a)exposure to a specific kind of traumatic event (the attack on the WTC qualifies) coupled with a response of "intense fear, horror or helplessness"
b) persistent reexperiencing of the event in either recurring "images, thoughts, or perceptions" (or "disorganized or agitated behavior" in the case of children), or dreams, or flashbacks,
c)"persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness", seen in three or more listed symptoms,
d)"persistent symptoms of increased arousal" seen in two or more listed symptoms
As T Howe writes, to make the diagnosis, the symptoms must have lasted for more than a month, but that has now occurred. I think that the confusion is that, as she correctly states, there are two possible diagnoses of PTSD: acute PTSD, where the symptoms have lasted for less than three months, and chronic PTSD, where they have lasted for more than three months. Maybe people feel the effects should last longer to qualify for a "post"-traumatic diagnosis, but for people still having the symptoms above, they meet the criteria for the diagnosis, since we are six days past a month.
I hope this helps to clarify the discussion.
Riki Koenigsberg
In a message dated 10/17/01 12:31:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
i
think you are right. PTSD takes a while to be diagnosed. most of us and our students are experiencing normal anxiety reactions, such as bad dreams and fears. if this persists for a longer period of time and meets diagnostic criteria, then it might be PTSD, but it certainly isn't right now. even those who witnessed the event first hand and have terrible symptoms might not have PTSD, but normal trauma reactions. typically it has to persist for more than one month, and even if it is up to 3 months, it would be considered acute. 3 months or more are indicative of chronic. i'd also like to point out that in children, PTSD may differ in that it is often characterized by disorganized or agitated behavior, repetitive play expressing themes of the trauma (such as airplane crashes), unrecalled but frightening dreams, expressive reenactment of the trauma through dramatic play, stomach and headaches, and "omen formation" where they begin to believe they can predict future negative events, or a sense of "no future" or never having the opportunity to grow up.
"Shearon, Tim" wrote:
Am I missing something? :) Please realize that this isn't just directed at the writer of this message but at all of us. How can we in psychology expect the general public to get the idea that it is accute anxiety that is occurring at this point in time and not PTSD when we seem to be getting it confused ourselves. Or is it me who has misunderstood the concepts. (Certainly wouldn't be the first time but I don't want to continue to teach it the wrong way in my intro courses). My understanding of the literature, and I'm not in clinical or counseling, is that PTSD only shows up much later and the time immediately following the event results in situational or accute anxiety. I know that may sound like nit-picking, but as I understand it the prognosis and treatment are vastly different for the two categories? Can someone with expertise in this area please inform those of us not so knowledgable about these ideas which of us is off base on the accute vs PT aspects of anxiety disorder? TOS
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Timothy O. Shearon, Ph.D.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2001 8:59 AM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences
Subject: Re: 9-11 fallout
I teach in a high school in Queens. The day of the attack, we discussed what had happened (I teach the last two periods) and provided some coping strategies that i ususally discuss in the second semester. We had no school the next day, because of various shutdowns in Ny. On Thurtsday, i gave time for discusssions of their ideas and feelings about what had happened. Since then, i returned to my usual discussion of topics in AP Psychology. They have had two quizzes, with no real decline in scores over previous years.
I think that all of the students were personally affected by what took place, especially since one of the teachers lost her brother in the attack, which was not determined until days and searches later. However, the school actively worked to keep students informed and to help them cope, with general meetings, available counseling, and tips to all teachers about ways to help their students. Of course, this is easier in a small high school than in a large college, but the interventions may have reduced the PTSD symptoms that TIPSters seem to be finding in their students. Riki Koenigsberg
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