27. Trauma and PTSD Flashcards
(40 cards)
types of trauma
- physical: bodily injury
- psychological: overwhelming stressful event that threatens survival and sense of security
capacity to withstand stress and catastrophe
resilience
characteristics of resilience
- develops over time
- culmination of multiple internal and external factors
- reduces impact of risk factors
- enhances ability to “bounce back” and recover from stress experiences
What decreases as resilience increases
stronger resilience = less likely a person will experience reactions that lead to maladaptive behaviors and outcomes
what is resilience related to
- positive self-concept and self-worth
- feeling of being in control of one’s life
- feelings of power
3 resilient behaviors
- positive problem solving
- meaningful communication
- effective coping skills
development of PTSD symptoms after exposure to trauma from 3 days to 1 month after traumatic event; may progress to PTSD
acute stress disorder
emotional or behavior symptoms in response to a stressful event that does not meet criteria for PTSD; sxs may seem out of proportion to stressor and usually resolve after situation resolves
adjustment disorder
child is culturally inappropriate and overly familiar with strangers; usually dx in childhood
disinhibited social engagement disorder (children)
inability to develop positive attachments to caregivers because of prior social neglect; inhibited, emotionally withdrawn behavior toward caregiver (usually occurs when caregiver changes frequently)
reactive attachment disorder (children)
development of intrusive, dissociative, mood, cognitive, or hyperarousal sxs following exposure to a traumatic event
post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
3 groups of adverse childhood experiences
- abuse (emotional, physical or sexual)
- household challenges (substance abuse, mental illness in household, divorce)
- neglect (emotional or physical)
types of traumatic events that lead to PTSD
- directly experienced
- witnessed
- learned about from others
- repeated exposure to adverse events
T/F: most people who experience a traumatic event don’t develop PTSD
True
clinical course of PTSD
- sxs develop several days after event and must last at least 1 month
- sxs may develop 3-6 months after event (delayed-onset)
- 1/3 of people w/ PTSD develop chronic sxs
- sxs fluctuate in intensity w/ time and worsen during periods of stress
diagnostic criteria for PTSD
- intrusive sxs
- avoidance of person, place, or object that are reminders of event
- negative mood and cognitions (negative thoughts associated w/ event)
- hyperarousal w/ hyper vigilance for at least 1 month
- aggressive, reckless, or self-destructive behavior
- sleep disturbances
involuntary appearance of thoughts, memories, or dreams of trauma events (cues that symbolize or resemble original event)
intrusion
examples of intrusions
- flashbacks
- nightmares
- dissociative reactions
feeling or acting as if the event is reoccurring
dissociative reactions
examples of dissociative reactions
- derealization (feelings of unreality)
- depersonalization (experience of self or environment is strange or unreal)
- periods of disengagement from environment during stress (spacing out)
- alterations in bodily perceptions
- emotional numbing
- out-of-body experiences
- amnesia about abuse-related memories
How does mood alter after a traumatic event
- becomes more irritable
- episodes of explosive anger, fear, guilt, or shame
- person often has difficulty experiencing positive emotions (happiness or love)
How does cognition alter after a traumatic event
- exaggerative negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, and the world
- may believe that nobody can be trusted or that they are a terrible person
characteristics of hyperaurousal
- person is hypervigilant for signs of danger
- startles easily
- reacts irritably to small annoyances
- sleeps poorly
- overreacts to others -> causes others to avoid the person -> maintains state of hyperarousal
epidemiology of PTSD
- women twice as likely as men to experience PTSD
- high percentage of people w/ PTSD are veterans
- childhood cancer survivors have an increased risk
