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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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				Does PTSD affect the brain? Q: Dear Frank, I read recently that prolonged and extreme fear or stress, including PTSD (especially prolonged) can cause damage to the brain. If it's true, what part of the brain, and what are the consequences or symptoms? I know in children it can affect the frontal lobe development. But this article claimed even adults can be affected by brain damage. A: Dear Joyce,Stress can damage the brain. Recent studies of combat vets with PTSD, compared to identical twins without stress, showed statistically significant brain-scan changes. There was a reduction of grey matter (nerve cell bodies) in a part of the brain known to connect thought centers and emotional centers. That part of the brain is called the anterior cingulate gyrus. But there have not been long term follow-up studies to see if the brain recovers those losses. We do know that PTSD is treatable and the symptoms usually improve. This recent finding is interesting, because a similar twin study showed there was no reduction in the size of another brain part called the hippocampus. We know that a small hippocampus correlates with vulnerability to PTSD. The hippocampus is a switching station for memory. The larger hippocampus seems better able to manage terrifying life events without generating the kind of trauma memory that bursts forth later as flashbacks and unwanted, piercing recollections. In this older study, the scientists looked at combat veterans, some of whom developed PTSD and some who did not. All the vets had identical twins who were not exposed to trauma. The vets with PTSD had smaller hippocampi than the vets without PTSD, but those PTSD vets had twins with smaller hippocampi. These studies seem to say that a small hippocampus is a risk factor for PTSD, but PTSD is a risk factor for a reduced anterior cingulate gyrus. Does brain anatomy affect stress-resilience? Yes. Does stress affect brain anatomy? Yes. Is the brain damage from stress permanent? We do not know. I doubt it, however. The brain is an organ with amazing recuperative powers. Unless it is very old or very damaged, the human brain forms new pathways, new cellular connections and new ways of responding to anatomical disruption. Webcast: How Does PTSD Affect Brain Function? Exposure to a traumatic event may cause PTSD symptoms. Stress can damage the brain. In this webcast, Dr. Frank Ochberg discusses what happens to the brain after a traumatic event. Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.
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