Hello, I'm Cristiane Garcia, a psychologist specializing in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. In this video I talk about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), what the symptoms are and the treatment. SOCIAL MEDIA Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/CristianeGa... Website: https://www.cristianegarcia.com Instagram: / psicologia.cristianegarcia ______________________________________ Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is one of the anxiety disorders and, as the name suggests, occurs when a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic situation associated with other factors. This is because a person can experience a highly stressful situation, such as an accident, a robbery, or even be subjected to some violence, and not necessarily develop the disorder. Post-traumatic stress will develop from an event in which the person goes through a highly stressful situation, such as a more serious accident, natural disaster, robbery, kidnapping, or any type of violence that threatens their physical or mental integrity. Any situation, regardless of what it is, that the person interprets as a risk to their integrity or that represents, in some way, a risk of death. The way the person interprets, feels and deals with the post-event is what can characterize the disorder and cause greater suffering or not. Interpretation is a factor that influences the development of trauma. Different people can go through very similar situations, but some will develop the disorder and others will not. Not all stressful situations are traumatic. Psychological trauma refers to situations that represent a risk to integrity and even in some situations like the ones I gave as an example, a robbery, for example, most people will remember the episode for a few days, but gradually return to normal life. When this does not happen and symptoms begin to manifest, with greater suffering and impairment in various areas of life, then we can talk about post-traumatic stress disorder. SYMPTOMS: Persistent memory about the event: intrusive, distressing memories of what happened, flashbacks as if reliving that event, or recurring nightmares and sleep disturbance. Psychological distress and physiological reactions: when faced with signs (situations, people or places) that resemble or symbolize the traumatic event. Physical symptoms of anxiety - rapid heartbeat, cold sweat, tremors, dizziness, difficulty breathing properly and other reactions. Avoidance of stimuli, people or places that remind the person of the traumatic event. Negative changes in cognition: forgetting an important aspect of the event; negative beliefs about oneself and the world. Changes in mood: feelings of guilt, shame, fear, anger. Changes in behavior: the person becomes uninterested in and unable to participate in activities, distances themselves from people, and may also exhibit self-destructive behavior. They usually exhibit an exaggerated startle response, even when faced with an external stimulus that does not actually represent a danger, such as a noise in the street, someone passing by speaking loudly, but precisely because the person is experiencing a trauma, they become more hypervigilant, much more cautious due to fear, and much more sensitive to stimuli. Derealization: altered perception of reality and the surrounding environment. Depersonalization: altered and distorted perception of oneself, a feeling of being separated from oneself). PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT: the psychiatrist will be able to assess the need for medication. PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT - COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOTHERAPY: Recounting the traumatic event repeatedly until the memory no longer dominates the person and no longer triggers symptoms, restoring the sense of security that we all need to live life normally. Coping with feared and avoided situations (such as going to work, going out with friends, going to the bank, socializing with people, etc.) Anxiety management techniques, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation. ______________________________________ Cristiane Rodrigues Garcia Psychologist and Psychotherapist Specialist in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from the Faculty of Medicine of USP CRP 06/84018 NOTICE: The information shared on the Cristiane Garcia channel has an educational nature that can help in the understanding of issues related to mental health and emotional balance. The content of the videos does not replace an evaluation or treatment from a health professional.