In recent years, technology such as computer-aided exposure therapy has significantly improved the experience and effectiveness of exposure therapy (Gerardi, Cukor, Difede, Rizzo, & Rothbaum, 2010).

Pharmacological interventions typically include anti-depressants such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment and TherapyĬommon treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder include: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, Exposure Therapy (ET), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). All other criteria of PTSD must also be met. These dissociative symptoms include depersonalization, in which the person feels like an outside observer or detached from oneself and derealisation, in which the world seems unreal, distant or distorted. PTSD Dissociative Subtype is used when the person has prominent dissociative symptoms. The diagnostic thresholds are lowered for children and adolescents.Ģ. PTSD Preschool subtype is used in the diagnosis of children younger than 6 years of age. In addition, the disturbance cannot be attributed to a substance or medical condition.ĭSM-5 has established two subtypes of PTSD:ġ. The duration of these symptoms (which cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning) must occur for one month or longer.

Negative alterations in cognition and mood - Persistent negative beliefs, distorted blame, or trauma-related emotions feelings of alienation and diminished interest in life.

Avoidance - Distressing memories, thoughts, or reminders of the event.Alterations in arousal - Aggressive, reckless or self-destructive behavior, sleep disturbances, hypervigilance.Re-experiencing the event - Recurrent memories of the event, traumatic nightmares, dissociative reactions, prolonged psychological distress.Under DSM-5, for those older than six years of age, PTSD includes four clusters of symptoms (APA, 2013): Common comorbid disorders are depression, anxiety, and substance addiction. Common symptoms related to PTSD would include insomnia, attention deficit problems, and anhedonia. Hyper-arousal may include an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, hyperventilating, mood swings, fatigue, or insomnia when a memory of the event is triggered by some type of internal (cognition) or external (environmental) stimulus. PTSD symptoms may include nightmares, flashbacks, sleep disturbance, mood disorders, suicidal ideation, avoidance, and hyper-arousal in response to trauma-related stimuli.

The symptoms cannot be due to a medical condition, medication, or drugs or alcohol. A formal diagnosis of PTSD is made when the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social and/or occupational dysfunction for a period of at least one month. Traumas experienced may involve war, natural disasters, car accidents, sexual abuse and/or domestic violence. The exposure must involve directly experiencing the event, witnessing the event in person, learning of an actual or threatened death of a close family member or friend, or repeated first-hand, extreme exposure to the details of the event. Under DSM-5, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops in relation to an event which creates psychological trauma in response to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation. DSM-5 Category: Trauma and Stressor-Related DisordersĭSM-5 has made a number of important changes to the criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder, the most significant being a more specific definition of the type and nature of the exposure to a threat.

Dsm 5 revised ptsd criteria