What is PTSD?
It is a psychiatric disorder that results from experiencing or witnessing traumatic or life-threatening events. Individuals experience intense negative thoughts and feelings associated with their experience that persist after the traumatic event has ended [1].
What Differentiates them?
| Trauma | PTSD | |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline | – Time-based; – Can occur once, or on multiple occasions. – An individual can also experience more than one type of trauma. | – Long-term; – The negative thoughts and feelings lingers long after the traumatic event has ended. |
| Severity | – High level of ongoing distress and life impairment. | |
| Coping | – Can be overcome with healthy coping mechanisms. | – Aggravated traumatic symptoms due to unhealthy coping mechanisms. |
Diagnosis Criteria
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V), all 8 criteria are required for the diagnosis [2]:
| Criteria A: Stressor | The person had direct or indirect exposure to the stressful events. – e.g., actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence |
|---|---|
| Criteria B: Intrusion symptoms | The person has persistently re-experienced the traumatic event. – e.g., nightmares, flashbacks |
| Criteria C: Avoidance | Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli after the trauma. – e.g., thoughts of feelings, external reminders |
| Criteria D: Negative alteration in cognitions and mood | Experienced aggravated thoughts and feelings after the trauma. – e.g., negative feelings, self-blame, withdrawal |
| Criteria E: Alterations in arousal and reactivity | Experienced aggravated trauma-related arousal and reactivity after the trauma. – e.g., hypervigilance, risky behaviours |
| Criteria F: Duration | Experienced symptoms lasted for over a month. |
| Criteria G: Functional Significance | Experienced symptoms affect individual’s daily functioning. – e.g., social, occupational |
| Criteria H: Exclusion | Symptoms are not due to other reasons. – e.g., medication, substance use, or other illness |
Gender Differences
Researchers have found that men have a higher risk for traumatic events, but women suffer higher PTSD rates. These could be attributed to [4]:
- Type of Trauma
- Women are more likely to experience sexual assault and child sexual abuse — where sexual trauma may cause more emotional suffering.
- Culture and gender roles
- More prominent in communities that emphasise traditional gender roles (i.e., men having more social power than women).
- Women in such cultures feel more emotionally vulnerable.
- Coping strategy
- Women rely on the support of others during problematic times (e.g., traumatic events).
- They become more susceptible if their social network does not give them the support they need or if they feel rejected and abandoned.
References:
[1] American Psychiatric Association. (2020). Psychiatry.org – What is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd
[2] New Directions For Women. (2020, December 24). What is the difference between PTSD and trauma? NDFW – New Directions For Women. https://www.newdirectionsforwomen.org/difference-ptsd-and-trauma/#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CAccording%20to%20the%20American%20Psychological,experiences%20or%20witnesses%20a%20trauma.
[3] Anxiety & Depression Association of America. (2017, September 19). How to prevent trauma from becoming PTSD. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/how-prevent-trauma-becoming-ptsd
[4] Tolin, D. F., & Foa, E. B. (2006). Sex differences in trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder: a quantitative review of 25 years of research. Psychological bulletin, 132(6), 959–992. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.959
