Need Help With This Assignment?

Let Our Team of Professional Writers Write a PLAGIARISM-FREE Paper for You!

SUBMIT YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Essay, Nursing, Pages: 2

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Analysis and Treatment

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Analysis and Treatment

Neurobiological Basis for PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder arises from alterations in brain regions involved in fear, memory, and stress regulation. A key region is the amygdala, which is involved in the identification and assessment of threats; in PTSD, one sees increased activity here, which results in enhanced emotional and fear reactions. At the same time, areas such as the hippocampus (that distinguish between past and present incidents) display decreased mass and functionality, producing numbing and intrusive memories: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Analysis and Treatment.

The prefrontal cortex, tasked with regulating emotions and mitigating fear, shows diminished activity, impairing emotional regulation. Disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis exacerbate stress responses, with abnormal cortisol levels observed in PTSD patients. This dysregulation explains common symptoms such as hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, and emotional dysregulation (Grande, 2019).

DSM-5-TR Criteria for PTSD and Case Analysis

The DSM-5-TR outlines diagnostic criteria for PTSD: 1) exposure to trauma—directly, as a witness, or through learning about a loved one’s trauma; 2) intrusive symptoms—recurrent, involuntary memories, dreams, or flashbacks; 3) avoidance—efforts to avoid reminders of the traumatic event; 4) negative mood and cognitive changes—persistent negative emotions, distorted blame, or diminished interest in activities (Mann et al., 2024); 5) arousal and reactivity—irritability, hypervigilance, or concentration difficulties.

In the video case by Dr. Cosman, the child’s symptoms align closely with these criteria. The child exhibited intrusive memories and nightmares, avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, negative beliefs about their safety, and heightened arousal such as irritability and trouble concentrating. Symptoms persisted for over a month, causing significant impairment, fulfilling diagnostic criteria for PTSD (Know & Grow With Dr. K, 2021).

The case presentation provides sufficient detail for a PTSD diagnosis. However, I recommend a cautious approach to the comorbid diagnoses of conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). These overlapping conditions can stigmatize a child and distract from addressing PTSD as the primary condition.

Major depressive disorder also warrants further evaluation, as immediate post-trauma mood disturbances may not meet the episodic nature required for this diagnosis. Focusing treatment on PTSD and reevaluating secondary diagnoses after symptom resolution ensures accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Alternative Psychotherapy Treatment Option

In addition to Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a recommended gold-standard treatment for PTSD. EMDR practice involves the use of bilateral stimulation, such as asking the clients to follow the therapist’s finger movements with their eyes. Unlike TF-CBT, which involves a structured trauma account, EMDR seeks to address a particular form of emotional response and transform a negative memory network.

EMDR is especially beneficial for children struggling to articulate their trauma, as it emphasizes memory processing without extensive verbal discussion. Studies show EMDR is as effective as TF-CBT in reducing PTSD symptoms, including nightmares and hypervigilance (Hudays et al., 2022). Furthermore, its shorter treatment duration (8-12 sessions) is advantageous for younger clients with limited attention spans. As a PMHNP, employing evidence-based treatments like EMDR ensures adherence to clinical guidelines and optimizes patient outcomes.

Importance of Gold-Standard, Evidence-Based Treatments

Gold-standard treatments like TF-CBT and EMDR are vital for delivering consistent, effective care. Evidence-based therapies undergo rigorous testing across diverse populations, ensuring their applicability and efficacy. For psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs), these approaches minimize trial-and-error, enhancing client trust and improving outcomes. Additionally, aligning with evidence-based guidelines reinforces the credibility and professionalism of mental health practitioners.

With reference to the case study, EMDR or TF-CBT can help to process the child’s intruding memories and altering maladaptive beliefs. Stemming from the realization that traumatized children are often stranded without a clear way to regain a sense of safety and structure, trauma-informed interventions help the child reframe their experiences along the path to healing (Fernández-Álvarez & Fernández-Álvarez, 2019).

