Understanding Stress Disorders

A short-term response to trauma with symptoms lasting 2 days to under a month. It can include intense anxiety, withdrawal, and sleep disruptions.

A longer-term mental health condition that develops after a traumatic event. Symptoms last for more than a month and include intrusive memories, avoidance behaviors, and negative thoughts and feelings.

ASD is a short-term response to trauma lasting less than a month, while PTSD symptoms persist beyond a month. ASD often occurs after accidents or interpersonal trauma, while PTSD can occur after any traumatic event.

Severity, duration, and nature of trauma, pre-existing anxiety or depression, family history of mental health conditions, minority status, poor coping skills, and lack of social support can increase the risk of developing ASD or PTSD.

Exposure therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are primary treatments. They help desensitize trauma responses and reinterpret traumatic events. Stress management, supportive group therapy, EMDR, and polyvagal therapy may also be used.

A condition where PTSD symptoms are not immediately apparent after a traumatic event but develop over time, often due to mild initial symptoms or barriers to expressing them.

A severe form of PTSD characterized by prolonged or repeated trauma exposure, leading to more intense and enduring symptoms than simple PTSD.

CPTSD is often triggered by ongoing abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), neglect, domestic violence, war, captivity, human trafficking, or repeated medical crises.

CPTSD can significantly alter a person's basic beliefs about the world, relationships, and even their spiritual outlook, resulting in mistrust, fear, and a sense of being unsafe.

In addition to PTSD symptoms, CPTSD often includes changes in worldview, obsessive focus on the past, revenge fantasies, and a profound sense of feeling unsafe in the world.

A structured intervention aimed at helping individuals process a traumatic event by discussing their experiences, reactions, and coping strategies.

CISD unfolds in five phases: 1. Fact - Sharing the event's details. 2. Reaction - Expressing thoughts and feelings. 3. Symptom - Identifying and managing symptoms. 4. Teaching - Understanding trauma reactions. 5. Reentry - Planning for the future.

While widely used, CISD's actual effectiveness in preventing PTSD symptoms is debated. Research has shown limited evidence for its efficacy.

A personality disorder characterized by persistent distrust and suspicion of others' motives. Individuals with paranoid personality disorder often misinterpret benign remarks or events as threatening and are reluctant to confide in others.

A personality disorder marked by a disregard for and violation of others' rights. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder may engage in deceptive or manipulative behavior, lack remorse, and often exhibit impulsivity and criminal tendencies.

A personality disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behaviors. Individuals with histrionic personality disorder may be dramatic and theatrical, easily influenced, and perceive relationships as more intimate than they truly are.

A personality disorder marked by instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions. Individuals with borderline personality disorder may experience intense fear of abandonment, impulsive behaviors, and episodes of anger, depression, and feelings of emptiness.

A personality disorder characterized by grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder may believe they are special or entitled, exploit others in relationships, and have fragile self-esteem.

A personality disorder marked by extreme sensitivity to criticism or rejection. Individuals with avoidant personality disorder avoid social interactions despite desiring connection, experience feelings of inadequacy, and refrain from engaging in new activities to avoid potential embarrassment.

A personality disorder characterized by a preoccupation with order, perfection, and control. Individuals with OCPD may be inflexible in their morals and ethics, excessively devoted to work, reluctant to delegate tasks, and struggle to compromise.

A personality disorder marked by indirect resistance to authority or demands. Individuals with passive-aggressive personality disorder may exhibit procrastination, forgetfulness, or intentional inefficiency, and express hostility subtly through sarcasm or stubbornness.

A personality disorder characterized by an excessive need to be taken care of, leading to clingy and submissive behavior. Individuals with this disorder struggle to make decisions without reassurance from others and fear abandonment, often going to great lengths for support even if it compromises their own needs.

Individuals with Dependent Personality Disorder exhibit a range of symptoms including a strong need for reassurance, difficulty making decisions independently, fear of abandonment, and going to great lengths to gain support even at the expense of their own needs.

Treatment for Dependent Personality Disorder primarily focuses on long-term therapy to manage symptoms and develop independence skills. Family therapy, structured day programs, and short hospital stays can be used for specific cases.

While medication is not a primary treatment for Dependent Personality Disorder, specific symptoms like depression, anxiety, and high anxiety can be addressed with mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and anxiolytics. Antipsychotics might be used for transient psychotic symptoms.

A personality disorder characterized by intense emotional fluctuations, unstable relationships, impulsivity, and a fear of abandonment. Individuals with BPD often struggle with self-harm, suicidal tendencies, and a sense of emptiness.

While medications can address specific symptoms, long-term therapy is essential for managing BPD. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the only evidence-based treatment for BPD, focusing on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills.

While the exact cause is unknown, childhood trauma, particularly physical or sexual abuse, is a significant risk factor for developing BPD. It often correlates with the development of PTSD symptoms.

Self-mutilation, such as cutting or burning, is a coping mechanism for individuals with BPD. It can provide a temporary sense of control or relief from intense emotional pain or feelings of emptiness.

Brief, temporary periods of psychosis, like paranoia or hallucinations, triggered by stress.

A defense mechanism where a person sees people and situations as either all good or all bad, shifting rapidly between these extremes.

Therapy with a structured approach, using specific techniques and sessions to help patients manage their challenges.

Tools used in DBT to track therapy interfering behaviors, like suicidal thoughts or self-harm.

Strategies in DBT to help patients manage intense emotions and impulsive behaviors by accepting feelings and working towards change.

Focuses on personality traits like superficial charm and lack of empathy. It is not a formal DSM diagnosis but may involve criminal acts.

Emphasizes the impact of environment and upbringing on behavior patterns. People with sociopathy are more impulsive and emotionally reactive.

Males involved in sports emphasizing thinness or weight control (wrestling, boxing, crew, jockeying), competitive bodybuilding, and those in the gay social scene are more vulnerable to eating disorders.

Diets usually lead to short-term weight loss, but the weight is almost always regained quickly. Only long-term lifestyle changes are effective for sustainable weight management.

These are medications (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Mounjaro) that are GLP-1 agonists. They mimic natural peptides to lower blood sugar and reduce appetite. They were initially approved for diabetes, but Wegovy is now approved for weight loss and more approvals are expected.

Clinical trials show an average weight loss of 15% body weight using Semaglutide and Tirzepatide. These medications are being integrated into weight-loss programs and are being explored to treat various conditions besides weight, including binge eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa is a mental health condition characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and severe food restriction. Individuals with anorexia may see themselves as overweight even when they are underweight.

Anorexia Nervosa is most prevalent in women in high-income countries. Female athletes and dancers, gay or bisexual males, and male wrestlers, jockeys, runners, or models are also at a higher risk.

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by restrictive eating habits. Individuals may obsess about food, develop irrational food rules, and engage in food rituals like sipping water between bites or excessive chewing.

Individuals with family members who have Anorexia are at a 10-12 times higher risk of developing the disorder themselves.