The Continuous Presence Of Trauma Essay

The Continuous Presence Of Trauma Essay
Trauma has been an incorporated part of life since the beginning of human history. It is caused by an
uncontrollable and unexpected threatening event that breaks assumptions of living in a relatively
controlled and safe environment (Cai, Ding, Tang, Wu, & Yang, 2014). Evidence of the continuous
presence of trauma is provided through ancient texts concerning soldiers and their battles with Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A Greek philosopher Gorgias (2003) commented in his
prominent speech, Encomium of Helen, about the negative effects combat had on the warriors.
Gorgias provided great detail regarding how many soldiers were afraid at the beginning of battle
once individuals witnessed the enemy marching dressed in armor. Also, Gorgias noted that after
soldiers returned home from war, many men had fallen victim to symptoms that included useless
labor, dread disease, and madness that was hard to cure (Gorgias, 2003). Even though trauma has
changed little since ancient times, the treatment of individuals who experience traumatic events has.
In counseling and other mental health fields, the understanding of trauma has grown rapidly within
the past 30 years (Goodman, 2015). For example, in 1980, PTSD was added to the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and it increased public and professional awareness of
the psychological impact of traumatic events. Also, there was a tremendous increase of articles
concerning PTSD since the second Gulf War and after
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The Movie ' The Legend '
This movie is about Chris Kyle, who is a dedicated Navy SEAL sniper. He is referred to as "The
Legend" because he is one of the greatest, deadliest snipers and has killed dozens of people.
American Sniper really shows the effect war has on a person and how Post–Traumatic Stress
Disorder changed his life. Throughout his four tours in war, Chris was exposed to actual and
threatened death. Which is one of the requirements to have PTSD. A lot of those situations where he
experienced the actual or threatened death were people he cared about deeply, which definitely
impacted him. Not only that, but he had killed dozens of people as well so he witnessed it all in
person and had a direct experience. The four categories of symptoms for PTSD are intrusion,
avoidance, negative cognitions/mood, and arousal/reactivity. He clearly displayed symptoms in each
of these four categories especially when he would return home to his family. There was a scene
where Chris was sitting in a chair staring at a TV–that was not on–but there were sounds of constant
gun shots and a helicopter. He was having an auditory hallucination, which falls under the category
of intrusion. Another symptom Chris presented was avoidance. When his wife, Taya, asked him
what he wanted to do that day, he did not want to leave the house. This was probably because he
was avoiding any situation which could remind him of the traumatic events he had experienced.
Although, that was not the only thing he avoided. Each time

Treating Symptoms Of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay
Utilizing Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy to Treat Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
1304063
University of Alberta
Utilizing Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy to Treat Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The survival status of burn victims is increasing and although this is an achievement for the medical
field, it means that many burn victims are left dealing with psychiatric issues such as stress,
depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Willebrand, Anderson & Ekeselius,
2004). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that results from a traumatic event in which the client's life was
or perceived to be threatened (Lonergan, 2014). There are three cardinal categories of signs and
symptoms of PTSD: re–experiencing (flashbacks), avoidance/numbing and hyper–arousal
(American Psychiatric Association, 2013). A female adult is admitted two months post burn to a
mental health clinic located in the city. Upon further inquiry, the physician diagnoses her with PTSD
based on her reported symptoms, using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder
(American et al., 2013). Collaborating with the mental health nurses results in two nursing strategies
that are planned focusing on the current gold standard to treating the symptoms that characterize
PTSD. This paper will outline two evidenced based strategies that a nurse can implement
specifically, utilizing techniques of prolonged exposure (PE) therapy and medication education

Assessment And Treatment Of Combat Related Posttraumatic...
Assessment and Treatment of Combat–Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder The number of
veterans returning from the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF),
and Operation New Dawn (OND) conflicts that are afflicted with posttraumatic stress disorder is
estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands (Kip, et al., 2013, p. 1298), demonstrating the
importance of the social worker to be knowledgeable of the symptoms and treatment of this
disabling trauma. The purpose of this literature review is to address the issue of posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), address the symptoms linked to PTSD, and the methods used in the assessment of
posttraumatic stress disorder with emphasis on military combat–related PTSD. In addition, the
literature review will identify the interventions by social work, if any, when addressing PTSD and
the role social workers may play when assisting those with combat–related posttraumatic stress
disorder.
Assessment
Posttraumatic stress disorder is caused by "exposure to a traumatic stressor or bearing witness to
such an event" (Peterson, Luethcke, Borah, Borah, & Young–McCaughan, 2011, p. 166). Patients
cannot develop PTSD without this exposure. Risk factors for a client 's development of combat–
related PTSD can be divided into three main categories: the trauma 's type and severity, the
individual 's factors, such as age, socioeconomic status, and psychiatric and previous history, and
external environmental factors (Peterson, et al.,

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )
PTSD or Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder is an increasing problem in our country. PTSD has its
roots in the military, but the entire populace is subject to its effects. I served my country for the past
21 years and have seen the before and after of the effects of combat, so any discussions about PTSD,
diagnosis, treatments, and cures is likely to catch my eye. In this paper, we will discuss the basics on
PTSD, current rates in society, and list the possible cures and or treatments that are currently in use.
The prevalence in society should show that all people should be familiar with the signs and systems,
as well as knowing some of the basic treatments to assist afflicted individuals. The goal of this paper
is to provide just that for the reader. Definitions and Descriptions Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder
begins with some sort of terrible emotional or physical event, but the effects remain with the
individual. You can experience the event by direct contact, sight, or learning of the trauma, usually
involving death, catastrophic injury, or sexual assault. PTSD is a mental health condition that is tied
closely with flashbacks, night terrors, rumination on the event and anxiety. Not all people who
experience a terrifying event have PTSD, as with time and resiliency techniques, the residuals will
go away. Some even using those techniques will develop PTSD. PTSD usually begins within the
first three months after an event, but sometimes it will take years to develop. PTSD has

