Post-traumatic Stress, Trauma, and Other Stressor Disorders

Post-traumatic Stress, Trauma, and Other Stressor Disorders

 

PTSD and Acute Stress is having experienced, witnessed, or learned about a traumatic event. The exposure can be a single occurrence or multiple occurrences. Some of the common experiences are unexplainable avoidance, numbing, and physiological hyperarousal among many others. The domains of symptoms are now categorized into intrusion symptoms, avoidance symptoms, cognition and mood symptoms, and hyperarousal and reactivity symptoms.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within one month of a traumatic event, but sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships. They can also interfere with your ability to go about your normal daily tasks.

PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person.

Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:

  • Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event.

  • Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks).

  • Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event.

  • Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of a traumatic event.

Symptoms of avoidance may include:

  • Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event.

  • Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of a traumatic event.

Symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood may include:

  • Negative thoughts about yourself, other people, or the world.

  • Hopelessness about the future.

  • Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event.

  • Difficulty maintaining close relationships.

  • Feeling detached from family and friends.

  • Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed.

  • Difficulty experiencing positive emotions.

  • Feeling emotionally numb.

Symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions (also called arousal symptoms) may include:

  • Being easily startled or frightened.

  • Always being on guard for danger.

  • Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast.

  • Trouble sleeping.

  • Trouble concentrating.

  • Irritability, angry outbursts, or aggressive behavior.

  • Overwhelming guilt or shame.

PTSD symptoms can vary in intensity over time. You may have more PTSD symptoms when you're stressed in general, or when you come across reminders of what you went through. For example, you may hear a car backfire and relive combat experiences. Or you may see a report on the news about a sexual assault and feel overcome by memories of your own assault.

Acute Stress Disorder

Acute stress disorder occurs in reaction to a traumatic event, just as PTSD does, and the symptoms are similar. However, the symptoms occur between three days and one month after the event. People with acute stress disorder may relive the trauma, have flashbacks or nightmares, and may feel numb or detached from themselves. These symptoms cause major distress and problems in their daily lives. About half of people with acute stress disorder go on to have PTSD. Acute stress disorder has been diagnosed in 19%-50% of individuals that experience interpersonal violence (e.g., rape, assault, intimate partner violence).

Adjustment Disorder

Adjustment disorder occurs in response to a stressful life event (or events). The emotional or behavioral symptoms a person experiences in response to the stressor are generally more severe or more intense than what would be reasonably expected for the type of event that occurred.

Symptoms can include feeling tense, sad or hopeless; withdrawing from other people; acting defiantly or showing impulsive behavior; or physical manifestations like tremors, palpitations, and headaches. The symptoms cause significant distress or problems functioning in key areas of someone’s life, for example, at work, school or in social interactions. Symptoms of adjustment disorders begin within three months of a stressful event and last no longer than six months after the stressor or its consequences have ended.

The stressor may be a single event (such as a romantic breakup), or there may be more than one event with a cumulative effect. Stressors may be recurring or continuous (such as an ongoing painful illness with increasing disability). Stressors may affect a single individual, an entire family, or a larger group or community (for example, in the case of a natural disaster).

An estimated 5% to 20% of individuals in outpatient mental health treatment have a principal diagnosis of adjustment disorder. A recent study found that more than 15% of adults with cancer had adjustment disorder. It is typically treated with psychotherapy.

At MindShift Psychotherapy, we are highly trained to assess and treat Trauma disorders. Treatments consist of evidence-based approaches such as Exposure Response Prevention, Psychodynamic Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Family Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Virtual Reality Therapy, and Neurofeedback.