A Florida State University clinical psychologist has pointed out some of the factors linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women.
At the conclusion of a two-year study of women from across the nation, Assistant Professor Jesse R. Cougle found that those with PTSD who reported a history of rape or severe childhood physical abuse were more likely to suffer chronic PTSD symptoms. What's more, women who reported more "re-experiencing" symptoms, such as nightmares and flashbacks, at the initial assessment were more likely to suffer from persistent PTSD symptoms two years after the study began.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a mental condition triggered by a traumatic event. PTSD treatment includes pyschotherapy, behavior therapy and medications.
Advertisement
"What makes our findings unique is the recovery component," Cougle said. "Most studies of this kind have looked at risk and resiliency or the factors that determine who develops PTSD and who doesn't. We studied factors that influence recovery, or lack thereof, in a sample with PTSD."
"What we found,interestingly, is that more than half of the women in our sample — 58 percent — recovered within two years," Cougle said.
Most people will experience at least one potentially traumatic event during their lifetimes that could result in PTSD. Knowing the factors that predict chronic PTSD will help to identify people who are most in need of assistance and treatment after suffering a traumatic event.
![Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Improves TBI and PTSD in Veterans]( "Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Improves TBI and PTSD in Veterans")
Treatment with hyperbaric oxygen benefits veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), say researchers.
Cougle also found that about half of the women who recovered from PTSD during the study did so without any sort of professional treatment.
"Some women have a natural capacity to recover from PTSD," Cougle said. "They won't require treatment to get better."
Cougle's research, "Factors Associated with Chronicity in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Prospective Analysis of a National Sample of Women," has been published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy. He conducted the study with Medical University of South Carolina psychiatry professors Heidi Resnick and Dean G. Kilpatrick.
In addition to re-experiencing symptoms, a PTSD diagnosis includes avoidance and numbing, such as efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations associated with the trauma; efforts to avoid activities, places or people that arouse recollections of the trauma; an inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma; and feelings of emotional detachment. Additional symptoms include hyperarousal,such as difficulty concentrating; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; and hypervigilance.
Source: Eurekalert
Most people will experience at least one potentially traumatic event during their lifetimes that could result in PTSD. Knowing the factors that predict chronic PTSD will help to identify people who are most in need of assistance and treatment after suffering a traumatic event.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Improves TBI and PTSD in Veterans
Treatment with hyperbaric oxygen benefits veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), say researchers.
Advertisement
Cougle also found that about half of the women who recovered from PTSD during the study did so without any sort of professional treatment.
"Some women have a natural capacity to recover from PTSD," Cougle said. "They won't require treatment to get better."
Cougle's research, "Factors Associated with Chronicity in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Prospective Analysis of a National Sample of Women," has been published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy. He conducted the study with Medical University of South Carolina psychiatry professors Heidi Resnick and Dean G. Kilpatrick.
In addition to re-experiencing symptoms, a PTSD diagnosis includes avoidance and numbing, such as efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations associated with the trauma; efforts to avoid activities, places or people that arouse recollections of the trauma; an inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma; and feelings of emotional detachment. Additional symptoms include hyperarousal,such as difficulty concentrating; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; and hypervigilance.
Source: Eurekalert
PTSD Level Highest in Teenage Girls And Senior Students Post-Chinese Earthquake
Teenage survivors of a major earthquake experienced high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with girls and older students being the most severely affected, according
Advertisement
 Cortisone Immediately After Trauma Reduces Chances Of PTSDCortisone, a common medication, can be effective in warding off the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) syndrome, Israeli researchers have found. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Mental Health News
The type of microglia appears to be key important for fine-tuning anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder behaviors.
The study sheds light on the genetic architecture of bipolar disorder and provides more insights into the contribution of mosaic variants in human diseases.
People who live in disadvantaged neighbourhoods along with depressive symptoms tend to undergo premature aging.
There is an urgent need for mental health care in injured children after firearm injuries.
Recently, a noteworthy transformation has occurred, with 81 percent of workplaces now placing increased emphasis on employee mental health.