Symptoms
What is a flashback?
An involuntary, intense, and often distressing memory of a traumatic event that can be triggered by certain stimuli.
Anyone who witnesses or experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD or post-traumatic symptoms.
False! PTSD developing depends on biological vulnerability, available resources, and support systems.
What does TIPP stand for?
Bonus: How is it meant to be used?
Temperature
Intense exercise
Paced breathing
Progressive muscle relaxation
What does PTSD stand for?
Post traumatic stress disorder.
What is hypervigilance?
The experience of being in a state of high alert, constantly tense/‘on guard’ and always on the lookout for hidden dangers, both real and presumed .
If an event did not directly happen to you, it is not possible to develop traumatic symptoms/PTSD from it.
False. Witnessing a traumatic event, as well as vicarious trauma (from being exposed to other people's traumatic experiences) can be psychologically damaging and difficult to cope with.
What is cognitive reframing?
Identifying negative thoughts/cognitive distortions and reframing them to be more realistic and positive.
Which of the following symptoms is NOT specific to PTSD?
A) Intrusive recollections
B) Anger and aggression
C) Chronic sadness and low mood
D) Survivor's guilt
C) Chronic sadness and low mood
While individuals with PTSD may experience symptoms of depression, such as sadness and low mood, chronic sadness is not specific to PTSD. The other symptoms listed are characteristic of PTSD.
Give two examples of reexperiencing.
Nightmares, flashbacks, distressing thoughts/physical symptoms when triggered
PTSD permanently and irreversibly changes brain structure and chemistry.
False! Treatment, support, and medication can reverse many of the changes that PTSD leads to in brain structure and chemistry.
What do all of these coping skills have in common:
5-4-3-2-1, TIPP, deep breathing, taking a cold/hot shower, eating a sour candy/spicy food/salty snack and focusing on the taste
They all use sensory grounding, which can help in dissociative episodes/panic attacks.
What is the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD?
PTSD - mental health condition caused by a single traumatic event, leading to avoidance, flashbacks, nightmares, and hypervigilance
C-PTSD - mental health condition caused by prolonged/repeated trauma over a longer period of time, leading to similar symptoms as PTSD in addition to greater dissociation, difficulty with sense of self, and difficulty with interpersonal relationships
What is the difference between depersonalization and derealization?
Both are types of dissociation, the feeling of being detached from our bodies, minds or surroundings.
Depersonalization - unreal/unstable sense of self, feeling like you're not human/not real
Derealization - your surroundings feel unreal/dreamlike and foggy
Trauma can lead to physical symptoms/discomfort, including headaches, chronic pain, and fatigue.
True. This is known as somatization, where mental health conditions can lead to physical symptoms.
Name one treatment modality used for PTSD.
Talk therapy, narrative therapy, TF-CBT, EMDR, DBT
According to a North Carolina study, more than ___% of children and adolescents had experienced a potentially traumatic event by the age of 16
a) 5%
b) 32%
c) 68%
d) 90%
c) 68%
Name two ways trauma can impact emotions.
Shame/self-blame for traumatic event
Irritability/difficulty regulating emotions
Fear, panic, anxiety, hypervigilance
Apathy/numbing of emotions
Chronic experiences of invalidation, social exclusion, and emotionally unhealthy relationships can lead to the development of post-traumatic symptoms.
True! While many people discuss "big-T" trauma, there are many events and experiences that can impact people's wellbeing in a traumatic way.
What is EDMR?
Bonus points: what does it stand for?
EMDR is a mental health treatment technique used to treat trauma. It uses guided "bilateral stimulation" (such as side-to-side eye movements) to help the brain safely reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional intensity and vividness.
It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
What is narrative exposure therapy?
In NET, the client, with the assistance of the therapist, constructs a chronological narrative of their life story with a focus on the traumatic experiences. Fragmented reports of the traumatic experiences will be transformed into a coherent narrative.