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Gift From Within - PTSD Questions & Answers with Frank Ochberg, M.D.

PTSD: Definition of PTSD How Common, Who Gets PTSD? Is PTSD a normal event? Does PTSD Affect The Brain? Duration Pregnancy Delayed Onset PTSD PTSD Tip Sheet for your Doctor Medications for PTSD Distinguishing PTSD from BPD Generalized Anxiety Disorder Can the Wounds of PTSD Heal? Complex/Chronic PTSD: CPTSD Explanation Long Term Prognosis & Complex PTSD PTSD vs. CPTSD Managing Past Intense Feelings Overcoming Complex PTSD PTSD Symptoms: Anger and Brain Injury Anger Flashbacks Loneliness Feelings Of Loss And Sense Of Self Anxiety Numbing Re-Traumatization Differences bet. Depression, Dysthemia, Major Depression Depression vs. Sadness and Grief Biological Depression Memory Loss Triggers and Body Sensations PTSD & Facial Tics Emotional & Physical Reactions Delayed Stress Response after Experiencing a Shock Can A False Memory Happen? Differences Between Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal Negativity & Pessismism after Trauma PTSD/PTSI Insomnia: Not Being Able To Sleep PTSD/PTSI & Psychosis Relationships: Peer Support Issues Explaining PTSD To Children False Memory Toxic Family Of Origin Protection From Unwanted Contact Preventing Intergenerational PTSD Numbing in Male Survivors of Domestic Violence How To Increase Social Support Caregivers/Partners with PTSD: Starting a Conversation about PTSD Both Partners with PTSD & its Complications Fiancé Doesn't Believe in Therapy Managing PTSD After Partner Pushes Too Hard Childhood Abuse: Emotional Abuse Childhood Trauma & Intrusive Images Revisiting The Scene Of Trauma And Abuse Gaslighting Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Can a Child be Born Depressed Childhood Survivors and Being a Parent Work Issues: Disability Letter for Attorney-Sample Low Stress Jobs Doctor's letter for Employer Sample Dealing with Co-Workers Job Searching with PTSD Recovery: Frank Ochberg's Color Wheel of Positive Emotion Triggers Rebuilding Self Esteem Life After Trauma Coping During The Holidays Substance Abuse Improving A Damaged Self-Concept Explaining PTSD is a Responsibility Grief & Loss from a Tragic Death The Trauma Bond & Forgiveness Sudden Panic, Anxiety & Flashbacks Stockholm Syndrome, Trauma Bond and Undue Influence Therapy: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Inadequate Therapy When to End Therapy Repeating Your Trauma Story PTSD Symptoms After The Therapy Hour Exposure Therapy Service/Therapy Dogs & PTSD ECT (Electro-Convulsive-Therapy) Bipolar & ECT Therapy: An Interview Telling Trauma Story to Therapist PTSD Client Expectations from Therapy Sessions Veterans & PTSD: PTSD A Disease Seasonal PTSD & Anniversary Reaction. Emotional Injury Therapy Sessions Active Listening for Moms and Friends Military Sexual Assault Professionals: Compassion Fatigue Consequences Of Emotional Numbing School Teachers And PTSD Using The Counting Method with Clients Helping Clients with PTSD Other Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder Social Phobia Dissociation Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Cutting & Self Harm Link between PTSD, BPD and Bi-Polar Somatization Disorder or Briquet's Syndrome Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Dealing with Psychopaths & Narcissists

PTSD Questions & Answers with Joyce Boaz & Dr. Frank Ochberg, M.D. Read "Survivor Psalm" by Frank Ochberg

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Differences between Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal Q: Dear Frank, There is a lot of information on the Internet about hypervigilance and hyperarousal as part of the symptoms of PTSD. Could you please explain these two concepts and give examples? A: Dear Joyce, Thank you for asking for this clarification. These two "hyper" terms come up often in PTSI discussion and not everyone is familiar with them. First, "hyper" means over. It is the opposite of "hypo," which means under. We think of a "hyper" person as one who is revved up--over emotional, too talkative, too active. Among those who experience trauma, being hypervigilant means being overly alert for danger. I have a patient who describes himself as "the ball-turret gunner." He lives his life as though he is in one of those old world war two planes where a gunner was placed in a rotating turret half-way between the pilot and the tail, continuously scanning the horizon for incoming enemy aircraft. But Joe (not his real name) was never in the military. He was traumatized as a boy and later as a physician and he could never let his guard down. His hypervigilance interfered with his job, his family life, his sleep, and his ability to enjoy life. I found myself quoting Hamlet to him, "The world is out of joint. O wretched spite that ever I was born to set it right." Joe agreed. He was born to worry about the world. It isn't easy to be hypervigilant. True, vigilance serves a purpose when you are in danger and you need to see the enemy before he sees you. But once in a safe place, haunted by ghosts from the past, hypervigilance is a symptom of PTSI and not an asset. Hyperarousal means that a person has too much energy, not necessarily too much fear of harm. It does not mean aroused in a sexual way. It is the opposite of being relaxed and serene. It could include being vigilant. But there are situations in which a person is in a state of high energy, but not particularly perceptive. If you feel "wired" and others find you intense, too intense, it might be that you, due to being triggered, are "hyper-aroused." But you might not be focused on danger, perceptive of others, aware of your surroundings. To be vigilant is to be sensitive to threat. To be aroused is to be awake. Both states do overlap. PTSI creates a condition of having too much sensitivity to threat and too little ability to relax. Hypervigilance is too much sensitivity to threats that are not worth worrying about. Hyperarousal is the inability to relax when it time for relaxation, including time for sleep. These states make perfect sense during danger. But our bodies and our minds need to move effectively from "hyper" to normal. Treatment for PTSI includes learning to relax - but not giving up the capacity to be effectively aroused and vigilant. Frank Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.

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