1. Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders
Chapter Five
Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders

2. Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders
Stressor:
External event or situation that places a physical or psychological demand on a person
Range from chronic irritation to acute an traumatic events
Stress:
Internal psychological or physiological response to a stressor

3. Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
Acute stress disorder (ASD):
Flashbacks, hypervigilance, and avoidance symptoms that occur within one month after exposure to a traumatic stressor
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):
Flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance, and other symptoms that last for more than one month and that occur as a result of exposure to extreme trauma

4. Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (cont’d.)
Both begin with a normal response to extremely upsetting circumstances
Fear response remains even though original basis for fear is no longer present
Can also be caused by indirect or “secondhand” exposure

5. Diagnosis of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
Both involve:
Direct or indirect exposure to stressor
Intrusive symptoms and intense physiological reactivity associated with traumatic event
Persistent avoidance of stimuli related to trauma
Alterations in cognitions and mood associated with event and inability to experience positive emotions
Heightened autonomic arousal or reactivity
Hypervigilance

6. Diagnosis of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (cont’d.)
Rape & PTSD Listen to a young woman described her symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after being raped.

7. Diagnosis of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (cont’d.)
Differ in duration:
ASD lasts three days to one month
PTSD lasts longer than a month
An individual is likely to receive initial diagnosis of ASD and then PTSD if symptoms persist longer than a month

8. Etiology of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
Figure 5-1 Multipath Model for PTSD The dimensions interact with one another and combine in different ways to result in PTSD.

9. Etiology of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (cont’d.)
Factors associated with increased risk:
Severe trauma and grave physical injuries
Major burn injuries
Rape and sexual assault
Individual characteristics:
Cognitive style
Childhood history
Genetic vulnerability
Social support

10. Etiology of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (cont’d.)
Table 5-12 Lifetime prevalence of Exposure to Stressors by Gender and PTSD Risk Some traumas are more likely to result in PTSD that others. Significant gender differences were found in reactions to “being threatened with a weapon” and “physical attack.” What accounts for the differences in risk for developing PTSD among the specific traumas and for the two genders?
Source: Callenger et al. (2000)

11. Biological Dimension
ASD and PTSD are not biologically normative stress responses
Nervous system has become highly reactive to fear and stress
In PTSD:
Individual demonstrates increased biological reactivity
Exaggerated sensitivity to stimuli
Diminished ability to inhibit fear response

12. Biological Dimension (cont’d.)
Role of the amygdala
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Epinephrine and cortisol
Effect on medial prefrontal cortex
Individuals with specific biological vulnerabilities have an increased risk of PTSD
Epigenetic factors may be involved

15. The Stress reaction: Hypothalamus-Pituitary- Adrenal Axis

16. The HPA axis includes three specific parts of your body:
1) the hypothalamus (part of your forebrain);
2) the pituitary gland (just below the hypothalamus);
3) the adrenal glands (at the top of the kidneys).
These three parts work together to regulate functions such as stress response, mood, digestion, immune system, libido, metabolism

17. These three parts work together to regulate functions such as stress response, mood, digestion, immune system, libido, metabolism and energy levels. Before understanding how to fix your HPA axis, it’s important to understand how the axis works in the first place, so let’s dive into the specific chemicals utilized by your HPA axis.

18. 1. Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH)
Also referred to as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), this hormone is produced and secreted by the hypothalamus in response to stress, and it then stimulates your pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone. The more stressed your body is (from diet, lifestyle, work, or anything else) the more CRH your hypothalamus will churn out.

19. 2. Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)
ACTH is released by the pituitary gland, and travels to your kidneys to stimulate the adrenal glands to increase production of glucocorticoids.
3. Glucocorticoids
The glucocorticoids produced in the adrenal glands are steroids that are necessary regulating metabolic rate, inflammation and immune response. You’ve already learned about the most notorious glucocorticoids: cortisol.

20. 4. Cortisol
Cortisol is best known for activating our physical response to stress, including injury, lack of sleep, excessive exercise, anxiety, and depression. It prepares your body to withstand these stressful triggers by stimulating norepinephrine (also known as noradrenaline) to active your fight-and-flight reaction.

