Premium Essay

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study

Submitted By
Words 1365
Pages 6
Abstract
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a behavioral condition that occurs in individuals who have been exposed to a traumatic event. In this paper, PTSD is examined through multiple studies as an example of a human behavioral trait in an effort to discover the extent of its heritability as well as to challenge Erik Turkheimer’s “first law” of behavioral genetics. From twin studies and family studies of individuals with PTSD, it is apparent that the heritability of PTSD is correlated with multiple factors such as sex, family history, and educational background. The environmental factor of nonshared experiences before experiencing a traumatic event can also significantly influence PTSD development in both monozygotic and dizygotic …show more content…
Interviews of monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs where both siblings served on active military duty in the Vietnam War. Of the 20.8% of individuals who received a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD, factors such as being exposed to trauma at an earlier age, lower education levels at the time of enlistment, history of panic disorders, and preexisting mood disorders resulted in a positive correlation with PTSD development (Koenen et al 2002:213, 216). However, preexisting depression correlated with a decrease in trauma exposure (Koenen et al 2002:214). While PTSD development has been shown to be heritable, these results demonstrating how nonshared environmental influences can still hold a significant impact in the development of PTSD, even in individuals who are raised in the same family and share the same genetic background, challenge the simplicity of Turkheimer’s first …show more content…
Together these findings support Turkheimer’s first “law” that all behavioral traits are heritable— adding onto it by highlighting the variance in heritability and introducing other factors as contributing variables. Epigenetics, gene-environment interactions, and shared and nonshared environmental influences can all compound to produce the observed phenotypical presentation of a person’s genotype. On a more holistic level, it is difficult to isolate the impact of heritability alone on the development of complex behavioral traits when you consider these other factors as influences as

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study

...I was assigned to a 10 year old male with the diagnosis of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The patient has been neglected, verbally and physically abused by his mother since he was very young. The patient is living with his dad and he goes to his mom every other weekend per court order. According to the patient history the patient mother has a mental disorder as well. The patient was brought to the BHU because of his intrusive behavior that was escalated. The patient has been having episodes of flashbacks stating “my mother is telling me to jump out of a window and kill myself”. The patient shows irritability, aggressiveness such as wanting to kill his father with a knife and kill himself by jumping out of the window....

Words: 548 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Case Study the Machinest/ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/ Insomnia

...Abnormal psychology is the study of abnormal behavior, thoughts and emotions. There are many people with mental disorders that never get treated. It is very important to make correct diagnoses when diagnosing a patient. Accurate diagnosing will insure that the individual is receiving the best treatment possible. The earlier mental illnesses are detected they easier they are to treat. It should always be ones priority to function as normal as possible and get back on track. Educating people on their disorder and treatment options will give them a better understanding of their condition and what they can do to stay healthy and recover to normal. I am going to be writing a psychological case study on Trevor Reznik from the Machinist. I will be giving a brief background on Trevor as well as discussing his behavior and symptoms. I will base my diagnosis of his symptoms and behavior with accordance to the DSM-IV criteria and multi-axis diagnosis. I will also be recommending treatment and recovery options. Trevor Reznik is a 29 year old man from Seattle Washington. He moved to Houston 5 years ago after earning a degree in machinery. Trevor is a Machinist at Skilled Craftsmen of Texas. He says he doesn't care much for the trade but the pay is alright. He states that he isn't very well at keeping in touch with family these days. He grew up in a single family home and his father died when he was a young boy. There is no history of medical or mental disorders to Trevor lihis knowledge...

Words: 1591 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Post-Traumatic After War

...The term post- traumatic stress disorder come around the 1970’s, so the term shell shock was created to express the psychological or physical injuries for the soldier and veterans. Most people believed post-traumatic stress disorder was only temporary; however, post-traumatic stress disorder does not just disappear overnight, and in most cases, shell shock can be permeant, especially in Septimus’ case. Septimus; pain and suffering leaded him to commit suicide, so he could escape his horror. The critic Bruce Dohrenwend exposed the psychological risks of the people, who was in the war. Some of the soldiers got post-traumatic stress disorder right after war, but studies show post-traumatic stress disorder can develop elven or twelve years after...

