- Post = after
- Trauma = crisis
- Stress = impact
A working definition of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the impact after the crisis.
First applied to veterans of the Vietnam War, it has been expanded to crime victims, as well as victims of natural disaster. The essential diagnostic feature of PTSD is the development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving direct personal experience of the event, witnessing the event or learning about such an event of a close family member or associate. The event is characterized by actual or threatened death, serious injury or threat to physical integrity. Symptom clusters may include:
- re-experiencing the traumatic event
- avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event
- increased arousal/physical response in the aftermath
Anyone can be affected by PTSD, regardless of age, race or gender. In "at risk" groups (such as war veterans and crime victims) the occurrence ranges in prevalence from 3-58%.
(Reprinted for training purposes from author: TS Nelson)
The symptom clusters are:
- re-experiencing the traumatic event
- avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event
- increased arousal/physical response in the aftermath
- The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in one (or more) of the following ways:
- Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note that in children repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.
- Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note that in children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content.
- Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur on awakening or when intoxicated). Note that in young children, trauma-specific re-enactment may occur.
- Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
- Physiological reactivity on exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
- Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note that in children repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.
- Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
- Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma.
- Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma.
- Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma.
- Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities.
- Feeling of detachment or estrangement of others.
- Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings).
- Sense of a foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)
- Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma.
- Persistent Symptoms of increased arousal (not present before the trauma), as indicated by two (or more) of the following:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
- Irritability or outbursts of anger.
- Difficulty Concentrating.
- Hyper vigilance.
- Exaggerated startle response.
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
(Reprinted for training purposes from author: TS Nelson)