Post Traumatic Stress disorder
A disorder that occurs following exposure to a traumatic event.
Trauma- and stressor-related disorder
T R A U M A
Traumatic Re- Avoidance Upsetting Month (at Arousal
event experience emotions least one)
D R E A M S
Detachment Re- Event had Avoidance Month (at Sympathetic
experience emotional least one) hyper-
effects activity or
hyper-
vigilance
Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)
Form of PTSD beyond the symptomatology presentation of PTSD
Additional symptoms:
difficulty controlling your emotions
feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world
constant feelings of emptiness or hopelessness
feeling as if you are permanently damaged or worthless
feeling as if you are completely different to other people
feeling like nobody can understand what happened to you
avoiding friendships and relationships, or finding them very difficult
often experiencing dissociative symptoms such as depersonalisation or
derealisation
physical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach
aches
regular suicidal feelings.
Emotional Flashbacks: you have intense feelings that you originally felt during the
trauma, such as fear, shame, sadness or despair.
Causes:
childhood abuse, neglect or abandonment
ongoing domestic violence or abuse
repeatedly witnessing violence or abuse
being forced or manipulated into prostitution (trading sex)
torture, kidnapping or slavery
being a prisoner of war.
Some of the symptoms of C-PTSD are very similar to BPD
Treatment:
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT)
Antidepressants
Antipsychotics
, A disorder that occurs following exposure to a traumatic event.
Trauma- and stressor-related disorder
Age difference in the experience of PTSD
Differences can be caused by factors such as:
Natural changes brought about by aging
Different traumatic experiences
Exposure to trauma-related triggers
Cultural perceptions of traumatic experiences and coping strategies
Institutionalisation of the elderly
Magnified symptoms:
Older people who experience trauma early in their life experience an episodic
course, with symptom excerbation and remission over time.
While some symptoms that are masked during middle age, might be magnified
during old age.
Distress when exposed to trauma-related events,
diminished interest in usual activities,
more preoccupation with the traumatic event,
intrusive thoughts about the accident traumatic event,
avoidance of similar events/experiences,
sleep disturbance, and crying spells.
Delayed Manifestation:
Some symptoms such as sleep disturbance and memory impairment may be
seen more commonly in older adults and thus may not be associated with
trauma exposure as they may appear later in life.
Ongoing symptoms:
Symptoms may persist with age
Intrusive thoughts and memories,
Avoidance,
Hyperarousal,
Dissociation,
Survivor guilt,
Emotional numbing.
Diminished versus increased symptoms:
Some symptoms, e.g., intrusive symptoms, may be reduced over time, whereas
others, e.g., avoidance symptoms, estrangement from others/social isolation,
insomnia, nightmares, irritability, and flashbacks may increase with age.
PTSD and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Causes for IPV:
A history of child abuse and neglect
A history of childhood trauma
Exposure to trauma in general
Witnessing partner violence between parents/primary caregivers
If this is witnessed by children it might be seen as appropriate behaviour leading
to:
Low levels of employment and unemployment, particularly among younger
males
Income inequality or the inability to provide for the family among men
Low self-esteem among men
A disorder that occurs following exposure to a traumatic event.
Trauma- and stressor-related disorder
T R A U M A
Traumatic Re- Avoidance Upsetting Month (at Arousal
event experience emotions least one)
D R E A M S
Detachment Re- Event had Avoidance Month (at Sympathetic
experience emotional least one) hyper-
effects activity or
hyper-
vigilance
Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)
Form of PTSD beyond the symptomatology presentation of PTSD
Additional symptoms:
difficulty controlling your emotions
feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world
constant feelings of emptiness or hopelessness
feeling as if you are permanently damaged or worthless
feeling as if you are completely different to other people
feeling like nobody can understand what happened to you
avoiding friendships and relationships, or finding them very difficult
often experiencing dissociative symptoms such as depersonalisation or
derealisation
physical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach
aches
regular suicidal feelings.
Emotional Flashbacks: you have intense feelings that you originally felt during the
trauma, such as fear, shame, sadness or despair.
Causes:
childhood abuse, neglect or abandonment
ongoing domestic violence or abuse
repeatedly witnessing violence or abuse
being forced or manipulated into prostitution (trading sex)
torture, kidnapping or slavery
being a prisoner of war.
Some of the symptoms of C-PTSD are very similar to BPD
Treatment:
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT)
Antidepressants
Antipsychotics
, A disorder that occurs following exposure to a traumatic event.
Trauma- and stressor-related disorder
Age difference in the experience of PTSD
Differences can be caused by factors such as:
Natural changes brought about by aging
Different traumatic experiences
Exposure to trauma-related triggers
Cultural perceptions of traumatic experiences and coping strategies
Institutionalisation of the elderly
Magnified symptoms:
Older people who experience trauma early in their life experience an episodic
course, with symptom excerbation and remission over time.
While some symptoms that are masked during middle age, might be magnified
during old age.
Distress when exposed to trauma-related events,
diminished interest in usual activities,
more preoccupation with the traumatic event,
intrusive thoughts about the accident traumatic event,
avoidance of similar events/experiences,
sleep disturbance, and crying spells.
Delayed Manifestation:
Some symptoms such as sleep disturbance and memory impairment may be
seen more commonly in older adults and thus may not be associated with
trauma exposure as they may appear later in life.
Ongoing symptoms:
Symptoms may persist with age
Intrusive thoughts and memories,
Avoidance,
Hyperarousal,
Dissociation,
Survivor guilt,
Emotional numbing.
Diminished versus increased symptoms:
Some symptoms, e.g., intrusive symptoms, may be reduced over time, whereas
others, e.g., avoidance symptoms, estrangement from others/social isolation,
insomnia, nightmares, irritability, and flashbacks may increase with age.
PTSD and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Causes for IPV:
A history of child abuse and neglect
A history of childhood trauma
Exposure to trauma in general
Witnessing partner violence between parents/primary caregivers
If this is witnessed by children it might be seen as appropriate behaviour leading
to:
Low levels of employment and unemployment, particularly among younger
males
Income inequality or the inability to provide for the family among men
Low self-esteem among men
