The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast PTSD 101: Diagnosis
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Aug 19, 2024 In this engaging discussion, Kellie Newsome, a PMHNP with mental health expertise, dives into the nuanced world of PTSD. She explains why some people develop PTSD after trauma while others do not. The conversation covers the evolution of PTSD diagnosis criteria, shedding light on historical perspectives and the emotional turmoil faced by those affected. Newsome also uncovers the critical link between sleep disturbances and PTSD recovery, exploring how nightmares and disrupted sleep can exacerbate symptoms.
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Trauma Doesn't Equal PTSD
- PTSD is one distinct outcome among many possible post-trauma disorders and should not be used as a catch-all label.
- Trauma can also trigger depression, bipolar disorder, or substance use independently or alongside PTSD.
DSM-5 Uses An Objective Trauma Definition
- DSM-5 defines trauma objectively as exposure to actual/threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence without relying on subjective fear reactions.
- The definition includes direct experience, in-person witnessing, learning about close others' trauma, and repeated professional exposure.
Why Media Exposure Is Usually Excluded
- DSM limits witnessing to in-person events and narrows media exposure except for repeated professional exposure to avoid over-diagnosis.
- This cutoff responded to mass media exposure after 9/11 that would otherwise have produced massive PTSD prevalence.