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
-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