Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Case Study

Spitalnick, Josh. Difede, JoAnn. Rizzo, Albert. O. Rothbaum, Barbara. “Emerging treatments for PTSD” Clinical Psychology Review, Volume 29, Issue 8, December 2009, Pages 715-726, ISSN 0272-7358, Web. 21 April 2016

At least 50% of all adults and children are exposed to a psychologically traumatic event (such as a life-threatening assault or accident, humanmade or natural disaster, or war). As many as 67% of trauma survivors experience lasting psychosocial impairment, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); panic, phobic, or generalized anxiety disorders; depression; or substance abuse.(Van der Kolk, et al, 1994) Symptoms of PTSD include persistent involuntary re-experiencing of traumatic distress, emotional numbing and detachment from other people, and hyperarousal (irritability, insomnia, fearfulness, nervous agitation). PTSD is linked to structural neurochemical changes in the central nervous system which may have a direct

On June 23, 2015, the claimant underwent a Review for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by Dr. Alison G. Dowd at the VA hospital. The claimant was diagnosed with PTSD. It was opined the claimant would have occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The claimant reported that he was sleeping a lot more due to headaches. He watched TV, attended church, and spent time with his son.

Due to Matt’s diagnosis of PTSD and depression symptoms, it was imperative to utilize an approach that if possible, could decrease all symptomology. Empirically, research shows that with the successful treatment of PTSD, comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety are also greatly reduced (Blachard et al., 2003; National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK, 2005). Thus so it seemed utilizing an empirically supported treatment for PTSD will assist in decreasing Matt’s depression PTSD symptomatology.

The majority of Vietnam veterans experienced delayed or chronic PTSD which we know now, can remain dormant for years until symptoms are triggered. According to the Vietnam Veterans’ Readjustment Study, approximately 30.9% of men and 26.9% of women soldiers in Vietnam had PTSD at some point in their lives. (P8) Lifting these requirements from the DSM-III allowed many more veterans to step forward; and with this new massive population of test subjects- scientists were able to research the dynamics, variables, and patterns of PTSD, through the advancements of neuroimaging and neuroscience. (P9) “There were many more cases of PTSD among Vietnam veterans than any other war.” (P5) A number estimated to be near 500,000. (P11)

PTSD, as outlined in the 2013 edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) falls under the category of Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders, and depicts the perfect storm of excessive adrenergic activation, exposure to intense emotional stimuli, and the influence on memory. The criteria include a category of arousal symptoms, with obvious adrenergic components. For example, arousal symptoms may be manifested as sleep disturbances, hypervigilance, concentration difficulties, and an exaggerated startle response. In fact, research shows that there is an overactive noradrenergic function in those with PTSD (Ravindran & Stein, 2009). These pair with a second set of symptoms that relate to and are informed by memory. PTSD includes a component of intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event(s). Intrusion symptoms include: 1) Involuntary, and intrusive memories of the traumatic event; 2) Recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/or affect of the dream are related to the traumatic event(s); 3) Dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event(s) were recurring; 4) Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure

Although American service members have felt the lasting effects of combat throughout the history of the nation, it was not until 1980 that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was formally added to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Once referred to as “irritable heart” or “shell-shock,” PTSD made its way into the national spotlight in the years following the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan due to U.S. military members having difficulty reintegrating into civilian life. High rates of suicide, depression, and elevated levels of violent crime within the veteran community made the need to find an effective treatment of this disorder a top priority for the Veterans Health Administration. While it is widely accepted by medical professionals that there is no single, definitive cure for PTSD, many different methods have been cultivated within the past 15 years that make coping with it an easier process; some to a greater extent than others. While medications, namely antidepressants and benzodiazepines, usually find themselves at the forefront of any discussion regarding mental debilitation, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution to the problems that combat veterans face. As this particular disorder is attached to a certain memory or traumatic occurrence, alternative methods of rehabilitation such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) have also shown promise in

In the United States (US) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 8 out of every 100 persons (United States Department of Veterans Affairs [USDVA], 2015). In which account for about 8 million people that include the military veterans (USDVA, 2015). About 10% of women and 4% of men will develop PTSD during some course of their lives (USDVA, 2015). Veterans are more susceptible to PTSD due to longer exposures to trauma, danger, or witness a violent life threaten incidence during their military service periods (USDVA, 2015). The development of PTSD becomes chronic after no longer seeing or under the “fight-or-flight“ experiences causing a psychological and/ or mental breakdown (National Institutes of Health [NIH], n.d). Such

Today's veterans offten return home and find themselves experiencing PTSD symptoms as a result of combat-related stress and signfigant amount of exposure to traumatic events. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among United States Veterans has risen to great numbers in recent years due United States involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) thus far within the last 10 years 1,400,000 military service members have been engaged in these conflicts. Once Unitied States troops were deployed and participated in Operation New Dawn (OND) numbers began to rise over 2.5 million troops. (Rosenthal, J. Z., Grosswald, S., Ross, R., & Rosenthal, N. 2011) The veteran population will face exclusive types of stressors

Two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), paroxetine and sertraline, have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of PTSD. However, the results of the effectiveness of pharmacology in double-blind, placebo controlled studies were not greater than PE and CPT or they were insignificant (Peterson et al., 2011).

It is the goal of this paper to demonstrate that the phenomenon of PTSD, despite the fact that its multiple emotional and psychosocial effects are constantly being debated, is soundly rooted in neurobiology, and that this aspect of PTSD lends support to the notion that brain = behavior.

PTSD is an anxiety disorder which is characterized by a persistent hyperarousal, re-experiencing, and an avoidance of a traumatic event or events. These three symptom clusters are used as targets for pharmacological treatments. Pharmacological treatment, however, is complicated by the fact that PTSD is frequently a combination of multiple disorders such as depression and substance abuse. It is also associated with symptoms of shame, guilt, and distrust of others in addition to significant occupational, marital, health, and financial problems. Research suggests that SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) are the first line of treatment for the disorder. The majority of scientific

Among the most common of mental health conditions is post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, PTSD can lead to severe physiological and psychological changes that are significantly increased when this trauma isn’t caught in its early stages. These traumas have a great impact on the patient’s personalities and perceptions. Therefore, there are different types of treatments that can be implemented accordingly to the patient to improve their psychological condition, and avoid unfavorable results on their mental health.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widespread disorder that affects certain individuals psychologically, behaviorally, and emotionally following the experience of a traumatic event (Lee et al., 2005, p. 135). However, because of inconsistencies regarding the percentage of individuals who experience PTSD and the percentage of individuals who subsequently develop PTSD, researchers hypothesize that both biological and environmental factors contribute to the development of PTSD (Wolf et al. 2010, p. 328). In order gain a better understanding of this disorder and to discover contributing and predicative factors which contribute to the development of PTSD, this paper analyses the historical context and prevalence of PTSD, the

According to a Tanielian and Jaycox (2008) study, as of September 2014 there were approximately 2.7 million American veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars”. Of the 2.7 million at least 20% of the veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan wars obtained PTSD and/or depression. However, it was noted that when interviewed, the military counselors stated that they believe that the percentage rate of veterans with PTSD was much higher. The number is said to continue to increase when combined with traumatic brain injury (TBI).