and thoughts, impacting even positive life changes.
• Stressors are events or experiences perceived as threats or challenges, leading to stress responses.

Types of Stress

• Acute Stress: Immediate response to new challenges triggering the fight-or-flight response, e.g., accidents or arguments.
• Episodic Acute Stress: Frequent episodes of acute stress, often linked to short-temperedness and anxiety; typically affects pessimistic individuals.
• Chronic Stress: Long-term stress resulting from ongoing adverse situations, leading to a sense of hopelessness about change; can stem from early trauma.

Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)

• Diagnostic criteria require exposure to traumatic events such as threat of death or serious injury through direct experience, witnessing, or significant exposure to details.
• Symptoms must include nine or more from five categories: intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance, and arousal occurring after trauma.
• Symptoms are persistent for 3 days to 1 month post-exposure and cause significant distress or impairment.

Symptoms of ASD

• Intrusion Symptoms: Recurrent memories, distressing dreams, dissociative reactions (flashbacks), and severe emotional/physiological responses.
• Negative Mood Symptoms: Inability to experience positive emotions.
• Dissociative Symptoms: Altered perception of reality, memory loss related to the trauma.
• Avoidance Symptoms: Avoidance of distressing memories or reminders related to the trauma.
• Arousal Symptoms: Sleep disturbances, irritability, hypervigilance, concentration issues, and exaggerated startle response.

Comparison to PTSD

• ASD typically appears within 3 days to 1 month after trauma, distinguishes itself from PTSD which can arise later and lasts longer.
• Women are more likely to develop ASD than men; previous mental health issues and severe traumatic perceptions increase risk.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• PTSD involves re-experiencing trauma, avoidance of stimuli, emotional numbing, and heightened arousal, appearing 3 months to a year after the event.
• Symptoms manifest through re-experiencing, avoidance behaviors, and cognitive/mood disturbances lasting over a month and interfere with functioning.

Symptoms of PTSD

• Re-experiencing Symptoms: Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts linked to trauma.
• Avoidance Symptoms: Steering clear of reminders and emotional detachment, also described as "emotional amnesia."
• Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms: Heightened startle response, tension, sleep difficulties, and anger outbursts.
• Cognition and Mood Symptoms: Memory issues regarding the traumatic event, negative self-perception, guilt, and loss of interest in activities.

Key Takeaways

• ASD and PTSD are linked but distinct; ASD is a temporary reaction following trauma whereas PTSD is more chronic.
• Understanding the types of stress and their symptoms is crucial for early identification and intervention in trauma- and stressor-related disorders.

This quiz covers the concepts of trauma and stressor-related disorders, exploring what stress is and how it affects the body. Participants will gain insights into the physical, mental, and emotional responses triggered by stress. Join us to deepen your understanding of stress and its implications.