Credibility of the Supporting Sources

The supporting sources are scholarly based on the results of the applied method, peer review, and providing new scientific data about PTSD and its treatments. From a critical viewpoint, Fernández-Álvarez and Fernández-Álvarez (2019) generated a scholarly commentary in Frontiers of Psychiatry, which is an open-access and peer-reviewed journal. Hudays et al. (2022) conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review, also published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, which belongs to the category of peer-reviewed scientific journals and includes the comparison of EMDR and CBT for PTSD. Thus, the presented data is organized based on the high-quality materials received during the research.

Finally, Mann et al. (2024) write an article that states the essential information about PTSD diagnosis and treatment based on the current medical evidence for StatPearls – a peer-reviewed electronic database for medical professionals accessible through PubMed. Conclusively, these features qualify the sources as scholarly.

Conclusion

PTSD significantly affects the functioning of the brain, and people with PTSD remain anxious, have flashbacks, and cannot regulate their emotions. The application of the DSM-5-TR criteria in classifying PTSD is well elucidated in the case study and makes it easy to diagnose PTSD. The primary PTSD diagnosis is valid.

However, the secondary diagnoses should be reviewed after completing the treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapies such as EMDR and TF-CBT are whole-body treatments that help people with PTSD. From the PMHNP perspective, an effective means of offering the best care is operating within the set developments and guidelines.

References

Fernández-Álvarez, H., & Fernández-Álvarez, J. (2019). Commentary: Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10(10). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00123

Grande, T. (2019, August 21). Presentation example: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkSv_zPH-M4

Hudays, A., Gallagher, R., Hazazi, A., Arishi, A., & Bahari, G. (2022). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing versus cognitive behavior therapy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16836. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416836

Know & Grow With Dr. K. (2021, July 18). Does your child suffer from post traumatic stress disorder? (Strictly Medical – English Version) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o98ilXH5gto

Mann, S. K., Marwaha, R., & Torrico, T. J. (2024, February 25). Posttraumatic stress disorder. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559129/

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Question

Week 9: Assignment

It is estimated that more almost 7% of the U.S. population will experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their lifetime (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017). This debilitating disorder often interferes with an individual’s ability to function in daily life. Common symptoms of anxiousness and depression frequently lead to behavioral issues, adolescent substance abuse issues, and even physical ailments. For this Assignment, you examine a PTSD video case study and consider how you might assess and treat clients presenting with PTSD.

RESOURCES
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources

To prepare:

  • Review this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on the insights they provide about diagnosing and treating PTSD.
  • View the media Presentation Example: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and assess the client in the case study.
  • For guidance on assessing the client, refer to Chapter 3 of the Wheeler text.

Note: To complete this Assignment, you must assess the client, but you are not required to submit a formal comprehensive client assessment.

THE ASSIGNMENT
Succinctly, in 1–2 pages, address the following:

  • Briefly explain the neurobiological basis for PTSD illness.
  • Discuss the DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria for PTSD and relate these criteria to the symptomology presented in the case study. Does the video case presentation provide sufficient information to derive a PTSD diagnosis? Justify your reasoning. Do you agree with the other diagnoses in the case presentation? Why or why not?
  • Discuss one other psychotherapy treatment option for the client in this case study. Explain whether your treatment option is considered a “gold standard treatment” from a clinical practice guideline perspective, and why using gold standard, evidence-based treatments from clinical practice guidelines is important for psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners.

Support your Assignment with specific examples from this week’s media and at least three peer reviewed, evidence-based sources. Explain why each of your supporting sources is considered scholarly. Attach the PDFs of your sources

BY DAY 7
Submit your Assignment. Also attach and submit PDFs of the sources you used

SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check
your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.
1. To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK9Assgn_LastName_Firstinitial
2. Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
3. Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Analysis and Treatment

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Analysis and Treatment

Readings:

Required Media: