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Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Address a colleague’s analysis and evaluation of the topic(s).
• Expand or remark upon a colleague’s integration of relevant resources.
• Answer question(s) posed by your colleague for further discussion.
• Link a colleague’s posting to other postings or to course materials and concepts, where appropriate and relevant.
• Extend or constructively challenge your colleague’s work.
• Otherwise expand upon your colleagues’ postings.

1-MARIA- 

Types of Trauma and PTSD Diagnosis Criteria

Trauma is defined as an event or series of events that causes significant distress or harm, often leading to a range of psychological, emotional, and physical responses. However, not all forms of trauma meet the criteria for a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), PTSD is diagnosed when a person experiences a traumatic event that results in intrusive memories, avoidance of reminders of the event, negative mood changes, and heightened arousal (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). For PTSD to be diagnosed, the trauma must meet certain criteria, such as:

Exposure to trauma: The person must have directly experienced, witnessed, or learned about a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.

Intrusive symptoms:

• Avoidance behaviors: The individual may avoid thoughts, feelings, or situations related to the trauma.
• Negative mood alterations: This can involve feelings of guilt, shame, or detachment.
• Arousal symptoms: Increased irritability, hypervigilance, or trouble sleeping are common.

Not all traumatic experiences lead to PTSD, and many forms of trauma, such as chronic stress or developmental abuse, may not fulfill the specific diagnostic criteria for PTSD, even though they can lead to significant emotional and psychological consequences (American Psychiatric Association, 2022).

Example of Trauma Without PTSD Diagnosis

An individual may experience trauma but not meet the criteria for PTSD. For example, a client who experienced a single, non-life-threatening car accident might feel shaken but not develop persistent symptoms. If the client does not experience intrusive memories, nightmares, or heightened arousal, or if the trauma does not lead to persistent avoidance behaviors or negative mood changes for a prolonged period, they may not be diagnosed with PTSD. This can occur even though the individual may still experience emotional distress or adjustment difficulties in response to the accident (Jones, 2021).

Importance of Addressing All Trauma

It is essential to address all forms of trauma, regardless of whether they meet the PTSD diagnostic criteria. Trauma can have long-lasting effects on mental health, even if the person does not develop PTSD. Untreated trauma can lead to a range of other mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, or dissociative disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Additionally, trauma may contribute to difficulties in relationships, employment, or overall functioning.

By recognizing and addressing all types of traumas, regardless of diagnosis, clinicians can help clients process their experiences, develop coping strategies, and improve their overall well-being. This is particularly important for clients who might not meet the strict criteria for PTSD but still experience significant distress and impairment due to their traumatic experiences (Jones, 2021).

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5-TR) (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

Jones, P. J. (2021). What’s in a trauma? Using machine learning to unpack what makes an event traumatic. Journal of Affective Disorders, 294, 769–775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.066

2-RAQUEL- 

Identify the types of trauma that may or may not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

Trauma that threatens the survival of individuals seems to be a common theme of trauma, such as witnessing death, being threatened with a weapon, violent events (i.e., sexual assault) personally happening to you, or witnessing them (Jones, 2021). Many individuals believed that events, including another individual, were more traumatic, such as robbery, sexual assault, and death threats. Verbal trauma that frightens you will not meet the criteria for PTSD as there is no real threat to your life by someone calling you names (American Psychiatric Association, 2022).

Provide an example of how a client may be traumatized without meeting the criteria for PTSD.

 Some traumatic events that, even though they are traumatizing, would not lead to PTSD would be a broken bone, having your car break down at night in a deserted area for hours, or being humiliated at school by throwing up in front of the class due to stage fright during a presentation. 

Explain the importance of addressing all trauma.

While the APA may define trauma that leads to PTSD as specific events, there are still events that can occur that can leave a lifelong impression on an individual and still create some of the same damages that PTSD can. A traumatic event can cause an individual to create anxiety, become depressed, or begin to present emotional problems (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). PTSD can cause hallucinations and paranoia in individuals who have not been treated for their trauma (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Those who do not have PTSD can still have traumatic experiences that can lead to severe rage that they choose to then turn into violence against those who traumatized them. Such as, if a kid is bullied at school by the same individuals every day, the kid, in turn, takes a gun to school for a shooting, which then creates a traumatizing experience for the entire school and creates PTSD for those who experienced it.  

References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5-TR) (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Jones, P. J. (2021). What’s in a trauma? Using machine learning to unpack what makes an event traumatic. Journal of Affective Disorders, 294, 769–775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.066