Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

You are currently browsing articles tagged Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Acute Stress Disorder: What do we know?

September 28, 2009 in Depression & Anxiety by Evelyn Wenzel

Acute Stress Disorder was introduced into the mental health community with the publication of the DSM-IV. Upon first examination of the symptoms for Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), the criteria seem very similar to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The two major differences between ASD and PTSD seem to be one of duration and the emphasis on emotional numbing and dissociation. Indeed, if a person is assessed immediately following a traumatic stressor, a diagnosis of ASD will be assigned. However if the symptoms persist beyond a month, then the diagnosis becomes PTSD. It is interesting how intertwined the two diagnoses are.

Following a serious car accident, severe dog bite, assault, and other traumatic events, Acute Stress is used to describe how a person initially responds to that trauma. Unlike PTSD, how to treat ASD has not been throughly researched. It is knows that many people with ASD will recover without any treatment. However, some research indicates that 80% of those people receiving an ASD diagnosis will develop PTSD within 6 months. How to reduce the likelihood of someone developing PTSD has been the debate. Frequently the traumatized individual receives treatment along a PTSD protocol. But this has been shown to be ineffective and possibly re-traumatizing. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) was used to treat the September 11, 2001 responders, thinking that it was the most effective intervention available. CISD, in the long run, did not prove itself as a viable intervention.

It is true that in many disasters, war, and mass crises, effective interventions are not as needed as food, shelter, and safety. But what is an effective way to deal with the traumatized assault victim, the survivor of a car accident, or witness to a school shooting? Are there ways to make the following days easier for them? Why don’t PTSD interventions work when so many ASD suffers will later suffer from PTSD? It may be too early yet to know all the answers about ASD since it has only been around as a diagnosis since 1994. Recent research seems to show that cognitive behavioral interventions are having positive outcomes.

For a more complete discussion on Acute Stress Disorder see Briere, J. (2006) Principles of Trauma Therapy. (pp 165-183) London: Sage Publications.

Tags: , , , , ,

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Car accidents

March 31, 2009 in PTSD by admin

I recently received a phone call asking, “Is it possible to have PTSD after a car wreck? I thought this disorder mainly occurred in veterans or child abuse survivors.”Absolutely! Car accidents can certainly be traumatic! You don’t have to experience military combat or childhood abuse to develop it. The probability of developing PTSD increases if you or someone else was seriously injured, felt out of control, believed you were in grave danger, or experienced a previous car accident or another traumatic incident. People rarely expect that a car accident could have such far ranging psychological consequences as PTSD.  After an accident, people may fear riding in a car, driving by the accident site, jump when they hear sirens, experience nightmares, and may not be able to articulate what happened to them. Getting to sleep or remain sleeping at night may become a problem. These are a few of the symptoms that can occur following a car wreck. However after a few months, most people’s fear and anxiety dissipate. However with PTSD, these symptoms continue to persist and interfere with their lives.  I often work with insurance companies and lawyers to provide treatment for their clients.  A self-report test is given initially to see if there are sufficient symptoms to warrent a diagnosis of PTSD. This test also determines the severity of the symptoms and ways in which the accident has disrupted a person’s life. If you have been in a car accident and you are suffering from PTSD, many automobile insurance companies will pay for your treatment. There is no reason to suffer long-term from the consequences of your car wreck. Contact Evelyn Wenzel, MSW, LCSW, CAP at (407) 375-1214 for an initial consultation.Helpful resources on the internet include: Helpful websites include: www.aest.org.uk; www.ncptsd.va.gov, www.omh.state; www.Sidran.org, www. trauma-pages.com, and www.istss.org
NOTE: you can freely redistribute this resource, electronically or in print, provided you leave the author’s contact information below intact.
About the Author: Evelyn Wenzel,MSW,LCSW,CAP enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes in PTSD, Depression,Addictions, Anxiety, self-injurious behavior, and sexual abuse. She has a diverse background in counseling, which includes working in a hospital setting, drug rehab, school counseling, home health counseling, and private practice. Evelyn has spoken on a variety of topics all over the state. She has spoken at the National Association of Social Workers, Christian school regional conferences, School Social Work National Conference, and school in-services. Some of the topics she has spoken on include: Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents, Sexual Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders.

Tags: , , , , ,