Ptsd : Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD, post–traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder or serious condition that can develop after
a victim who has witnessed or experienced a traumatic event.(American Psychiatric Association,
2013) When PTSD was identified as an mental health condition by the psychologist? The term
PTSD first appeared in the 1980s, but the concept of this disorder can be traced back to 1952 when
the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM was published.
The stress reaction of PTSD in DSM–I is defined as a "normal personality established patterns of
reaction to deal with overwhelming fear". In 1978, the Committee of Reactive Disorders decided to
name this stress reaction as Post–traumatic Stress Disorder.(Andreasen 2010) The definition of
PTSD has changed through different edition of the DSM. Definition of PTSD (DSM5) In the current
edition of DSM 5th edition, PTSD is defined as a mental disorder that has a small chance to develop
when a person is exposed to one or more traumatic events such as war, natural disasters, terrorist
attack, accidents, different kinds of life threat, or physical or sexual assaults. Most survivors of the
events might feel anger, fear, shock or even guilt, but these reactions are common. Through time and
good care, survivors usually can get better and move on. However, some survivors might experience
serious stress reactions, numbing memories and hyper arousal of the traumatic events. When the
symptoms get worse for a

Ptsd Essay
PTSD is more likely to occur in military personnel and underserved populations, such as those with
low socioeconomic status, minorities, LGBTQ (Charuvastra & Cloitre, 2008). These populations are
more likely to experience stress, and with the exception of the military, are not provided with
adequate support systems to help combat the stress (Charuvastra & Cloitre, 2008). LGBTQ and
ethnically diverse individuals with PTSD face persecution and hate crimes, and their local
government may not support their needs. Poorer neighborhoods often see gang violence, drug
trafficking, prostitution, and other negative aspects that can lead an individual living in it to develop
PTSD. These neighborhoods are not equipped to combat mental health ... Show more content on
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Examples of the types of positive changes that can occur as post traumatic growth are: spiritual
development, openness to new possibilities, greater appreciation for life, enriched interpersonal
relationships, enhanced coping skills, higher self–esteem, and increased independence (Moran et al.,
2013). Post traumatic growth can be used as an ongoing coping mechanism to deal with trauma and
life stressors (Moran et al., 2013). It also leads to stronger positive perception of self, healthier
coping, less PTSD symptoms, and a clearer sense of direction (Moran et al., 2013). Similar to
resilience and hardiness, individuals who experience post traumatic growth tend to share
comparable characteristics: "(1) interpersonal traits including humor, kindness, and leadership; (2)
cognition, such as creativity and curiosity; (3) fortitude, such as honesty, bravery, and judgment; (4)
temperance, such as forgiveness, modesty, and fairness; and (5) transcendence, including gratitude,
hope, and zest" (Moran et al., 2013, p.2). People who experience post traumatic growth in the face
of trauma are typically extroverts, are open, and are agreeable as well (Moran et al., 2013). Veterans
with PTSD have been found to use maladaptive coping skills, such as self–punishment and social
avoidance, and faulty cognitive processing, like dissociation, depersonalization, and surface level
processing (Moran et

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety...
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder that is developed from
witnessing or exposure to traumatic events that is threatening or creates a horrific fear, horror and
sense of helplessness in a person. It is common among service men and women, especially those
returning from overseas, who have been actively engaged in combat operations overseas. Although
PTSD is not limited to solely service men and women, it can occur in children and civilians, who
encounter tragic circumstances, such as those related to sexual trauma, physical assault, serious
accidents and terrorist attacks, like the individuals who witnessed firsthand, the September 11th
terrorist attack on the world trade center. In any case, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
and have extreme difficulties integrating in a society that is not threating. This is one of the biggest
factors impeding in reintegrating in society, called "turning it off" which is simply trying to
transition from one extreme to the other after prolonged exposure. Many factors hinder the
transition, such as hyper vigilance; always scanning for threats and on the edge, anticipating
something negative is going to happen. There are many "triggers" that Veterans associate their
traumatic experiences with, and these include certain smells, sounds, sights, and so on. These
triggers act as a reminder of the horrific events that occurred in the past, and remind the person of
the event, and even re–live the event as if it is taking place in real time. These are only a few
examples of what most Veterans experience and live with on a day–to day basis, as the list and
conditions can go on and on. Because PTSD typically occurs soon after the traumatic event occurs,
early intervention needs to take place. A common means of early intervention for persons suffering
from PTSD is known as psychological debriefing (PD). PD attempts to lessen or prevent
psychological damage by utilizing specialized debriefing methods. This tries to target the triggers
causing PTSD to

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
In the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie, an introverted boy, coping with the recent
suicide of his friend, begins high school. He finds trouble making friends until he meets Patrick and
Sam. As Charlie attempts to improve his social interaction, and cultivate a sense of self, he
continuously experiences blackouts and triggers. Nearing the end of the film, Charlie has a mental
breakdown, which leads to his hospitalization, and he uncovers his repressed memories of his Aunt
Helen molesting him. Charlie shows symptoms and behavioral tendencies of post–traumatic stress
disorder in addition to a comorbid diagnosis of depression and social anxiety. Charlie's sexual abuse
follows the main criterion of PTSD, in which he experiences direct exposure of a traumatic event.
According to the DSM–5, the presence of reoccurring, involuntary, and intrusive distressing
memories, recurrent distressing dreams, dissociative reactions and flashbacks, and intense or
prolonged mental and physical distress at exposure of internal or external cues, are typical
symptoms of PTSD (Butcher et al., 2015). Charlie experiences several flashbacks from his
childhood, around the time of his molestation and his Aunt Helen's death, as well as blackouts. In
addition, his sensitivity to seasonal triggers, during the winter holidays, increases his depressive
mood. When one of his friends, and love–interest, Sam sexually touches his leg it triggers a
flashback of his Aunt touching his leg saying,

Symptoms And Symptoms Of Ptsd
Preliminary Statement Traumatic events and experiences are universal, 60% of men and 51% of
women in the general population have reported at least 1 traumatic event in their lives (van der Kolk
et al. 2007). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after the
exposure to a traumatic event. It affects approximately 1 million Australians in any one year, and
12% of Australians will experience PTSD symptoms in their lifetime (Beyond Blue, 2015). A
clinical component of PTSD is the painful re–experience of the traumatic event in the form of
intrusive images, nightmares and flashbacks which are often accompanied with avoidant reactions
and symptoms of arousal and distress (American Psychiatric Association, ... Show more content on
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EMDR aims to process the 'frozen' information of the traumatic event by identifying and
concentrating on the distressing experience whilst directing attention to the therapist's hand
movements which elicits back–and–forth eye movements. The rapid eye movement (REM)
hypothesis posits that the back–and forth eye movements used in EMDR produce a brain state
similar to that produced during REM sleep which is known to generate essential functions such as
memory consolidation (Stickgold, 2002). Hence, the eye movements would facilitate and allow for
further information processing of the traumatic event which would, consequently, reduce the chronic
and distressing symptoms of PTSD (Solomon & Shapiro, 2008). Thus, the theoretical account
provides evidence as to how EMDR would be an effective treatment of PTSD symptoms (Van Rood
& de Roos, 2009). A substantial amount of empirical research highlights EMDR's effect on the
reduction of PTSD symptoms (Renfrey & Spates, 1994; Rogers et al., 1999; Wilson, Silver, Covi, &
Foster, 1996). For example, Rothbaum (1997) randomly assigned 18 adult female rape victims
diagnosed with PTSD to an EMDR treatment condition or a wait–list control group who received no
treatment. There was a significant decrease of PTSD and depression symptom severity scores in the
EMDR participants at

