Stress and Trauma Disorders

What is Acute Stress Disorder?

A trauma-related disorder with symptoms lasting 2-30 days.

What is PTSD?

A trauma-related disorder with symptoms lasting more than 30 days.

What is the main difference between Acute Stress Disorder and PTSD?

How long the symptoms last.

What must happen before someone can develop PTSD?

Exposure to a life-threatening or traumatic event.

What are examples of traumatic events?

Combat, assault, accidents, natural disasters, or childhood abuse.

What are the four PTSD symptom categories?

Re-experiencing, avoidance, negative thoughts and emotions, and heightened arousal.

What is re-experiencing in PTSD?

Reliving trauma through memories, nightmares, or flashbacks.

What is a flashback?

Feeling as though a traumatic event is happening again.

What is avoidance in PTSD?

Avoiding people, places, thoughts, or situations associated with trauma.

What are negative emotional symptoms of PTSD?

Numbness, detachment, persistent negative thoughts, and difficulty remembering trauma.

What is heightened arousal?

Feeling constantly alert, tense, or easily startled.

What is hypervigilance?

Constantly watching for possible danger.

What is an exaggerated startle response?

Reacting strongly to sudden noises or movements.

What are common sleep symptoms of PTSD?

Nightmares and difficulty falling or staying asleep.

What is PTSD with delayed expression?

Full PTSD criteria are not met until at least 6 months after the trauma.

What is Complex PTSD (CPTSD)?

A condition associated with prolonged, repeated interpersonal trauma.

What experiences can cause Complex PTSD?

Long-term child abuse, domestic violence, or sex trafficking.

Is Complex PTSD a separate diagnosis in DSM-5?

No. The lecture identifies it as an ICD-11 diagnosis.

What percentage of people with Acute Stress Disorder develop PTSD?

About 40%, according to the lecture.

What percentage of people with PTSD recover within 3 months?

About 50%, according to the lecture.

What is the female-to-male ratio for PTSD?

Approximately 2:1.

At what age can PTSD develop?

At any age after traumatic exposure.

How might children express PTSD differently from adults?

They may act out, report physical symptoms, or reenact trauma through play.

What trauma characteristics increase PTSD risk?

Severe, repeated, prolonged, or human-caused trauma.

What personal factors increase PTSD risk?

Prior trauma, anxiety, depression, poor coping skills, and negative thinking.

What social factors increase PTSD risk?

Lack of support, limited resources, and stigmatization.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a trauma-focused therapy.

What is the purpose of cognitive therapy for PTSD?

To help change distressing beliefs and thoughts about trauma.

Why are coping skills important in PTSD treatment?

They help manage anxiety, distress, and heightened arousal.

What psychological treatments are listed for PTSD?

Cognitive therapy, EMDR, coping skills, group therapy, and body-based therapies.

What medications may be used for PTSD symptoms?

Antidepressants, some adrenergic blockers, and other symptom-targeted medications.

Is there one specific medication that cures PTSD?

No. Medications may help manage particular symptoms.

What other disorders commonly occur with PTSD?

Anxiety disorders, depression, dissociative disorders, and substance use disorders.

What is Adjustment Disorder?

Emotional or behavioral symptoms after a stressful event that does not require PTSD-level trauma.

What is dissociation?

A disruption in the normal integration of memory, identity, emotions, or behavior.

What are the three main dissociative disorders?

Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder, Dissociative Amnesia, and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

What role can culture play in dissociation?

Some cultures accept altered states of consciousness for spiritual or healing purposes.

What is Depersonalization?

Feeling detached from yourself or your body.

What is Derealization?

Feeling that your surroundings are unreal or dreamlike.

What is the difference between Depersonalization and Derealization?

Depersonalization affects your sense of self; derealization affects your sense of surroundings.

How might someone describe depersonalization?

Feeling like a robot or watching yourself from outside your body.

How might someone describe derealization?

Feeling like the world is unreal or like living in a dream.

Does someone with Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder lose touch with reality?

No. Reality testing remains intact.

What conditions can include depersonalization symptoms?

PTSD, panic disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and medical or substance-related conditions.

What is Dissociative Amnesia?

Inability to recall important personal information, often related to trauma or stress.

Is Dissociative Amnesia caused by brain injury?

No. The lecture describes it as psychological in origin.

What does the psychodynamic model suggest about Dissociative Amnesia?

Painful memories may be repressed or split off from awareness.

What is Dissociative Fugue?

Unexpected travel or wandering with amnesia for identity or personal history.

Is Dissociative Fugue common?

No. It is rare.

When might Dissociative Fugue occur?

After extreme stress, natural disasters, or wartime experiences.

What is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?

A disorder involving two or more distinct identity states and memory gaps.

