Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Risk Factors

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#333300" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03cdedc2dvmwdf.png"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQs"><U><B>FAQs</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Dr. Silverman"><U><B>About Dr. Silverman</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great links"><U><B>Great links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Mind Reader© archive"><U><B>The Mind Reader© archive</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="03d64643.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></FONT>    |     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Risk Factors</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Risk Factors for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults</div> <div> We all suffer tragedies in our lives.  Relatives pass away, couples divorce, businesses fail.  When these events happen suddenly, they can produce trauma. Are some individuals more susceptible to trauma than others? This is a complicated question. Other things being equal, individuals with severe mental disorders are at the top of the list of those most vulnerable for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This would include schizophrenics, major depressive disorders, and certain personality disorders.  In other cases vulnerability will be determined by the frequency and length of exposure to previous stress inducing situations. As an example, most of us would be symptomatic if we encountered a major stressor such as a natural disaster or a death of a loved one. Trauma can be compared to shock. The mind shuts down. There is sometimes partial or full amnesia of the traumatic event. Classic symptoms include recurrent and intrusive recollections of the event, distressing dreams, intense psychological stress to cues symbolizing the traumatic event, avoidance of stimuli associated with trauma, and increased arousal. Sometimes PTSD can be delayed for as much as 6 months.```</div> <div> In general, pre-trauma factors are not nearly as important as those operating during and after the trauma. Brown, Andrews, and Valentine did a thorough meta-analysis of studies involving PTSD. The only significant pre-trauma factor was sex, and only in the non-military population. Females are at greater risk. The authors conclude that it may be premature to identify a common set of predisposing factors for PTSD. As to traumatic and post-traumatic factors, it was clear that trauma severity, lack of social support, and greater post-trauma life stress all contributed to the development of PTSD. Thus, you must do a thorough job of assessing the events surrounding the trauma and the reactions of friends, family, and work colleagues toward the victim.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>