Animal Assisted Therapy: A Case Study
Introduction
Over the years, animals have participated with great results in the treatment of the elderly and
terminally ill. Now, Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is benefitting people diagnosed with
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with promising results. Veterans are the most notable with it
comes to PTSD. These men and women share a deep sense of fellowship and believe that no one but
another fellow soldier can understand what they have experienced. Helping veterans who are
suffering as a result of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder has mostly been through counseling,
medication, and partnering with other military veterans for support. (U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, 2017) A large number of people have often have been exposed to animals at a young age
through having pets, pictures in books, going to the zoo, television, classrooms, blankets, or
clothing. Pairing animals with humans to treat any number of ailments is a new route many people
are taking as part of their treatment plan. The resent use of Animal Assisted Therapy for people that
suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder has been on the rise in recent years to help with dealing
with everyday life and recovery. Moreover, the healing process for PTSD has ... Show more content
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The history of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder goes all the back to 1678 when Swiss physicians
identified it as "nostalgia" and in 1905 the Russians referred to it as "shell shock" during WWI. In
1952 the DSM–I this affliction was labeled "gross stress reaction" and was later dropped from the
DSM–II in 1968. It wasn't until 1980 when the DSM–III was put into circulation that Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder was used (Wordpress,

Examining Effectiveness Of Treatment Strategies Used With...
Examining Effectiveness of Treatment Strategies Used With Survivors of Rape Therapy for
survivors of rape is often difficult to obtain. The lack of availability of counselors who specialize in
specific trauma treatments, like prolonged exposure and cognitive–processing therapy, as well as
lack of insurance and location, are hardships for treatment–seeking individuals. Therefore, it is
important to pinpoint the most effective treatments for those who have suffered the trauma of rape.
The purpose of this research is to outline the most effective, lasting, and current treatments used to
treat female survivors of sexual assault. Modern treatments for rape trauma syndrome include
cognitive, behavioral, and exposure components. The specific protocols of cognitive processing
therapy and prolonged exposure have both been demonstrated to be effective in treating
posttraumatic stress disorder and common comorbid disorders, like depression, anxiety, guilt, and
anger (Resick, Williams, Suvak, Monson, & Gradus, 2012, p. 202). Existential therapy, person–
centered counseling, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing are underlying
philosophies and techniques investigated. It can prove difficult to find empirically–supported
treatments because the research is often not explicitly experimental, and there is a limitation to
sampling. Examining different types of standard treatments used with female survivors of rape is
necessary to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) Essay
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "PTSD is a disorder that develops in certain people who have
experienced a shocking, traumatic, or dangerous event" (National Institute of Mental Health). Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has always existed, PTSD was once considered a psychological
condition of combat veterans who were "shocked" by and unable to face their experiences on the
battlefield. Much of the general public and many mental health professionals doubted whether
PTSD was a true disorder (NIMH). In 1980, PTSD was recognized as a disorder with specific
symptoms that could be reliably diagnosed and was added to the American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. PTSD is associated with changes in brain
function and structure and these changes provide clues to the origins, treatment, and prevention of
PTSD. Some cases may be delayed, with only subtle symptoms showing up initially and more
severe symptoms emerging months after the traumatic event. The event only needs to be traumatic
to that person, it can be exposure to war, fire, car accident, abuse, natural disaster, witnessing a
traumatic event, or loss of a loved one. Although most people who go through trauma will not get
PTSD, the are more likely to develop PTSD if they were directly exposed to the trauma as a victim
or a witness, were seriously hurt during the event, went through a trauma that was long–lasting or
very severe, believed that they were in danger, believed

Among those who served in the Vietnam War, 84.8% of those diagnosed Post–Traumatic Stress
Disorder still show moderate impairment of symptoms, even 30 plus years after the war (Glover
2014). As of today, the Unites States has 2.8 million veterans who served in the Afghanistan and
Iraq wars, of those it is estimated that 11 to 20% currently suffer from Post–Traumatic Stress
Disorder. As of 2013, a total of 12,632 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are currently
diagnosed with Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder (Glover 2014). Of course it is to be taken into
account that these numbers are based on those who admit to experiencing symptoms and seek
treatment. Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder statistics are exceedingly difficult to gauge among
veterans. According to the following source, "it is possible to have undiagnosed PTSD for 30 years
and not realize it" (Veterans and PTSD). Symptoms may not be diagnosed anywhere from 1 year
after service to a lifetime. Also, it must be taken into account that after retiring many veterans may
lose touch and not receive treatment for symptoms or further affiliate with the military. In the 1980s,
regarding PTSD in Vietnam veterans, it was found that 15%–30% of veterans reported having
PTSD; however, in 2003 a new study found that four out of five reported symptoms. In regards to
treatment there are good treatment options available for those who have been diagnosed as Post–
Traumatic Stress Disorder. When first diagnosed, it may be

Psychology In A Nutshell
Psychology in a Nutshell
In time before psychology was even around, many people have had different types of issues
surrounding them. Many have had some issues not able to determine the causes and effects of some
problems that can be solved or even resolved by professionals. On a daily basis, psychology plays
an important factor in which can be examined on who we are as a person and your aspect of life. It
can determine how you see things that will be in the near future, interacting with family, friends or
even strangers. These are some of the things that psychology can help us better understand.
As time moves forward, you can learn everything from how development happens or how factors
like culture and society behavior happens as a whole. At ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It also is part of every life. Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioral in
sociocultural factors influence health, illness and healthcare (Coomarsingh, n.d). They apply
theories and methods to understand factors which can help people be healthy, cope with sickness or
illnesses and help recover from them. Health psychologist may also assist in reducing stress,
developing and or implementing weight control programs, a diet plan, help with managing pain, and
overcoming drug addictions. Health psychology can help individuals in many different type of ways.
Professionals in this field are helping people prevent health problems before they arise. It can
include but not limited to avoiding risk or unhealthy behaviors and to also to maintain a positive
outlook in