21. It’s important to understand is that  your HPA axis operates on feedback loops.
So let’s take a look at how a feedback loop would take place in the HPA – in this case with regards to cortisol. At the same time that cortisol activates your fight and flight stress response, it also sends a signal back to your hypothalamus to inhibit CRH production and your pituitary gland to inhibit ACTH. In this feedback loop, cortisol is also able to reduce norepinephrine activity, gradually calming you down and creating a well-functioning checks-and-balances system

22. Psychological Dimension
Preexisting conditions such as anxiety and depression found to be risk factors for PTSD
Dysfunctional cognitions regarding oneself or environment
Positive cognitive styles increase resilience and reduce risk of PTSD

23. Social Dimension
Less than optimal social support during childhood and adulthood
Pre-existing family conflict or over protectiveness may increase impact of stress
Social isolation
Lack of social support after trauma may be most important factor

24. Sociocultural Dimension
Ethnic differences, possibly due to pre-existing variables
Perceived discrimination
Women are twice as likely as men to suffer stress disorder
Moderate amount of adversity can generate resiliency

25. Treatment of Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
Biological:
SSRI antidepressants
Psychological:
Psychotherapy focus on extinguishing fear or to correct dysfunctional cognitions
Exposure to cues associated with trauma
Identify and challenge dysfunctional cognitions
Mindfulness training

26. Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Conditions
Medical evidence suggests attitudes and emotional states have impact on physical well-being
Psychophysiological disorder:
Physical disorder that has a strong psychological basis or component
Psychological or behavioral factors adversely influence medical disorder (DSM-5)

27. Characteristics of Psychophysiological Disorders
Actual tissue damage, a disease process, or physiological dysfunction
Medical treatment and psychotherapy usually required
Contribution of physical and psychological factors vary greatly

28. Characteristics of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
Coronary heart disease:
The narrowing of cardiac arteries due to atherosclerosis, resulting in restriction or partial blockage of flow of blood and oxygen to heart
Risk factors:
High cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking, and lack of physical activity
Psychosocial risk factors:
Depression, perceived stress, and difficult life events

29. Characteristics of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
Hypertension:
Stressors impact blood pressure
Chronic condition characterized by blood pressure of 140 over 90 or higher
More than 74 million U.S. Americans have high blood pressure requiring treatment
Found in 34% of men and 22% of women

30. Characteristics of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
Migraine, tension, and cluster headaches:
Migraine headaches:
Moderate to severe pain resulting from abnormal brain activity affecting the cranial blood vessels and nerves
Tension headaches:
Produced by prolonged contraction of scalp and neck muscles, resulting in constriction of the blood vessels and steady pain

31. Characteristics of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
Migraine, tension, and cluster headaches:
Cluster headaches:
Excruciating stabbing or burning sensations located in the eye or cheek

32. Characteristics of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
Asthma:
Chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in the lungs
Reduction in the amount of air that can be inhaled
In U.S., prevalence has increased dramatically

33. Stress and the Immune System
Stress itself does not appear to cause infections, but it may decrease immune system’s efficiency, thereby increasing susceptibility to disease
Part of stress response involves release of several hormones that can impair immune functioning

34. Stress and the Immune System (cont’d.)
Exposure to chronic stress appears to increase vulnerability to infection and accelerates progression of disease by decreasing immunity
Connection between stress and naturally occurring cancer has yet to be demonstrated

35. Etiology of Psychophysiological Disorders
Figure 5-9 Multipath Mode for Psychophysiological Disorders The dimensions interact with one another and combine in different ways to result in a specific psychophysiological disorder.

36. Biological Dimension
Stressors can dysregulate HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system through release of hormones (e.g., epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol)
Changes in brain structure and in the stress-responsive neurobiological systems due to early environmental influences
Genetic influences

37. Psychological Dimension
Psychological and personality characteristics can mediate effects of exposure to stressors
Positive affect:
Optimism, happiness, joy, and contentment
Hardiness:
Commitment, control, and challenge
Personal control and perception of control
Positive emotions: optimism
Negative emotional states can elevate risk:
Depression, hostility, anxiety, and cynicism

38. Social Dimension
Childhood adversities linked to adult onset headaches and hypertension
Divorce, separation, and abrasive marital relations all linked to negative health changes
Having social support linked to positive health
High quality relationships linked to reduced physiological reactivity to stress

39. Sociocultural Dimension
Discrimination
Cultural expectations
Conflicts with societal standards
Women more likely to be impacted by stress due to care-giving role
Exposure to racism

40. Treatment of Psychophysiological Disorders
Relaxation training:
Learn to relax muscles of the body in almost any circumstance
Biofeedback training:
Learn voluntary control of specific physiological function of interest (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure)

41. Treatment of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
ABC Video: Biofeedback Training Discover how an at-home biofeedback machine can help manage stress, and learn the theories of how biofeedback works.

42. Treatment of Psychophysiological Disorders (cont’d.)
Cognitive-behavioral intervention:
Anger management and assertiveness training
Social-cognitive processing programs to help to adjust and find validation and meaning
Improve coping skills and manage stress