Appendix D
Psychological and Psychophysiological Stress Disorders
Respond to the following:
1. Stress can be the root cause of psychological disorders. Name four symptoms shared by acute and posttraumatic stress disorders.
1) There can be re-experiencing events such as dreams.
2) Avoiding special circumstances where an event can remind the person of the event.
3) Losing interest in things that were once pleasurable.
4) Trouble sleeping and increased anxiety.
2. What life events are most likely to trigger a stress disorder?
Any events that are considered stressors like every day happenings can trigger stress disorders. Events such as death, rape, assault, abuse can be triggers for a stress disorder.
3. Traumatic events do not always result in a diagnosable psychological disorder. What factors determine how a person may be affected by one such event?
A persons tolerance to stress depends on genetic and biological factors. The brain can actually be changed by traumatic events. Certain personality characteristics make a person more prone to a psychological disorders.
4. What are the four stages in meeting the psychological needs of disaster victims?
a. Psychological debriefing and/or medical care immediately following trauma.
b. Therapy to aid in ending stress reactions.
c. Therapy to help gain perspective on traumatic event.
d. Therapy and assistance to enable individual to return to normal levels of functioning after trauma.
5. What is the link between personality styles and heart disease?
There is a link between personality styles and heart disease. There are two basic personality types, type A and type B. Type A personalities tend to be more aggressive, angry more often, very driven, and impatient. Studies show a correlation between coronary heart disease and type A personalities.
6. List