Post-traumatic

Stress Disorder
(PTSD)

Presentation By Philip Lamptey

Overview of Presentation

Definition of PTSD

Causes/Risk Factors of PTSD

Signs & Symptoms of PTSD

Role of Occupational therapy in PTSD

Definition of PTSD

 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that

develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or
dangerous event.
 It can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual
assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other
threats to a person's life.
 It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Nearly
everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people
recover from initial symptoms naturally.
 Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD.
These reactions last for more than a month after the event. People who have
PTSD may feel stressed or frightened, even when they are not in danger.
Risk Factors of PTSD

Risk factors make a person more likely to develop PTSD. Many factors play a part in
whether a person will develop PTSD. Some factors that increase risk for PTSD include:
 Living through dangerous events and traumas
 Getting hurt
 Seeing another person hurt, or seeing a dead body
 Childhood trauma
 Feeling horror, helplessness, or extreme fear
 Having little or no social support after the event
 Dealing with extra stress after the event, such as loss of a loved one, pain and
injury, or loss of a job or home
 Having a history of mental illness or substance abuse
Signs & Symptoms of PTSD
 Symptoms usually begin early, within 3 months of the traumatic incident, but
sometimes they begin years afterward.
 Symptoms must last more than a month and be severe enough to interfere
with relationships or work to be considered PTSD.
 The course of the illness varies.
 To be diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of the following for at
least 1 month:
 At least one re-experiencing symptom
 At least one avoidance symptom
 At least two arousal and reactivity symptoms
 At least two cognition and mood symptoms
Signs & Symptoms of PTSD Cont’d

 Re-experiencing symptoms include:

 Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical
symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
 Bad dreams
 Frightening thoughts
 Avoidance symptoms include:
 Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the
traumatic experience
 Avoiding thoughts or feelings related to the traumatic event
Signs & Symptoms of PTSD Cont’d

 Arousal and reactivity symptoms include:

 Being easily startled
 Feeling tense
 Having difficulty sleeping
 Having angry outbursts
 Cognition and mood symptoms include:
 Trouble remembering key features of the traumatic event
 Negative thoughts about oneself or the world
 Distorted feelings like guilt or blame
 Loss of interest in enjoyable activities
Signs & Symptoms of PTSD Cont’d
Do children react differently than adults?
Children and teens can have extreme reactions to trauma, but some of their
symptoms may not be the same as adults. Symptoms are sometimes seen in very
young children (less than 6 years old), these symptoms can include:
 Wetting the bed after having learned to use the toilet
 Forgetting how to or being unable to talk
 Acting out the scary event during playtime
 Being unusually clingy with a parent or other adult
Role of Occupational therapy in PTSD
The occupational therapist provides treatment to the patient with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder). The occupational therapist understands the psychology of a patient and treats him
accordingly. The person with PTSD remains in stress due to a past bad event. The occupational
therapist tries to calm down and refocus on daily life skills and occupational performance.
Occupational therapy Assessment in PTSD-
 The occupational therapist assesses all the related areas of stress-related disorder. An
occupational therapist generally follows the basic rules of assessment in a person with
PTSD.
 Interview of the patient as well as a family member provides the main details like the
history of accident/trauma, patient’s behavior, social interaction, occupational
performance, level of anxiety or depression, self-care, etc.
 Volition, Habituation, role performance, and environment are areas that can be
evaluated by the therapist.
 Ego boundaries, defensive function, and reality testing can be assessed using projective
techniques.
Role of Occupational therapy in PTSD
Cont’d
Occupational therapy goals and objectives in PTSD
The goal and objectives are set by the occupational therapist after the
evaluation. The goals depend upon the severity of illness.

 To relieve from the stress.

 To accept the truth of loss.
 To improve occupational performance.
 To improve social interaction.
 To improve the ADL skill.
Role of Occupational therapy in Treatment of
PTSD Cont’d
Occupational Therapy Management in PTSD
 Occupational therapist management begins from the assessment of a description
of the stressful event, the actual loss of a patient or the real reason for stress.
 The management is somewhat similar to depression and anxiety. The rapport
building is most crucial to treat patients of post-traumatic stress disorder.
 An Occupational therapist may use a different frame of reference and
approaches to manage the PTSD. Some are:
 Therapeutic use of self
 Projective techniques
 Relaxation Techniques
 Reality orientation
 Therapeutic Activities for PTSD
 Release of hostility
Role of Occupational therapy in
Treatment of PTSD Cont’d
Summary
 Occupational therapy has an important role in PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder). An Occupational therapist helps the patient to relieve the stress
and rejoin in an occupational or daily routine task. Purposeful activities and
other approaches help the patient to return to normal life