ECON 546 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Psychophysiology, Environmental Factor, Betrayal
27 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 14: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Monday, February 26, 2018
Dr. Michelle Lonergan
Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders
- DSM-V: trauma- and stressor-related disorders are a new category
oUsed to be classified as “anxiety related”
- Ranges in severity, 3 categories: adjustment disorder, acute stress disorder, PTSD
oIn order to have acute stress or PTSD, criterion A must be met
oCriterion A: direct or indirect exposure to actual or threatened death or serious
injury or sexual violence
oIf acute stress lasts more than 1 month, it becomes PTSD
- Adjustment disorder diagnostic criteria are very specific but do not involve criterion A
oBy definition, must last less than 6 months
- Set of psychiatric disorders that can result from exposure to traumatic or stressful life
events
PTSD Symptoms
- Re-experiencing the event
oFlashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts and memories, physical distress to
traumatic reminders
- Avoidance
oTrauma-related thoughts, feelings, places, people or reminders
- Negative changes in cognition and mood
oNegative affect, decreased interest, isolation, blame, shame, difficulty,
experiencing positive affect, dissociation, poor outlook
- Hyperarousal/hyper-reactivity
oIrritability, aggression, self-destructive behaviour, hypervigilance, difficulty
concentrating, insomnia, increased startle
What Is Trauma?
- This question plagues the field of PTSD
- 100 years ago, trauma was not related to civilians
- Trauma can be very subjective (eg. medical diagnoses)
- Childhood trauma: being abandoned, lack of maternal care, very complex (more so than
PTSD)
oTypically see more complex profiles (personality dysfunction)
- Assault, rape, combat, robbery, etc. are classic examples
- Broad definition: any event that shatters once-held positive assumptions of safety and
trust in the self, others, the world, or the future
History of Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders
- Historically linked to war-related events (“shellshock”)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Dsm-v: trauma- and stressor-related disorders are a new category: used to be classified as anxiety related . Adjustment disorder diagnostic criteria are very specific but do not involve criterion a: by definition, must last less than 6 months. Set of psychiatric disorders that can result from exposure to traumatic or stressful life events. Re-experiencing the event: flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts and memories, physical distress to traumatic reminders. Avoidance: trauma-related thoughts, feelings, places, people or reminders. Negative changes in cognition and mood: negative affect, decreased interest, isolation, blame, shame, difficulty, experiencing positive affect, dissociation, poor outlook. Hyperarousal/hyper-reactivity: irritability, aggression, self-destructive behaviour, hypervigilance, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, increased startle. 100 years ago, trauma was not related to civilians. Trauma can be very subjective (eg. medical diagnoses) Childhood trauma: being abandoned, lack of maternal care, very complex (more so than. Ptsd: typically see more complex profiles (personality dysfunction) Assault, rape, combat, robbery, etc. are classic examples.
