Psychiatric disorders r/t abuse and violence

Acute stress disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder

> Symptoms appear within the first month after the trauma and do not persist longer than 4 weeks

>Symptoms still persist 3 months or more after the trauma

Post traumatic stress disorder

> Is a disturbing pattern of behavior demonstrated by someone who has experienced a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a combat or an assault Three clusters of symptoms present:  Reliving the event Avoiding reminders of the event Being on guard

Major symptoms of PTSD:

Recurrent, distressing memories of the event Difficulty falling asleep Nightmares Irritability or anger outbursts Exaggerated startle response Difficulty concentrating Marked decrease in interest in significant events Inability to recall important aspect of trauma Flashbacks Avoidance of thoughts, feelings/ conversations associated to trauma

 60% of people at risk:

>combat veterans

>victims of violence

>victims of natural disasters

* Complete recovery occurs w/in 3 mos. for about 50% of people

Dissociative disorders
Dissociation > a subconscious defense mechanism that helps a person protect his or her emotional self from recognizing the full effects of a traumatic event by allowing the mind to forget itself from the painful memory Dissociative disorders > Have the essential feature of disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or environmental perception

Types of dissociative disorders:

DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA

DISSOCIATIVE fugue

DISSOCIATIVE identity disorder

Depersonalization disorder

Major symptoms of dissociative identity disorder:  Presence of 2 or more distinct identities or personality states  Inability to recall important personal information  Symptoms not related to any substance abuse or medical condition Treatment:  Cognitive behavioral therapy  Paroxetine (Paxil)  Sertraline (Zoloft)