scholarly journals Post-traumatic stress disorder: the neurobiological impact of psychological trauma

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-278 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Perceived Threat ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Clinical Syndromes ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Fight Or Flight Response

The classic fight-or-flight response to perceived threat is a reflexive nervous phenomenon thai has obvious survival advantages in evolutionary terms. However, the systems that organize the constellation of reflexive survival behaviors following exposure to perceived threat can under some circumstances become dysregulated in the process. Chronic dysregulation of these systems can lead to functional impairment in certain individuals who become "psychologically traumatized" and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), A body of data accumulated over several decades has demonstrated neurobiological abnormalities in PTSD patients. Some of these findings offer insight into the pathophysiology of PTSD as well as the biological vulnerability of certain populations to develop PTSD, Several pathological features found in PTSD patients overlap with features found in patients with traumatic brain injury paralleling the shared signs and symptoms of these clinical syndromes.

Conceptualizing Service-Related Trauma: Controversies, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Canadian Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany A. Beks ◽  
Sharon L. Cairns ◽  
Anusha Kassan ◽  
Kelly D. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Military Members ◽  
Canadian Context ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Post Traumatic

This article considers three perspectives that have figured prominently in the conceptualization of psychological trauma related to military service in the Canadian context—that of military institutions, that of military members, and that of counselling psychologists. A closer examination of these views reveals points of contention regarding the origins, terminology, and cultural relevance of conceptualizations of service-related trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder By drawing from theoretical, empirical, critical, and anecdotal literature, this article highlights the need for counselling psychologists to continually evolve their understanding of the broader contexts in which service-related trauma occurs and to honour military members’ knowledge of diverse sources of traumatic suffering.

POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH IN A PROCESS OF REHABILITATAION

2018 ◽  
pp. 57-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Tokhtamysh
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Growth ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Rehabilitation Process ◽  
Post Traumatic Growth ◽  
Post Traumatic

This topic is particularly relevant in the context of combat operations in eastern Ukraine against the occupation of the country, where members of the combined forces operation in each day are in a situation threatening the life and risk of getting a military psychological trauma. The article considers the elements and conditions of post-traumatic growth in the context of the rehabilitation process and the social promotion of human development after a traumatic event. The phenomenon of post-traumatic growth can transform the concept of rehabilitation into a term that can be labeled as "proabilitation". The forms of social and rehabilitation support in terms of creating conditions for post-traumatic growth and their effectiveness are explored. The theoretical and applied models with resource elements of the rehabilitation process and post-traumatic growth process are analyzed. It is noted that the traditional model of posttraumatic growth pay attention to the process of rumination and getting control over it and ignores one of the basic symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder, such as uncontrolled visual images (flash backs). The two-component concept of post-traumatic growth, which may be «illusory» or «adaptive», can also be presented as a «compensatory» or «healing» type with regard to the presence or absence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after reaching post-traumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth occurs in several domains and can be depending on the type of traumatic event experienced, the individual reactions and the psychological qualities of the person. This process is not such that it automatically eliminates the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, the same, rejecting the need for psychotherapeutic and psychosocial care and focusing only on post-traumatic growth can be a false strategy for those who have experienced a traumatic event. Consequently, the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth can be regarded as a powerful resource factor for the rehabilitation process, in particular, as a motivational component of psychosocial assistance.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Associated to Long-term Dissociative Fugue: A Case Report

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
A. Tatay Manteiga ◽  
L. Laguna Sopena ◽  
M. Lloret Diez-Canseco ◽  
T. Merino Magán ◽  
S. Cepeda Díez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Clinical Case ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Post Traumatic

Aims:Since the end of 19th century, mental health professionals have noticed that individuals who have experienced traumatic situations often present dissociative symptoms, such as amnesia or fugue states. Dissociation is a defensive mechanism that allows an individual to separate from conscience the psychological distress produced by the trauma. Our aim was to remark the association between Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and long-term dissociative disorders through the study of a clinical case.Method:A clinical case was followed and reviewed to illustrate this relationship.Results:Ten years ago, a 49-year-old man was diagnosed of PTSD after having witnessed several colleagues burnt in a tragic accident at work and having helped the emergency fire brigade to rescue other victims. His symptoms required treatment with antidepressants and psychotherapy, and fully remitted after one year. Nevertheless, during the last year, he has presented two dissociative amnesia episodes lasting for three days each, which were examined by a neurology service. More recently, he has suffered a ten-day episode of dissociative fugue, which required psychiatric hospitalization. Although the patient has been asymptomatic during a decade, it is remarkable that he has presented three dissociative episodes in a short period of time. One of them, the fugue state, is interesting because of its long duration and its relatively low prevalence in the general population.Conclusions:This clinical case allows us to appreciate the long-term relationships between psychological trauma and dissociation, in addition to the well-known short-term effects.

scholarly journals The Molecular Biology of Susceptibility to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Highlights of Epigenetics and Epigenomics

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10743
Author(s):  
Ghazi I. Al Jowf ◽  
Clara Snijders ◽  
Bart P. F. Rutten ◽  
Laurence de Nijs ◽  
Lars M. T. Eijssen
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Differential Susceptibility ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic

Exposure to trauma is one of the most important and prevalent risk factors for mental and physical ill-health. Excessive or prolonged stress exposure increases the risk of a wide variety of mental and physical symptoms. However, people differ strikingly in their susceptibility to develop signs and symptoms of mental illness after traumatic stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder affecting approximately 8% of the world’s population during their lifetime, and typically develops after exposure to a traumatic event. Despite that exposure to potentially traumatizing events occurs in a large proportion of the general population, about 80–90% of trauma-exposed individuals do not develop PTSD, suggesting an inter-individual difference in vulnerability to PTSD. While the biological mechanisms underlying this differential susceptibility are unknown, epigenetic changes have been proposed to underlie the relationship between exposure to traumatic stress and the susceptibility to develop PTSD. Epigenetic mechanisms refer to environmentally sensitive modifications to DNA and RNA molecules that regulate gene transcription without altering the genetic sequence itself. In this review, we provide an overview of various molecular biological, biochemical and physiological alterations in PTSD, focusing on changes at the genomic and epigenomic level. Finally, we will discuss how current knowledge may aid us in early detection and improved management of PTSD patients.

scholarly journals Thinking that one's life was in danger: perceived life threat in individuals directly or indirectly exposed to terror

2016 ◽  
Vol 209 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trond Heir ◽  
Ines Blix ◽  
Charlotte K. Knatten
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Perceived Threat ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Ptsd Checklist ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Life Threat ◽  
Bomb Explosion

BackgroundPerceived life threat is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Still, it is not known whether perceived threat may be important for PTSD in people indirectly exposed to trauma.AimsTo examine the prevalence of perceived life threat and the association with PTSD in individuals directly or indirectly exposed to terror.MethodData are cross-sectional from a survey 10 months after the 2011 Oslo bombing. Perceived life threat was measured by the question: ‘How great do you think the danger was that you would die?’ scored on a five-point scale. PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist (PCL).ResultsThe retrospective belief that one's life was in great or overwhelming danger was reported by 65% and 22% of employees who had been present or not present, respectively, at the site of the bomb explosion (n= 1923). A high perceived life threat was associated with PTSD among those present (odds ratio (OR) = 5.7, 95% CI 1.9–16.9) and not present (OR = 5.2. 95% CI 3.0–9.0), even after adjusting for objective exposure, demographics and neuroticism.ConclusionsPerceived life threat may play a central role in the development and maintenance of PTSD in people directly as well as indirectly exposed to terror. Moderating perceptions of having been in serious danger may be an appropriate approach to the prevention and treatment of PTSD.

scholarly journals Rise of human devastation syndrome in Syria

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Roshaan Ahmed ◽  
Syed Uzair Mahmood ◽  
Haema Waheed
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Civil War ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
The People ◽  
Post Traumatic

The Syria Civil War, which started in 2011, has killed 400,000 people. It has forced more than 11 million people to suffer and has caused not only the people to migrate but also to be displaced within their own country. The war has brought only misery in the lives of Syrians as the damage has only focused on residents of the region in combat. The children have faced the worst, losing their parents, siblings or even friends to violence, suffering physical and psychological trauma. Out of the 11 million and more people who have suffered, 4.9 million Syrians are refugees and 6.1 million have displaced within Syria, out of which half of those affected are children.The end result of the continued Syria Civil War is that those who have managed to survive have been severely damaged both physically and psychologically, disturbing their interpersonal, psychosocial, physical and mental health. The incidence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases in such a situation, which tends to affect the lives of the Syrian people permanently.

Prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress symptoms in 2200 hospitalised and non-hospitalised injured New Zealanders

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110607
Author(s):  
Shanthi Ameratunga ◽  
Ari Samaranayaka ◽  
Emma H Wyeth ◽  
Gabrielle Davie ◽  
Rebbecca Lilley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Risk ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Perceived Threat ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Injury ◽  
Accident Compensation ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Threat To Life

Objective: Post-traumatic stress disorder following injuries unrelated to mass casualty events has received little research attention in New Zealand. Internationally, most studies investigating predictors of post-injury post-traumatic stress disorder focus on hospitalised patients although most survivors are not hospitalised. We compared the prevalence and predictors of symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder 12 months following injury among hospitalised and non-hospitalised entitlement claimants in New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation. This government-funded universal no-fault insurance scheme replaced tort-based compensation for injuries in 1974 since when civil litigation (which can bias post-traumatic stress disorder estimates) has been rare. Methods: A total of 2220 Accident Compensation Corporation claimants aged 18–64 years recruited to the Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study were interviewed at 12 months post-injury to identify symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder using the Impact of Events Scale. Multivariable models examined the extent to which baseline sociodemographic, injury, health status and service interaction factors predicted the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among hospitalised and non-hospitalised groups. Results: Symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder were reported by 17% of hospitalised and 12% of non-hospitalised participants. Perceived threat to life at the time of the injury doubled this risk among hospitalised (adjusted relative risk: 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 1.2–3.2) and non-hospitalised (relative risk: 1.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.2–2.8) participants. Among hospitalised participants, other predictors included female gender, Pacific and ‘other’ minority ethnic groups, pre-injury depressive symptoms, financial insecurity and perceived inadequacies in healthcare interactions, specifically information and time to discuss problems. Among non-hospitalised survivors, predictors included smoking, hazardous drinking, assault and poor expectations of recovery. Conclusion: One in six hospitalised and one in eight non-hospitalised people reported post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms 12 months following injury. Perceived threat to life was a strong predictor of this risk in both groups. Identifying early predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder, regardless of whether the injury required hospitalisation, could help target tailored interventions that can reduce longer-term psychosocial morbidity.

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