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )
Abstract Individuals that show to have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are significantly
affected both mentally and emotionally due to the exposure to a traumatic event. PTSD is a life–long
disorder that is being seen diagnosed more and more among returning soldiers and sexually–violated
individuals. Because of its increased detection, the importance of constructing effective treatments
for individuals living with PTSD is becoming increasingly recognized. Although effectively treating
PTSD has shown to be rather difficult and complicated, there have been potential breakthroughs,
and a large amount of research is still being devoted to discovering treatments for this disorder. The
purpose of this paper is to review the literature that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first criterion, exposure to a traumatic event, is central to PTSD. One has to be exposed, either
directly or indirectly (e.g. learning about a traumatic event), in order for them to acquire PTSD.
Only being exposed to a traumatic event is not enough to acquire this disorder, though, indicating
that the acquisition of this disorder is associated with both environmental and genetic causes. The
rest of the criteria for PTSD are direct consequences of this first criterion (Friedman, 2013).
Intrusion symptoms are those such as recurring memories, dreams, and flashbacks of the traumatic
event that are distressful and unwanted. Intrusion symptoms also include psychological and
physiological responses when exposed to reminders of the traumatic event (Friedman, 2013).
Avoidance symptoms are the avoidant actions an individual takes to counter the intrusion symptoms.
Since these intrusion symptoms are of a distressful nature, an individual might consistently and
determinately attempt to avoid all things (memories, dreams, flashbacks, environmental reminders)
related to the traumatic event (Friedman, 2013). The fourth criterion, negative alterations in
cognitions and mood,

Psychopathology Of Anxiety: A Reflective Report
The reflection paper will reflect on treatments of exposure therapies to provide clients with
techniques to confront their fears. The paper will also reflect on theories of psychopathology and
therapeutic processes of different exposure therapies. In addition, the paper also talks about the
efficacy and criticisms of exposure therapies.
Theories of Psychopathology
Exposure therapies include: implosive therapy, prolonged exposure, and eye movement
desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The theory of psychopathology of implosive therapy as
stated by Stampfl (1976) is that anxiety in a person is learned and conditioned in order to avoid
particular stimuli (p. 195). The cause of psychopathological behavior is based on generalization and
avoidance. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The main criticism is that exposure to fear memory may be too harsh on clients and is not a
humanistic approach. The therapy intensifies the victim's horrors; hence, it deviates from a
empathic, supportive, and caring perspective. Therefore, this approach does not support the social
cause of empowering victims through care, sensitivity, and support. The cognitive behavior therapist
claims that exposure therapy is unauthentic as it has already been incorporated as a CBT

The Long Term Effectiveness Of Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Existing controlled examinations of intervention efficacy specific to only sexual assault and rape are
presently minimal in comparison to intervention examinations of combination or other types of
trauma (Regehr, Alaggia, Dennis, Pitts, & Saini, 2013). Psychotherapeutic interventions that fail to
differentiate sexual assault and rape victims from other types of trauma victims may decrease the
treatment effectiveness or inadvertently harm participants in this subgroup. Trauma associated from
rape or sexual assault differ from other forms of trauma; treatment efficacy should be examined
once this matter has been taken into consideration. Specifically, trauma associated from rape or
sexual assault entail symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicidal
ideations and sexual dysfunction. Individuals may also indicate feelings of vulnerability, loss of
control, fear, shame, self–blame, societal blame and stigma (Russell & Davis, 2007; Regehr et al.,
2013; Ullman & Peter–Hagene, 2014). This research proposal intends to explore the long term
effectiveness of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) at reducing distress and trauma explicitly for
adult victims of sexual assault and rape.
Prolonged exposure (PE) is a specific exposure therapy program that derives from Emotional
Processing Theory (EPT). The idea of emotional processing is to interpret realistic information and
accommodate that information into a fear structure which in turn diminishes the fear (Foa, 2011).

Introduction P–T–S–D, four simple letters that can have a complex impact on one's life. First off,
what exactly is PTSD? Post–traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs after someone experiences a
psychologically traumatic event, which causes dysfunction in certain mental processes of the brain
(Pitman, 2010). It is noteworthy to mention that not everyone who encounters a traumatic event will
experience PTSD (Digrande, 2007). Tedeschi and Calhoun (1995) consider an event to be
traumatizing when it happens unexpectedly and if the person experiencing it feels they have a lack
of control, leaving them with persisting problems. Potentially talk about what criteria are needed to
diagnose PTSD found in the Pitman article. One controversial treatment for PTSD is Critical
Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). As explained by Lilienfeld (2007), CISD, is typically
administered in group therapy within 24–72 hours of the traumatic event with hopes of preventing
symptoms associated with PTSD. In most cases CISD is only one session that usually lasts for 3–4
hours. During the session, group members try to get in touch with their emotions, discuss them with
the rest of the group, and warn the other group members about the symptoms they are likely to
encounter (Lilienfeld, 2007). CISD being effective was shown in Campfield and Hills (2001) from
an experiment testing victims exposed to robbery for the first time, who either received CISD within
ten hours of being robbed or after forty–eight

Symptoms And Symptoms Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder is classified as an extreme anxiety disorder that has
characteristics of both mood and personality disorders. Symptoms are brought on after an individual
experiences a traumatic event. Though not everyone that experiences a traumatic event goes on to
develop PTSD, seven to eight percent of the U.S. population will experience PTSD at some point in
their lives. Symptoms of PTSD include four main categories of symptoms: reliving, avoidance,
hyper arousal, and Negative changes in beliefs and feelings. Reliving the event can include
nightmares, flashbacks, occurrence of triggers which are things that a person may hear, see, or smell
that causes an individual to relive the event. A person experiencing ... Show more content on
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The individual may experience changes in their feelings towards their self and others (PTSD: How).
Diagnosis PTSD is diagnosed using the DSM–IV. Individuals must first and foremost experience or
witness an event in which actual or threatened harm is involved (Nathan). This includes but is not
limited to: physical or sexual assault, serious accidents, child sexual or physical abuse, combat
exposure, terrorist attack and natural disasters. Such events can bring on an "intense fear,
helplessness or horror" (Nathan). Symptoms discussed above meet the criteria B through D
according to the DSM–VI for PTSD. Criteria E is that the symptoms must be present for at least one
month and show clinical impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functionality (criteria
F) (Nathan). Statistics An estimated eight percent of U.S. citizens have PTSD at any given time
(Guess). Seventy percent of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at
least once in their lives and up to 20 percent go on to develop PTSD (PTSD: How). It is estimated 1
out of 10 women develops PTSD; women are about twice as likely as men (PTSD: How). Almost 50
percent of all outpatient mental health patients have PTSD. One study conducted on numerous
college campuses found that one

