Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

By: Angelica Vega

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

What are the effects of PTSD on the brain?

Can you have PTSD without remembering every detail of the traumatic event?

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

It is an anxiety disorder that can develop after being exposed to a traumatic event.

A type of anxiety disorder.Can occur at any age after having gone through a

traumatic event.Approximately 7.7 million adults in America have

PTSD.

WHAT IS PTSD

First brought to the publics attention by war veterans. Swiss Military physicians (1978)Once known as a psychological disorder associated

only with veterans of the Vietnam War.

ORIGINS OF PTSD

Genes – scientists are focusing on research that determines what role genes play in creative fear memories

Brain areas – studying parts of the brain that deal with fear helps to better understand

Amygdala is active in fear acquisition PFC stores extinct memories and dampens original fear

response

CAUSES

Re-experiencing SymptomsAvoidance symptomsHyperarousal symptoms

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Includes:

FlashbacksBad dreams (nightmares)Frightening thoughts

This can cause problems with one’s daily activities. Words, objects, or situations that remind one of the traumatic event can trigger re-experiencing.

RE-EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS

Includes:

Staying away from places, situations, events or objects that can trigger memories of traumatic event.

Feeling guilty Feeling depressed Feeling emotionally numb Having trouble remembering the event

Things that remind one of the traumatic event they faced can cause avoidance symptoms. May cause them to change one’s routine. For example, if a person witnessed or experiences a roller coaster malfunction/accident, he or she may shy away from roller coaster.

AVOIDANCE SYMPTOMS

Includes:

Being easily startledHaving trouble sleepingFeeling tense

Usually constant rather than being triggered by reminders of the traumatic event. Can make a person feel angry and stressed out all the time which can cause day to day activities hard to fulfill.

HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of PTSD typically begin within 3 months of the traumatic incident

Occasionally they occur years afterPTSD can be diagnosed if any of theses have occurred

for a month: One re-experiencing symptom Three avoidance symptoms Two hyperarousal symptoms

HOW IT IS DIAGNOSED

Living with PTSD can be very difficultCan cause a lot of stressDepressionTake away the enjoyment of everyday life activitiesCan cause loss of close friends and familiesAngerMakes it hard to get anything done

LIFE WITH PTSD

Exposure therapyCognitive therapyStress inoculation training

HOW IT IS TREATED

Helps people face and control their fear by exposing them to the their trauma in a safe way.

Uses imaginary, writing, and even visits to location of traumatic event.

Therapist tries to help people with PTSD deal with their feelings in a good manner.

EXPOSURE THERAPY

Helps people make sense of their bad memories (in some cases people remember the incident different than how it truly occurred).

May feel guilt and/shame even when its not their fault.

The therapists job is to help people look at what happened in a realistic manner.

COGNITIVE THERAPY

Attempts to reduce PTSD symptoms by teaching people how to reduce anxiety

Skill binding rehearsal: helps deal with emotion regulation, relaxation, cognitive appraisal, fear conditioning, etc..

Helps people view their memories in a healthy way (like cognitive restructuring).

STRESS INOCULATION TRAINING

Not all remember traumatic event clearlySome have full and vivid memory

Often times it’s the memories that trigger it all.

MEMORIES

  "PTSD - Emerging Science." YouTube . YouTube, 01 Nov. 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIoIb9Ffwgw>.

 National Col laborating Centre for Mental Health (UK). "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder."PubMed Health . U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 May 0000. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http:/ /www.ncbi .n lm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0015860/>.

"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder."  NIMH RSS . National Inst i tute of Mental Health, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. <http:/ /www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/ index.shtml?utm_campaign=Social+%2BMedia&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Main%2BTwitter%2BFeed>.

 Bentley, Steve. "The VVA Veteran--A Short History of PTSD."  The VVA Veteran . Vietnam Veterans of America, Mar.-Apr. 2005. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. <http:/ /www.vva.org/archive/TheVeteran/2005_03/feature_HistoryPTSD.htm>.

WORK CITED