POST TRAUMATIC STRESS

DISORDERS
 AN EMOTIONAL ILLNESS CHARACTERISED BY A SET OF

REACTIONS TO AN EXTREME STRESSOR/ TRAUMA, SUCH AS

INTENSE FEAR, HELPLESSNESS OR HORROR, THAT LEADS THE

INDIVIDUAL TO RELIEVE THE TRAUMA

• ANXIETY DISORDER

• RESULT OF TERRIBLY FRIGHTENING, LIFE THREATENING OR

HIGHLY UNSAFE EXPERIENCE

• SHELL SHOCK OR BATTLE FATIGUE SYNDROME

 RISKS FOR PTSD

• CHILD ABUSE

• REPEATED EXPOSURE TO LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS

• PHYSICAL ASSAULT

• SEXUAL ABUSE
THEORIES REGARDING PTSD
MECHANISM
• NEUROPHARMACOLOGICAL THEORY

- HYPERAROUSAL OF SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM

- LOW SEROTONIN LEVEL

• ENDOGENOUS OPIOD THEORY

- BODY RELEASES ENDORPHINS

- TO SELF-MEDICATE
• ENDOCRINAL THEORY
- CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO STRESS LEADS TO REDUCTION
IN CORTISOL THROUGH NEGATIVE FEEDBACK MECHANISM
• NEURODEVELOPMENTAL THEORY
- DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS OR
LIMBIC SYSTEM
• REPETITION/ FAMILY INFLUENCE THEORY
- CYCLE OF VIOLENCE
 SYMPTOMS OF PTSD

• USUALLY WITHIN THREE MONTHS

• THREE TYPES OF SYMPTOMS:

- RE-LIVING

- AVOIDING

- INCREASED AROUSAL
• RE-LIVING
- RE-LIVE THE ORDEAL
- FLASHBACKS, HALLUCINATIONS, NIGHTMARES
- FEELS STRESSED WHEN REMINDED OF TRAUMA
• AVOIDING
- AVOID EVERYTHING THAT REMINDS HIM OF ORDEAL
- LEAD TO DETACHMENT AND ISOLATION
- LOSS OF INTEREST IN ACTIVITIES HE ONCE ENJOYED
• INCREASED AROUSAL
- EXCESSIVE EMOTIONS
- INSOMNIA, IRRITABILITY, ANGER
- PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS LIKE HIGH BP, TACHYCARDIA, TACHYPNOEA,
MUSCLE TENSION, NAUSEA
 TREATMENT
• PSYCHOTHERAPY

- CBT

- EXPOSURE THERAPY

- FAMILY THERAPY

- GROUP THERAPY

• MEDICATIONS

- ANTIDEPRESSANTS, ANTIPSYCHOTICS, MOOD STABILIZERS, TCA, SSRI