Psychological Factors Associated With Ptsd
Derealization is the experience that the world is not real; the patient may feel like they are in a
dream world (American Psychological Association, 2013). Psychological Factors Development of
PTSD is not only related to experiencing a traumatic event. There are several psychological factors
associated with development of PTSD. Children that have been exposed to constant trauma and
stress are more likely to develop PTSD then children from more stable home environments. Some
studies have even shown that when fetuses are exposed to maternal stress they will have trouble
coping with stress later in life. Children who come from a poor home environment are particularly
susceptible to PTSD because they never learned successful coping skills. When these children
experience a traumatic event they do not have the tools or support to successfully manage the stress
(Halter, 2014, p. 305–307). Rademaker, Van Zuiden, Vermetten, & Geuze (2011) found that certain
personality types are more likely to develop PTSD. Those that exhibit a high amount of neuroticism
(anxiety, jealousy, envy, adverse emotional states) and those that are also introverts are more likely
to develop PTSD then others (p. 299). Biological Factors Additionally, PTSD is related to a complex
serious of biological factors. According to Halter (2014) the development of PTSD is related to how
the intense trauma causes a "dysregulation that disrupts the integration of neural networks" (p.306).
What Halter is explaining is

History Post traumatic stress disorder Post–traumatic stress disorders also none as PTSD. In 1980
the American psychiatric association added PTSD to the third edition of its diagnostic and statistical
manual of mental diagnostic nosologic classification scheme although controversial when first
introduced the PTSD diagnosis has filled an important gap in psychiatric theory and practice from
an historical perspective the significant change ushered in by the PTSD concept was the stipulation
that that the etiological agent was outside the individual traumatic event rather than an inherent
individual weakness traumatic neurosis they key to understanding the scientific basis and clinical
expression of PTSD is the concept of trauma. The formulation a traumatic event was conceptualized
as catastrophic stressor that was outside the range of usual human experiences. The framers of the
original PTSD diagnosis had in mind events such as war, torture, rape, natural disasters such as
earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcano eruptions and human made disaster such as airplanes crashes,
and automobile accidents they considered traumatic events to be clearly different from the very
painful stressors that constitute the normal vicissitudes of life such as divorce, failure, rejection,
serious illness, financial reverses, and the like by the logic adverse psychological responses to such
ordinary stressors would be characterized as adjustment disorders rather than PTSD this
dichotomization between

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Literature Review
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is characterized by psychological intrusions, avoidance,
hyperarousal, and negative cognitive changes following a traumatic event (American Psychiatric
Association, 2013). While the majority of people will at one time or another be exposed to a
traumatic event, a distinct minority develops PTSD (Gradus, 2016). PTSD affects approximately
12% of US combat veterans of the Gulf War at one point in their life (Gradus, 2016). Compared to a
prevalence rate of 7% in the general populace, PTSD appears to disproportionately affect combat
veterans (Gradus, 2016). Studies have found that there are many risk factors that may predispose
one to PTSD, ranging from the neurobiological to one's social support system (Bar–Shai ... Show
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First, a majority of participants were previously psychotherapy resistant. This suggests that VR
Exposure Therapy could be a clinically effective treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD that
are otherwise psychotherapy treatment resistant. This may be due to the fact that VR offers
multisensory exposure that other psychotherapy simply cannot. Secondly, the sample upon which
this study was conducted had on average experienced their traumatic event two years and four
months earlier. The latent nature of the treatment and its efficacy suggests that the multisensory
nature of this therapy allows the therapist to render an emotionally engaging form of exposure years
after the

Exposure and Behavoiral Therapies
Final Essay
Exposure and Behavioral Therapies
December 12, 2006
In psychotherapy there are many different ways that a therapist can decide how to treat a client. In
my paper I will discuss how Exposure Therapy and Behavioral Therapy work together with a client.
I will focus on the nature of the problem, the process of change, theory in practice, multicultural
considerations, and the types of clients and clinical problems.
The Nature of the Problem: In both Exposure and Behavioral Therapy the main focus is on anxiety.
These anxieties area conditioned response (Prochaska & Norcross, 2005, p.238 & 264). In Exposure
Therapy and Behavioral Therapy the client avoids situation where there will be confrontation or fear
where it could be ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Multicultural Considerations: Cultural differences may see exposure therapy as worse than the
disorder (Prochaska & Norcross, 2005, p.252). Therapist should show empathy with clients instead
of using terrifying visualization scenes for the client to deal with. In Exposure therapy the therapist
's empathy is used as a more freighting scene. Trauma victims in search of sensitivity, support, and
empowerment are provided more, higher decibel pain. When there is no empathic and caring
relationship between clinician and client, psychotherapy, is not worth doing (Prochaska & Norcross,
2005, p. 252). In these therapies the therapist focuses on the behavior or feared stimulus, rather than
deal with feels as much. Feelings of anxiety will be talked about while the client is going through
the process of visualization, and at the end of the visualization to rate where their anxiety is.
Strengths include a collaborative relationship between therapist and client in working toward
mutually agreed–upon goals, continual assessment to determine if the techniques are suited to
clients ' unique situation, assisting clients in learning practical skills, an educational focus, and stress
on self–management strategies (Corey. 2005, p.485). With the client and therapist on the same page
about how to work through the anxiety they can determine together would be more productive and
helpful for the client. The therapist also needs to help the client with consequences

