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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) By: Arav Kansal - Coggle Diagram
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) By: Arav Kansal
Symptoms
Avoidance
Attempting to avoid reflecting on or discussing the traumatic event
Avoiding things, people, or situations that make you think about the traumatic event
Negative changes in thought processes
Emotional numbness
Hopelessness
Memory issues, such as forgetting crucial details of the traumatic event
Absence of enthusiasm for activities that were once enjoyed
Unwanted thoughts and memories
Unwanted and recurrently upsetting memories of the traumatic event
Flashbacks of the event
Emotional distress and/or physical reactions to reminders of the event
Example: A car crash survivor may feel overwhelmed after hearing a report on the news about a road accident
Changes in physical and emotional behaviour
Insomnia
Self-destructive behaviour
Mutilation
Cutting
Drug abuse
Typically alcohol
Driving too fast
Adrenaline rush
Easily scared or startled
Causes
War and conflict
Soldiers often experienced shell shock as a form of PTSD after returning from war
Physical or sexual assault
Impact on body image
Miscarriages or fetal death
Miscarriages and fetal death can often cause trauma to new mothers
Abuse; childhood trauma and domestic abuse.
Experiencing natural disasters (geological)
Experiencing terrorism
Verbal and/or physical bullying at school
Workplace trauma
Injuries and accidents
Mistreatment from higher-ups and/or boss(es)
Risk Factors
Lack of a support system
Those suffering from depression and anxiety without an adequate support system are most at risk for PTSD
Genetic predisposition
Having a family history of mental illness
Drug abuse
A diagnosis of a substance abuse problem is 14 times more likely to be given to people seeking treatment for PTSD.
A study conducted on a number of PTSD sufferers found high rates of lifetime dependence on various substances (39% alcohol, 34.1% cocaine, 6.2% heroin/opiates, and 44.8% marijuana).
Suffering a severe or protracted stress
Living with an abuser
Treatments
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy targets present issues and symptoms, focuses on the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and aims to change thought, feeling, and behavior patterns that make it difficult to function.
Cognitive processing therapy (CTP)
Cognitive processing therapy teaches patients how to question and change unhelpful beliefs about the trauma.
Prolonged exposure therapy
A specific form of cognitive behavioral therapy called prolonged exposure teaches patients how to approach traumatic memories, emotions, and circumstances gradually. A person is likely to learn that the trauma-related memories and cues are not dangerous and do not need to be avoided by confronting what has been avoided.
Medications
paroxetine
fluoxetine
sertraline
venlafaxine
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
A structured therapy that encourages the patient to pay attention to the traumatic memory for a short period of time while also experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements) is linked to a decrease in the emotional intensity and vividness of the traumatic memories.
Myths
Myth 1: people should be able to move on after a traumatic event
The intense emotions one might experience during the traumatic incident can alter your brain structure and lead to PTSD. This may prevent you from being able to "move on". PTSD is a medical issue. People with other medical problems, like cancer, make the best of their situation. For PTSD, the same is true.
Myth 2: "It is all in one's head, PTSD does not exist"
PTSD is a known mental health issue that has received extensive research. If you have experienced a traumatic incident that made you fear for your life, see horrible things, and feel helpless, you may develop PTSD. Strong feelings brought on by the incident alter the brain in ways that could lead to PTSD.
Myth 3: Individuals with PTSD cannot function
Although PTSD can cause severe symptoms, individuals can adjust with the aid of counseling, medications, and support. People with PTSD have relationships and employment. They take pleasure in living and participate actively in their communities.