Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Definition: 
               -PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur after one has been through a traumatic event.        
               -These events can be, but are not limited to, combat or military exposure, child sexual or physical                                 
                abuse, terrorist attacks, sexual or physical assault, serious accidents, or natural disasters.
               -PTSD is first diagnosed as Acute Stress Disorder.
                      -Characterized by dissociation, generalized anxiety, hyperarousal, avoidance of situations that 
                       reminds one of the trauma, and persistent, intrusive recollections of the event
                      -If Acute Stress Disorder lasts for more than a moth, the diagnoses is changed to PTSD.
               -DSM-IV: Three subforms of PTSD: acute (<3 months), chronic (> 3 months), delayed onset (symptoms 
                begin at least 6 months after trauma)

Symptoms of PTSD:
               -Avoiding situations that remind you of the event 
               -Feeling numb
                     -Difficulty expressing feelings
                     -May not be able to remember parts of the traumatic event
               -Hyperarousal
                     -Jittery, always on the lookout for danger
               -Reliving the event 
                     -Often caused by a trigger

Treatment:
               -Behavioral Therapy- focuses on relaxation and coping techniques
                     -Prolonged Exposure Therapy
                     -Education about the treatment and PTSD
                     -Breathing retraining
                     -Real world practice- in situations that are safe 
                     -Talking through the trauma
               -Cognitive Therapy- look at thought patterns, manage negative thought
               -Group Therapy- Realize that PTSD is not uncommon
               -Medication: Antidepressant and anti-anxiety 

Evolutionary Significance of PTSD:
                -Anxiety disorders correspond to dangers encountered throughout human evolutionary history.
                -PTSD could be an extreme defensive adaption
                -The traumas that cause PTSD are all things which require defensive action
                -PTSD is characterized by extreme anxiety and fear
                      -Both are responses to threats, and promote defensive action
               -Symptoms of PTSD could enhance survival in dangerous situations  
                      -Re-experiencing trauma keeps defense a top priority, reflects enhanced memory for threats
                      -Avoiding activities, people and places that remind you of the trauma is a very defensive move
                      -Hyperarousal: Keeps you hypervigilant, and on the lookout for threats

Helpful Links:
National Center for PTSD - http://www.ptsd.va.gov/
PTSD Alliance - http://www.ptsdalliance.org/
Link to an article discussing evolutionary perspectives on PTSD - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20001399





Creighton University Honors Program
Sources and Methods: Evolutionary Psychology
Omaha, NE 68178
April 29, 2011
Editors: Kelly Dean, Adam Grahn, Nathan Messbarger