Psychological Effects Of Complex Traum Making A Case For...
Rachael Wandrey COURSE ASSIGNMENT DATE Treating the Psychological Effects of Complex
Trauma: Making a Case for Narrative Exposure Therapy Defining Complex Trauma Complex
trauma is a term that was established to differentiate traumas that occur repeatedly from traumas that
happen in only one instance (herein referred to as "simple trauma"; Coutois, 2008). For instance,
complex trauma is typically referred to in the context of abusive childhoods wherein the child
experiences repeated traumatic events (e.g., physical or sexual abuse) over the course of their
childhood. Often the trauma will occur in parent–child relationships leaving the victim under the
control of the perpetrator (Herman, 1992). However, complex trauma is not limited to family
violence, but can include other prolonged traumatic experiences, such as concentration camps and
torture (Williams, 2006). Some researchers have argued that victims of complex trauma experience
different psychological challenges than those who are victimized in one isolated incident (e.g.,
armed robbery). Coutois (2008) delineated seven problem areas that she believes are related to
repeated early interpersonal trauma (i.e., complex trauma): 1) alterations in the regulation of
affective impulses, 2) alterations in attention and consciousness, 3) alterations in self–perception, 4)
alterations in perception of the perpetrator, 5) alterations in relationships to others, 6) somatization
and/or medical problems, 7) alterations in

The Lucid Dreaming And How Can It Be A Method Of...
Introduction
Those who experience lucid dreaming in the stage of REM sleep are aware of their dreams and able
to control their dreams. Lucid dreaming could be a possible treatment for those with post–traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) who suffer from nightmares. During lucid dreaming in a nightmare, the
PTSD patients would be able to let go of their fear by recognizing the threats they have in their
dreams are not real. PTSD patients can also transform their dreams into something more pleasant or
try to wake up from their sleep. A case study proved this idea to be true; the reoccurring dreams the
patients would experience were going away after they were introduced into lucid dreaming. Lucid
dreaming could be difficult to accomplish, but there are several techniques that can trigger lucid
dreaming. For a period of time, researchers have been pondering and searching for ways to help
those who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. This topic is interesting to investigate lucid
dreaming and how can it be a method of psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. During this
research, online, primary, and book resources were used. Therefore, this essay will deal with the
following research question: How can lucid dreaming be used as a method of psychotherapy in
those who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder?
What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that is developed after experiencing a

The Long Term Effectiveness Of Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Literature Review
Existing controlled examinations of intervention efficacy specific to only sexual assault and rape are
presently minimal in comparison to intervention examinations of combination or other types of
trauma (Regehr, Alaggia, Dennis, Pitts, & Saini, 2013). Psychotherapeutic interventions that fail to
differentiate sexual assault and rape victims from other types of trauma victims may decrease the
treatment effectiveness or inadvertently harm participants in this subgroup. Trauma associated from
rape or sexual assault differs from other forms of trauma and treatment efficacy should be examined
in this manner. Trauma from rape or sexual assault entail symptoms of PTSD, depression, suicidal
ideations and sexual dysfunction. Individuals may also indicate feelings of vulnerability, loss of
control, fear, shame, self–blame, societal blame and stigma (Russell & Davis, 2007; Regehr et al.,
2013; Ullman &Peter–Hagene, 2014). This research proposal intends to explore the long term
effectiveness of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) at reducing distress and trauma explicitly for
adult victims of sexual assault and rape.
Prolonged exposure (PE) is a specific exposure therapy program that derives from Emotional
Processing Theory (EPT). The idea of emotional processing is to interpret realistic information and
accommodate that information into a fear structure which in turn diminishes the fear (Foa, 2011).
Foa (2011) acknowledges that the idea of failing to process trauma is

Emotional Processing Disorders: A Case Study
A significant minority however, fail to adapt efficaciously. The continuance of intrusive signal of
emotional disturbance include recurring nightmares, compulsions, phobias, pressure of talk, re–
experiencing, return of anxieties, incongruous expressions of emotion to treatment failures/setbacks
as to time and place,
A subordinate reason for introducing the model arose from the incremental evidence that at least
three forms of behavioural treatment were effective in reducing psychological problems, notably
phobias. Common difficulties challenged during exposure therapy for PTSD, including under
engagement and over engagement, are made known in the context of emotional processing theory
and suggestions for how to contrive these difficulties are presented.
Exposure treatment has the greatest evidence base and strongest empiric support for effectiveness in
the treatment of PTSD. Emotional processing therapy is described by Baker. Second, logistic
regression was used to foretell continuance of symptoms. Broadly, the person's beliefs and
appraisals definitely influence the protuberance. investigations of fear–relevant imagery from the
perspective of behaviour therapy for reducing fear. 2008; Marks and Dar 2000) and in some cases
fear declines despite negative expectations being confirmed during exposure (Marks and Dar 2000).
What encourage adaptation to emotional disturbances, and what factors impede it?
The search for an explanation of the process of adaptation led to the

Dialectical Behavior Therapy : An Evidence Based Treatment...
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence–based treatment for borderline personality
disorder (BPD) and PTSD (Cukor, 2009). The therapy focuses on a balance between change and
acceptance. DBT is combined with individual psychotherapy and building skills groups to regulate
emotion, mindfulness and distress tolerance. There are two stages associated with DBT. The first
entails the use of DBT for individuals with BPD with significant trauma histories and PTSD (Welch
& Rothbaum, 2007). Patients who have completed Stage 1 treatments targets severe behavior
decontrol but must stay on Stage 1, if they continue to experience emotion dysregulation. In Stage II
DBT, individuals begin exposure to their trauma experience. No data has been accumulated studying
this application (Welch & Rothbaum, 2007). Dialectical behavior therapies teach the patient
techniques for managing strong emotions through trauma–focused methods.
Prolonged Exposure therapy
The article for the VA national center, Cognitive Changes during Prolonged Exposure versus
Prolonged Exposure plus Cognitive Restructuring in Female Assault Survivors with Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder, Schnurr examined the prolonged exposure treatments for female veterans after the
war. Paula Schnurr explained the new series of using prolonged exposure training. The practice was
used four days a week with two patients. The results of the exercise compared to other treatments
showed that patients who completed at least eight sessions

Immune To Reality By Daniel Gilbert Summary
Anybody can experience trauma, whether it's a man, a woman, or even a child. In fact, over half of
the population is expected to experience trauma at least once in their lifetimes. However, everyone
will respond to trauma in their own, unique, way, making it difficult to properly equip people with
the tools needed to heal from trauma in the event they experience it. Whereas the responses a person
and his or her body will have in the event of heart attack have been narrowed down to a small list,
and can easily be conveyed to the public through general guidelines or PSAs, the responses a person
will have to trauma can range anywhere from shrugging it off to suffering from post–traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). This is why the role of mental health professionals, such as therapists, is
crucial in regards to helping sufferers of trauma. These professionals are specially trained to be
capable of identifying and understanding the responses a person is having to a traumatic experience,
as well as the optimal ways to go about the healing process. In Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on
Happiness, specifically the chapter titled "Immune to Reality," he analyzes what he calls the
psychological immune system, a defence mechanism of the psyche which plays a prominent role in
how a person will respond in the event of trauma. While Gilbert outlines the mechanisms that cause
people to respond to trauma in the way that they do, Dana Becker, author of One Nation Under
Stress, looks at the actual

