Truth That Hurts......
Toni L.Vossen 2012
PTSD can occur when people suffer or witness a traumatic event in which they are threatened with death, injury, or physical violation. During the time of the trauma these people respond with horror, fear, or helplessness. The symptoms of PTSD include some of the following:
Now, back to the conference. There were multiple sessions that mostly reviewed the effective treatments for PTSD. Not surprisingly the therapies that work are based on mixtures of cognitive and behavioral therapies. These approaches have stood the test of time and science. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been used to successfully treat a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems.
It’s fun when …
orderline Personality Disorder and Anxiety
When the topic of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) comes up, you’ll probably hear the conversation focusing on the issue of anger and rage. Indeed, people who suffer from BPD often struggle with explosive emotional flare-ups. Those episodes capture everyone’s attention.
Other symptoms of BPD such as self-harm, impulsive actions, and unstable relationships stand out as well. However, people with BPD also suffer greatly from profound anxiety. Some people with BPD describe their anxiety as excruciatingly painful and debilitating. Quite often their anxiety centers on deep fears of abandonment. They believe that others will inevitably leave them and, once that happens, they will be left totally unable to cope.
Other symptoms of BPD such as self-harm, impulsive actions, and unstable relationships stand out as well. However, people with BPD also suffer greatly from profound anxiety. Some people with BPD describe their anxiety as excruciatingly painful and debilitating. Quite often their anxiety centers on deep fears of abandonment. They believe that others will inevitably leave them and, once that happens, they will be left totally unable to cope.
PTSD and Evidence Based Practice
Like many professionals, clinical psychologists take advantage of continuing education to keep up with new advances in the profession, develop new skills, broaden their knowledge, and keep their license to practice. Frankly, after attending hundreds of hours of continuing education, I can tell you that some conferences are decidedly better than others. I can think of one conference that I sat in the back row and amused myself by counting the heads in front of me that dropped and bobbed.
Last week, I attended a well orchestrated day long conference on treating people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Organized by Dr. Rex Swanda from the New Mexico VA, the content of the conference primarily focused on therapeutic practices that have been studied and found to be effective in treating those who suffer from this disorder. Treatments that are considered evidence based have been subjected to at least several independent research studies, compared to other types of treatment, or to no treatment. Here is an abbreviated description of PTSD.PTSD can occur when people suffer or witness a traumatic event in which they are threatened with death, injury, or physical violation. During the time of the trauma these people respond with horror, fear, or helplessness. The symptoms of PTSD include some of the following:
- Re-experiencing the trauma: through dreams, flashbacks, unwanted thoughts, or distress when reminded of the trauma.
- Numbing or avoiding: attempts to avoid situations, triggers, or thoughts about the trauma, feelings of detachment from others, loss of interest in activities, beliefs that their lives will be short, and restricted emotions.
- Hyperarousal: problems with sleep, easily irritated or angry, problems concentrating, and jumpiness.
Now, back to the conference. There were multiple sessions that mostly reviewed the effective treatments for PTSD. Not surprisingly the therapies that work are based on mixtures of cognitive and behavioral therapies. These approaches have stood the test of time and science. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been used to successfully treat a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems.
It’s fun when …
When the brain sounds a false alarm
Anxiety disorders, like most mental disorders, involve multiple causes including genetic, biological, social, and learning. And successful treatments sometimes target psychological or biological systems. Nevertheless, it is useful to consider that for most people with an anxiety disorder, there are false alarms sounding in the brain that set off a spiral of effects on the body that can lead to significant health concerns.
Let’s start at the beginning. Most people are frightened or startled by:
The problem in anxiety disorders is that this system in the brain is turned on when there are no slimy snakes, roaring elephants, or dark and scary places. The fears and worries that people with anxiety have often involve anticipatory worries-or “what if?”
Being in this constant state of false alarm (imagine a fire signal blaring continuously in your brain) increases anxiety and can also damage your body. People with chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have been found to have decreased volume in certain areas of the hippocampus (an area that is associated with memory). Physical costs of anxiety are far reaching, but surprisingly, so are the financial costs. One study in the Netherlands reported in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that anxious children cost society 21 times more than those children not judged anxious. Adults with anxiety disorders are more likely to have high blood pressures, diabetes, thyroid disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiac disorders.
With all of the costs, including emotional, financial, and physical, treatment is …
Let’s start at the beginning. Most people are frightened or startled by:
- loud noises
- sudden unexpected movements
- dark unfamiliar places
- large animals growling
- suddenly appearing snakes
- precarious heights
The problem in anxiety disorders is that this system in the brain is turned on when there are no slimy snakes, roaring elephants, or dark and scary places. The fears and worries that people with anxiety have often involve anticipatory worries-or “what if?”
Being in this constant state of false alarm (imagine a fire signal blaring continuously in your brain) increases anxiety and can also damage your body. People with chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have been found to have decreased volume in certain areas of the hippocampus (an area that is associated with memory). Physical costs of anxiety are far reaching, but surprisingly, so are the financial costs. One study in the Netherlands reported in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that anxious children cost society 21 times more than those children not judged anxious. Adults with anxiety disorders are more likely to have high blood pressures, diabetes, thyroid disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiac disorders.
With all of the costs, including emotional, financial, and physical, treatment is …
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