What are alters in DID?

Distinct identity states with their own memories, attitudes, or perceptions.

What was DID previously called?

Multiple Personality Disorder.

How does DSM-5 describe possession experiences in DID?

They can be included as an expression of distinct identity states.

What is the psychodynamic dissociation-trauma model of DID?

Early severe trauma leads to psychological dissociation and separate identity states.

What is the iatrogenic explanation of DID?

The theory that therapists may create or reinforce identities through suggestion.

What does iatrogenic mean?

Caused by medical or therapeutic intervention.

What techniques does the iatrogenic explanation emphasize?

Hypnosis and suggestive memory-recovery methods.

What is a diathesis?

A preexisting vulnerability that increases risk for developing a disorder.

What vulnerabilities are associated with dissociative disorders in the lecture?

Childhood trauma, fantasy proneness, high hypnotizability, and ability to dissociate.

What stressors may trigger dissociative symptoms?

Sudden trauma or intense emotional conflict.

What is the main treatment for dissociative disorders?

Psychological treatment or psychotherapy.

What is the purpose of integrating dissociated experiences?

To help connect memories, emotions, and aspects of identity.

Why is a trusting therapeutic relationship important?

It helps establish safety while discussing traumatic experiences.

Are there medications specifically for dissociative disorders?

No specific medications; antidepressants may help associated symptoms.

Why should therapists avoid pushing trauma exploration too quickly?

It may overwhelm or retraumatize the client.

APPLICATION: Someone feels like they are watching themselves from outside their body. What symptom is this?

Depersonalization.

APPLICATION: Someone says everything around them looks fake or dreamlike. What symptom is this?

Derealization.

APPLICATION: Someone cannot remember important personal information after severe stress. What is a possible diagnosis?

Dissociative Amnesia.

APPLICATION: A person unexpectedly travels away and cannot remember their personal history. What specifier fits?

Dissociative Fugue.

APPLICATION: Someone experiences distinct identity states and memory gaps between them. What disorder fits?

Dissociative Identity Disorder.

APPLICATION: A therapist believes hypnosis created a client's apparent alternate identities. Which model is this?

Iatrogenic perspective.

What are Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders?

Disorders involving distressing physical symptoms or excessive concern about health.

What are the three main disorders covered in this lecture?

Conversion Disorder, Somatic Symptom Disorder, and Illness Anxiety Disorder.

What is Conversion Disorder?

A disorder involving neurological-like symptoms incompatible with recognized neurological disease.

What is another name for Conversion Disorder?

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder.

What are examples of conversion symptoms?

Paralysis, blindness, mutism, weakness, loss of sensation, and seizure-like episodes.

Are conversion symptoms intentionally faked?

No.

What is la belle indifference?

An apparent lack of concern about a serious physical symptom.

How do conversion symptoms often begin?

Suddenly, sometimes during major stress or conflict.

What percentage of conversion patients recover within one month according to the lecture?

About 90%.

What is the prevalence of Conversion Disorder in the lecture?

Approximately 0.5%.

What is the female-to-male ratio for Conversion Disorder?

Approximately 2:1.

Who were Josef Breuer and Sigmund Freud?

Researchers associated with early psychodynamic explanations of hysteria.

What book did Breuer and Freud publish in 1895?

Studies on Hysteria.

Who was Anna O.?

Bertha Pappenheim, a famous patient discussed in early studies of hysteria.

What is Freud's psychodynamic explanation of Conversion Disorder?

Repressed emotional conflict becomes expressed through physical symptoms.

What treatments does the lecture list for Conversion Disorder?

Insight therapy, coping skills, hypnosis, and treatment of associated conditions.

What is Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)?

Distressing physical symptoms accompanied by excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.

Can someone have SSD and a real medical condition?

Yes. The excessive response to symptoms is central.

What is a common behavior in Somatic Symptom Disorder?

Frequent medical visits and strong focus on physical symptoms.

What is the usual course of Somatic Symptom Disorder?

Often chronic, with symptoms that fluctuate over time.

What is the adult prevalence of SSD in the lecture?

Approximately 5-7%.

What factors may contribute to SSD?

Stress, trauma, negative thinking, pain experiences, and reinforcement of illness behavior.

What is secondary gain?

An indirect benefit from symptoms, such as attention or reduced responsibilities.

What is the main psychological treatment for SSD?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

What does CBT target in Somatic Symptom Disorder?

Unhelpful thinking, coping patterns, and excessive symptom-focused behavior.

What other treatments are listed for SSD?

Distraction, stress management, exercise, body therapies, and treatment of comorbid conditions.

What is Illness Anxiety Disorder?

Persistent fear of having or developing a serious illness.

What was Illness Anxiety Disorder formerly called?

Hypochondriasis.