The Psychology Of Eric Reynolds Essay
Eric Reynolds is a fifty–six year old African American Vietnam veteran and plumber. He is
presenting symptoms of recurring negative intrusive memories of traumatic moments in combat;
avoidance of triggering factors, such as crowds, sudden movement, and unprovoked or unexpected
touching; negative thoughts and emotions, primarily involuntary aggression and self–imposed
isolation; heightened arousal when triggered; insomnia as a result of recurring nightmares;
hypervigilance; and pressured speech when discussing traumatic content but otherwise remained
articulate. These symptom's onset occurred over thirty years prior to his current examination, after
Mr. Reynolds left combat and entered non–combat operations within Vietnam. The symptoms
persisted after reintroduction to civilian life and remained chronic. Mr. Reynolds described direct
exposure to trauma by experiencing recurrent threats of death, injury, witnessing the death and
injury of close compatriots. Prior to expressing symptoms or exposure to the traumatic events, Mr.
Reynolds described himself as a "happy–go–lucky," "upbeat," and enjoyed activities such as boot
camp. He did not discuss or display pre–existing disorders or history of maltreatment or trauma
prior to deployment. There was no discussion or mention of biological or inherited traits relating to
trauma, anxiety, or aggression. Socioculturally however, as an African American man growing up in
a "financially struggling household" suggests that perhaps while

Treatment Plan For A Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And...
Intervention Explanation The treatment plan designed for Clarisse Precious Jones was created to
address her symptoms associated with her post traumatic stress disorder and Binge eating disorder.
This treatment plan includes four goals and four interventions, that are unique to Precious's specific
needs. The long term goal of this treatment plan is to help learn to manage symptoms associated
with PTSD in order to function in daily activities. The symptoms that are being treated through this
individualized treatment plan related to post traumatic stress disorder are: dissociative reactions,
irritable and aggressive behavior, concentration problems, and trauma–related external reminders.
The first goal is in place to assist Precious in learning to eliminate intrusive memories, a "notable
feature of memory in PTSD is the reliving experiences or "flashbacks" to the trauma" (Berwin,
2003, p. 340), and addressing causes of these memories through the intervention of prolonged
exposure. In addition, the second goal that is being implemented, preventing and addressing
distortions, is being addressed through prolonged exposure. This technique is "a general treatment
strategy for reducing anxiety that involves confronting situations, activities, thoughts, and memories
that are feared and avoided even though they are not inherently harmful." (Foa, 1998, p. 65). The
flashbacks and distortions that Precious experiences are being addressed through prolonged
exposure, due the fact that it

Health in Games
Abstract
Post–traumatic stress disorder is a mental illness that effects millions of people worldwide,
including war veterans, police officers, marines and crash survivors. Recent research of post–
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has produced new treatments with great potential and better
results. This paper investigates the use of virtual reality as way of treating people with Post–
Traumatic Stress Disorder.
There are existing treatments for PTSD, which range from pharmacological treatments that directly
treat the symptoms of PTSD, to cognitive behavioural treatments such as prolonged exposure
therapy, which is based on conditioning and learning. Pharmacological treatments however are still
not yet proven to be as efficient as Prolonged exposure therapy. Prolonged exposure therapy is the
most common treatment for PTSD; the therapy desensitizes the person to the trauma by having them
re–experience the traumatic event rather than avoiding the memories and the triggers. By combining
exposure therapy and virtual reality (VR) the patient has the ability to re–experience the trauma
within a safe and controlled environment under supervision of a therapist. Whereas traditional
exposure therapy required the patient to repetitively discuss their trauma to a therapist while closing
their eyes and imagining the traumatic event. This paper will investigate the different ways virtual
reality is used to treat people suffering from post–traumatic stress disorder.

Essay on Exposure Therapy Compared to Other Therapies
"Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically exposure therapy, has garnered a great deal of
empirical support in the literature for the treatment of anxiety disorders" (Gerardi et al., 2010).
Exposure therapy is an established PTSD treatment (Chambless & Ollendick, 2001) and so is a
benchmark for comparing other therapies (Taylor et al, 2003). "Exposure therapy typically involves
the patient repeatedly confronting the feared stimulus in a graded manner, either in imagination or in
vivo. Emotional processing is an essential component of exposure therapy" (Gerardi et al., 2010).
"Exposure therapy in the virtual environment allows the participant to experience a sense of
presence in an immersive, computer–generated, three–dimensional, ... Show more content on
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The patients used it this design were outpatients referred in 1992 through 1995 by professionals,
Victim Support, police, ambulance, fire services, and even the subjects themselves. The criteria that
had to be met in order for the subjects to be used in this study were as followed: PTSD for 6 or more
months; age of 16 to 65 years; and absence of melancholia or suicidal intent, organic brain disease,
past or present psychosis, antidepressant drug (unless the patient had been receiving a stable dose
for 3 or more months); and diazepam in a dose of 10 mg/d or more or equivalent, ingestion of 30 or
more alcohol units a week, and past exposure or cognitive therapy for PTSD (Marks et al., 1998).
The therapist used a procedure manual and 4 treatment manuals which covered each session in each
treatment condition. The sessions were audiotaped and each individual session lasted either 90
minutes or 105 minutes in Exposure Combined with Cognitive Restructuring (EC) therapy. The
therapists that were used were a nurse therapist and a clinical psychologist. In sessions 1 through 5
of Exposure Therapy subjects were asked to imagine their previous trauma memories. Patients were
asked to talk in first person tense about what they experienced, and then were asked to imagine and
describe critical aspects of the trauma and "rewind and hold"

Prolonged Exposure Therapy: A Case Study
Prolonged Exposure therapy focuses on repeating exposure to the trauma. This method also focuses
on the beliefs about the stimulus that don't represent the world accurately. These meetings tend to
occur for about ninety minutes, typically last between 9–15 sessions, and have four main sections.
An example of this would be if you are scared of a spider you would continue to show your client a
spider and eventually get them to hold the spider in their hand. This is called imaginal exposure.
Prolonged exposure also has in vivo exposure, where the client confronts the stimuli in a safe
setting. (from website) Usually the clients use escape and avoidance responses from harmeless
stimuli. These responses begin to interfere with their behaviour. Quiet

