scholarly journals From shell shock and war neurosis to posttraumatic stress disorder: a history of psychotraumatology

2000 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-55 ◽  

The term posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a household name since its first appearance in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-lll) purblished by the American Psychiatric Association, In the collective mind, this diagnosis is associated with the legacy of the Vietnam War disaster. Earlier conflicts had given birth to terms, such as "soldier's heart, " "shell shock," and "war neurosis." The latter diagnosis was equivalent to the névrose de guerre and Kriegsneurose of French and German scientific literature. This article describes how the immediate and chronic consequences of psychological trauma made their way into medical literature, and how concepts of diagnosis and treatment evolved over time.

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-168

Throughout history the consequences of psychological trauma and characteristic symptoms have involved clinical presentations that have had different names. Since the inclusion of the category of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) with the symptomatic triad of re-experiencing the traumatic event, avoidance behaviors, and hypervigilance, this entity has been a source of controversy. Indeed, some authors have denied its existence, even considering it a diagnostic invention. In this article we review, from the clinician's perspective, historical aspects as well as the development of the nosological classifications and the contributions from the neurosciences that allow the consideration of the full validity of this diagnosis as a form of psychobiological reaction to psychological trauma.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Downs ◽  
Carol North

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may follow exposure to trauma. The experience of trauma has potential personal implications. Some individuals develop PTSD after trauma; others may be more resilient, experiencing distress but not succumbing to psychopathology; and yet others may emerge from the experience with new strength and direction. This review contains 1 figure, 5 tables, and 46 references Keyword: Posttraumatic stress disorder, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), deep brain stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis


Author(s):  
Frederick J. Stoddard Jr ◽  
David M. Benedek ◽  
Mohammed R. Milad ◽  
Robert J. Ursano

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects people of all ages and backgrounds and causes persistent suffering and impaired function, but its diagnosis offers the opportunity for early intervention. It is the subject of intensive developmental, epidemiological, genetic/genomic, translational, neurobiological, neuropsychological, and psychological research, and emerging computational methods with “big data,” statistical modeling, and machine learning are likely to accelerate this research. The findings from research on PTSD are changing education and the ways clinicians practice, offering the hope for improved care of those experiencing traumatic stress. Those at particular risk for PTSD include children and adolescents, women, soldiers, refugees and survivors of genocide, sexual orientation minorities, racial and ethnic minorities, patients with burns, injuries and medical trauma, and victims of rape, violence, accidents, and disasters. This chapter provides an overview of PTSD, covering Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) diagnostic criteria, epidemiology, neurochemistry and neurobiology, biological and psychological models, assessment, and treatment.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Downs ◽  
Carol North

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may follow exposure to trauma. The experience of trauma has potential personal implications. Some individuals develop PTSD after trauma; others may be more resilient, experiencing distress but not succumbing to psychopathology; and yet others may emerge from the experience with new strength and direction. This review contains 1 figure, 5 tables, and 46 references Keyword: Posttraumatic stress disorder, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), deep brain stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis


Author(s):  
Terence M. Keane ◽  
Mark W. Miller

This chapter reviews the status of modifications to the definition of PTSD and proposed changes for DSM-5. We include a brief history of the diagnosis and trace its evolution in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). We discuss some of the current controversies related to the definition of PTSD including its location among the anxiety disorders, the utility of Criterion A and its subcomponents, and the factor structure of the symptoms. We review the rationale for the addition of new symptoms and modifications to existing criteria now and conclude with comments on future directions for research on PTSD.


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