Words: 309 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Ptsd

...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders 1 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: Defining, Diagnosing, Correlation with Insomnia and Nightmares as well as The Treatment and Recovery Processes in War Veteran’s Tammy L. Egan Fulton-Montgomery Community College Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders 2 Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder or most commonly known as PTSD, is a common problem for veterans returning from war all over the world. It can often be misdiagnosed as a traumatic brain injury or overlooked altogether because of the similarities in their symptoms. This paper will define what post-traumatic stress is as according to the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, its correlation with insomnia and nightmares, traumatic brain injuries and rare heart conditions, and it summarizes various treatment options including virtual reality, the Recover process, cognitive processing therapy, clinical programs, the use of the drug propranolol, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Lastly, it will review problems with those treatments, involving flaws in the research studies, ethical issues and gender issues. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders 3 Defining, Diagnosing, Correlation with Insomnia and Nightmares as well as The Treatment and Recovery Processes in War Veteran’s Wars have been fought for centuries, and the soldiers fighting these wars often come home scarred, either physically, mentally, or both. Soldiers who exhibit...

Words: 3561 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

...2012 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD- Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health problem that can occur after one goes through a traumatic event in their life. Today, military people or people who struggled with challenges, such as injuries caused by the attack on September eleven, could have been experiencing the PTSD. Doctors, families, Psychologists, and scientists are very concerned about this disorder and are finding right ways to resolve this problem. Some scientific studies have been completed over the past few years. The studies were regarding the impacts of combat deployments and their relation to spouse abuse. Research in the article “Psychology of Violence” shows that numerous psychological and behavioral outcomes are related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The most common symptoms were depression, alcohol intoxication, and spouse abuse. The September eleven, terrorist attack, serving in military, and being deployed into a war has a direct impact on soldiers and their families. The article gives us three studies that examined the effects of deployment on spouse abuse. The first study discovered that returning Army soldiers report abuse rates that lasted longer than six months (McCarroll et. al.,2000). The second and third study found no association between deployment and self-reported spouse abuse during a post deployment period neither wives nor soldiers reported it (McCarroll et.al., 2003). In this essay I would like to talk about Post-Traumatic...

Words: 1444 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

PTSD Case Study Essay

...Psychology essay PTSD case study PTSD what is post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition of stress which is caused by an event, and now you get flashbacks. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder which is caused by an event earlier in life that is very stressful or psychologically disturbing. People with this disorder may have flashbacks and relive the event through their nightmares, and they could also have trouble sleeping at night. PTSD happens most often in soldiers and those who have been in the war due to the extreme situations that arise from it. Symptoms, Biological, Mental. The symptoms of PTSD are …. The biological symptoms of PTSD are. One of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder is the constant feeling of danger. The symptoms are increased anxiety, experiencing the event again through flashbacks or nightmares. Another symptom is avoidance of things that remind you of the event, being unable to remember some parts of the event, and also loss of interest and feeling detached from others. Memories of the event will be intrusive. The physical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are dizziness, shortness of breath also possibly chronic pain and tightness in the chest. A common symptom is a feeling of intense fear. Other symptoms are persistent depressive feelings and dissociation. This disorder often coexists with anxiety or eating disorders, or depression. In the case study Andy’s initial symptoms after...

Words: 564 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Ptsd

...Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in soldier Abstract This paper will be discussing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in soldiers. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), classified as an anxiety disorder, has become increasingly important because of wars overseas, natural disasters, and domestic violence. Typically the individual with PTSD persistently avoids all thoughts, emotions and discussion of the stressor event and may experience amnesia for it. However, the event is commonly relived by the individual through intrusive, recurrent recollections, flashbacks and nightmares. The characteristic symptoms are considered acute if lasting less than three months, chronic if persisting three months or more, and with delayed onset if the symptoms first occur after six months or some years later. PTSD is distinct from the briefer acute stress disorder, and can cause clinical impairment in significant areas of functioning. We will be discussing how PTSD affects the soldiers coming from war, their behaviors, and interaction with society and suicide incidence. Keywords: PTSD, anxiety disorder, soldiers. Post Traumatic Stress disorder in soldier As of today a great number of soldiers that have returned from the Iraq war are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The most current military combats in Iraq, which have involved the ground combats as well as air battle embarked by the United States since the war in Vietnam almost 50 years ago, bring up very essential...

Words: 2976 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Abnormal Pscyhology

...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder   After experiencing a traumatic event, the mind horde away the memories and then send them back at unexpected times and places, even after years have passed. It does so in such a way that makes the recall just as traumatizing as the first time it happened. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the name for the acquired mental condition that follows a psychologically distressing event. The root cause of this disorder is a traumatic event which embeds itself firmly in the mind that the person may be bounded by the pain and agony of the event, experiencing it again and again as the mind stays connected with the past rather than the present, which makes it difficult to think of the future. PTSD has different effects that manifest itself in different ways in individuals such as veterans, post-partum women, and 9/11 victims. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after a traumatic event. PTSD has also been called shell shock or battle fatigue. The exact cause of PTSD is unknown; however, it is triggered by exposure to some sort of traumatic event(s). Situations in which a person feels intense fear, helplessness, or horror are considered traumatic. PTSD has been reported in people who experienced, war, rape, sexual abuse, car accident, pregnancy, and much more. Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD. People with PTSD experience symptoms...

Words: 1274 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of World War I

...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of World War I The soldiers that fought during World War I faced many difficulties during the war. These difficulties included day to day combat, little or no food for days at a time, health issues that arose from the poor conditions, and having to deal with the mental strain of the war. Your average person either knows or has heard of these difficulties, but the average person probably doesn’t know about the problems these soldiers face upon their return home. The main problem for returning soldiers is what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. According to the American Psychiatric Association, post-traumatic stress disorder refers to an anxiety disorder that some people get after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. To give further detail of the disorder the APA also classifies an anxiety disorder as a mental illness in which the sufferer feels an exceptional level of fear and apprehension. The APA also states that any event that causes a person to experience intense fear, horror, or helplessness can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. In order to be officially diagnosed a person must meet the criteria of having the required number of reexperiencing, hyperarousal, and avoidance/numbing symptoms. To be officially diagnosed the person must experience one of the five reexperiencing symptoms, two of the five hyperarousal symptoms, and three of the seven avoidance/numbing symptoms. The five reexperiencing symptoms...

Words: 1233 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Magnolia Therapeutic Solution Case Study

...Magnolia Therapeutic Solution Case Study Patience A. Steward BSHS 373 February 4, 2013 Megan Burke Magnolia Therapeutic Solution Case Study The Magnolia Therapeutic Solutions Case Study defines to other organizations or businesses, especially that falling under the government expense or support how important it is to scrutinize on routine basis the cash flow of finances and effective decision making carefully. The magnolia Therapeutic Case constructed by Mary Stewart, was action put in place to assist those individual suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. Mary saw the need for initial to continuous help as a steady increase with this disorder from many of her private sessions. Many health professions prior to the Magnolia Therapeutic Solutions was no over concern in the area of Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. In such a manner, Mary Stewart created the organization under non-profit ideals and generously accepted a large government donation. Sadly is the downfall of an assumption that cost Magnolia Therapeutic Solutions to discontinue services that helped so many clients involved. The intent of this essay will explore the problems and concerns of the organization, the decisions made affecting organizational infrastructure, and risks taken within management. Problems and Concerns According to the Mayo Clinic (1998-2012), “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event. Symptoms may include flashbacks...

Words: 903 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Ptsd In The Military

...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder A person’s mind is often referred to as an organic computer with little or no match in nature or in current technology. A computer is not without its flaws, many issues may arise that can cause that computer to malfunction or at least not perform at peak performance either due to manufacturing, environmental issues, or over use of the machine. Like a computer a human mind can also breakdown due to heredity, environmental issues or the type of stress encountered in certain situations. These breakdowns or malfunctions are known as psychological disorders and they can affect a wide range of people regardless of their background. The disorder that will be looked at in this paper is one that plagues many combat...

Words: 1421 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Review

...with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 8, 737-743. http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.hil.unb.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a5c7883c-d98e-44b4-bff5-1f22f9c3fce0%40sessionmgr12&vid=2&hid=20#739 Introduction The following critical review will be evaluating the article Patterns and Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Committed by Returning Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” by Erin P. Finley in the Journal of Family Violence. The following will include a summary of the article and identify the articles purpose. Following a review of three case studies the articles authority, accuracy, currency, relevance, objectivity and stability will also be examined. Patterns and Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Committed by Returning Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder identify a subject that is becoming more relevant in society. According to the article in the Journal of Family Violence (2010) 25:737-743, intimate partner violence is more prevalent among returning Veterans than in the general population addressing the patterns and perceptions. Over all this article was well written, organized and identified the important issues however, it was limited by its small sample size. The author’s comprehension of the family’s home lives, partner violence and mental health is lean. The limited study shares two occurrences. Minor evidence of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) may involve patterns and relate to Post Traumatic Stress...

Words: 1230 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Ptsd: Causes and Symptoms

...07/25/13 Summary for HES 1 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Causes and Symptoms Every individual has gone through some sort of danger. Everyone, at some point, has been afraid. Fear triggers many instant changes in the body. These changes help the body prepare itself to defend against danger or to avoid it. This is taught as the “fight or flight” response. It is a healthy reaction meant to protect an individual from harm. But in post traumatic stress disorder, this reaction is changed or damaged. Traumatic events bring out a reaction from an individual that may be different from that of another. Everyone is unique to their own ability to manage fear or stress and to cope with any threats posed by a traumatic event. This is why not everyone who experiences or witnesses a trauma will develop post traumatic stress disorder. It is not known why traumatic events cause PTSD in some individuals and not in others. In a time a traumatic event, the body will release stress hormones and chemicals. Generally, the body will recover after the event, and hormone and chemical levels will return to normal. For some reason the body of an individual with PTSD will continue to release the stress hormones and chemicals. Whether or not an individual will develop PTSD depends on many contributing factors. Some of these factors can be genes, emotions, and family settings, the intensity or duration of the trauma, any injuries or deaths as a result of the traumatic event, the distance from the...

Words: 940 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Student’s Name: Institutional affiliation: Case study Jake is a 45 year old male who has served as an active military soldier in the government for more than twenty years. In his twenty years of service, he has been deployed several times to war torn countries like Afghanistan. Over the years he got promoted to a Warrant Officer1. This put him in a position where younger service men looked up to him for strength and leadership skills. He was doing fine until six months ago when he started displaying signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Jake claims to have seen some horrifying details during his time of service but he knew that was all part of his job description. One incident that is still deeply embedded in his mind is when he saw a horrifying incident of his closest friend and comrade being completely blown up by a grenade. Another incident he recalls vividly is when his unit went into one of the small villages in Afghanistan just after insurgents had left. The insurgents wanted to set to set a good example to people who were thought to be collaborators. The destruction left behind was horrendous. He coped up by blocking the images out but when he returned home, the horrific and disturbing images never got out of his mind. At one point he struggled so much trying to remember the past. His wife complained that he was short tempered and always on the edge shouting at the kids and losing...

Words: 1240 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on Soldiers, Communities and Society

...NDIZIHIWE Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on Soldiers, Communities, Societies From War Participation MARCH 2012 TABLE OF CONTENT PROLOGUE PART I POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Part II: IMPACT ON THE INDIVIDUAL Part III: IMPACT ON FAMILY Part IV: IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY PART V: OVERCOMING POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER PART VI: DISCUSSION BIBLIOGRAPHY Post-Traumatic stress Disorders on Soldiers, Communities, Societies from War Participation Prologue A few years back when I was in Rwanda, it was no longer surprising to a attend a memorial ceremony and each time, all of a sudden, some women would start screaming:"They are coming for me!" as if they were being chased to death or men losing control and start shouting at another group of people:"You murderers!". We were used to this phenomenon but a newcomer would certainly creep out. For me, their reaction is perfectly understandable and tough I view it from my country's perspective and experience, post traumatic stress disorder is a global sociological and psychological issue that needs to be addressed. Conflicts inciting violence are still going on, some have ended but a large number of war survivors and victims are still haunted by the memories, they have experienced the worst situations humanly possible and if the issue is not addressed properly, trauma can be perpetual. Post traumatic...

Words: 4445 - Pages: 18