Prolonged Exposure Therapy
It is a beautiful, sunny day in Miami, Florida. The birds are chirping, and the fresh ocean breeze is
rustling the leaves. Steve Weston is trying to make the most out of this hot, summer day. He spots a
moving truck outside his window. A young girl with dark hair and bright yellow glasses and what
appears to be her father get out of the truck and go into the house next door. Steve was not expecting
new neighbors so soon. All of the sudden, Steve hears loud banging noises, one after the other after
the other. To others that is the sound of a nail gun going off, but to him that is the sound of the
bullets firing from an M240 machine gun. He is transported to the battlefield where he lost his best
friend and wife, Caroline Jones. After Steve came ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Developed by Edna Foa, prolonged exposure therapy exposes patients to their traumatic event over
and over again while being in a safe place (Blankenship 277). Although prolonged exposure therapy
is one treatment it has four main elements including education, breathing retraining, in vivo
exposure, and imaginal exposure. Education consists of learning about the treatment, treatment
symptoms, and goals of the treatment. Breathing retraining helps patients to relax and calm
themselves when they become anxious. In vivo exposure allows patients with PTSD to be put in
real–life situations that they are not comfortable with due to the trauma they have faced. Lastly,
imaginal exposure allows the patients with post–traumatic stress disorder to talk through their
traumatic event while it is recorded. After repeatedly talking through their event, the patient then
listens to what they have said (Swan 28). Prolonged exposure therapy occurs over eight to fifteen
sessions. Each session can range from 60 to 90 minutes depending on the patient and their specific
needs (Blankenship 278). This treatment helps patients with post–traumatic stress disorder by
allowing them to face their fears associated with the traumatic event and gain control over their
emotions (Swan 28). Prolonged exposure therapy is proven to be a very effective therapy and is
highly supported for the use of treating PTSD (Blankenship

A Review of the Literature Introduction Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a silent assassin
in which those around the victim have no idea what is taking place within their minds. Only those
closest to the person recognize that there is something wrong. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders diagnoses PTSD as persistent re–experiencing of the trauma, efforts to avoid
triggers related to the trauma, and hyperarousal or increased reactivity (Reddy, 2014). PTSD is
associated with exposure to a traumatic event and in some cases, symptoms of the disorder can take
months or years to appear and even longer for the individual to seek help. PTSD is a very common
occurrence in veterans, especially veterans who engaged in ... Show more content on
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This review of available literature will evaluate the two main forms of treatment as well as risk
factors and typical barriers to care and innovations in the field of care. Risk Factors Typical risk
factors that are thought to produce a higher likelihood of developing PTSD leading to also having a
dependence on alcohol over a lifetime may include some form of abuse or trauma during childhood.
Additionally, recent research has suggested that gender has an influence on the development of
PTSD and alcohol use disorders (AUD). In an article written by the Journal of Women's Health, it
attributes a higher PTSD rate in female veterans to a higher likelihood of sexual abuse/assault
during their service (Maguen et al., 2012). This factor, along with the potential for being a part of a
traumatic combat event, has caused the number of female veterans diagnosed with PTSD to surge
past that of their male counterparts. Additionally, in this study, it was found that females were less
likely to seek out treatment for their PTSD symptoms than males. Females in this study also
reported two times the number of barriers of access to care than men did (Maguen et al., 2012). An
article published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine had similar findings.
They stated that 27% of female veterans met criteria for PTSD, whereas only 20% of male veterans
met the same criteria (Reddy et al., 2014).

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Essay
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a very serious and debilitating condition that occurs
after a person has been exposed to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical danger
happened or was threatened. The kinds of traumatic events triggering PTSD in people include
violent personal assaults (rape, mugging), natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes), man–made
disasters (bombings), accidents or military combat. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the
experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or
estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair a
person's daily life. PTSD is a complicated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rates of PTSD are much higher in post–conflict settings such as Algeria (37%), Cambodia (28%),
Ethiopia (16%), and Gaza (18%)(de Jong et al., 2001).
The first stressor criterion specifies that a person has been exposed to a catastrophic event involving
actual or threatened death or injury. The second criterion, or intrusive recollection, includes
symptoms that are distinctive and easily identified of PTSD. These emotions manifest in daytime
fantasies, traumatic nightmares, and psychotic reenactments know as flashbacks. The third criteria,
avoidant/numbing, consists of symptoms that reflect behavioral, cognitive, or emotional strategies
the PTSD patients use in an attempt to reduce the likelihood that they will expose themselves to
trauma–related stimuli. The fourth criteria, hyper–arousal, most closely resembles those seen in
panic and generalized anxiety disorders. While symptoms such as insomnia and irritability are
generic anxiety symptoms, hyper–vigilance and startle are more characteristic of PTSD. The fifth
criteria, duration, specifies how long symptoms must persist in order to qualify for a PTSD
diagnosis. The last criteria, functional significance, specify that the survivor must experience
significant social, occupational, or other distress as a result of these symptoms. Since 1980, there
has been a great deal of attention devoted

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CBT)
The topic that I would like to discuss is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), this topic is very
close to me since was a member of the armed forces and suffer from aggressive stress. Our text
defines PTSD as a "disorder that occurs following an extreme event, in which a person re–
experiences the event, avoids reminders of the trauma, and exhibits persistent increased arousal"
(Hooley, p. 622) It isn't common knowledge that PTSD isn't limited to war trauma's, it can be
brought on by childhood abuse, car accidents, anything severely life changing, etc. The history of
PTSD isn't a very short one, however it was just recently added to the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–III) although controversial when introduced, ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
This therapy teaches individuals new ways to handle upsetting thoughts by gaining skills that can
help decide an easier way to deal with the trauma. This type of therapy can be very uncomfortable
for many individuals since they will be tasked to speak or write about their traumatic experiences.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy is also a useful program to help manage with PTSD, this specific
exposure program that has been subject if considerable research in the treatment of PTSD in which
an individual is tasked with three exercises. First is "in vivo" exposure to the trauma reminder,
typically as an at home exercise, second is imaginal exposure in which exposure to the memory of
the traumatic event which is normally assigned with at home exercises and in therapy sessions, and
lastly processing of imaginal exposure which involves psychoeducation about the nature of trauma
and trauma

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