After a traumatic event, it is normal to experience fear for a while, since our brain is responsible for secreting stress-related hormones that prepare us to flee or fight; But as the days go by, this sensation usually diminishes until it disappears.
However, in some cases, this feeling of fear does not disappear and other symptoms begin to be experienced that cause discomfort, and which can seriously affect daily life. This is when you may begin to suspect the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD.
This pathology of mental origin can present with various symptoms that include anxiety, persistent fear, intrusive memories of the traumatic event, sleeping problems, difficulty remembering things, guilt, tension, nightmares, remorse, avoidant behaviors and even physical symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, tachycardia, excessive sweating, among others.
“When you are present, you can allow the mind to be as it is without getting entangled in it,” Eckhart Tolle.
PTSD Assessment
If PTSD is suspected, the person must be evaluated for diagnosis by a mental health specialist, who, through interviews and the application of specific instruments for this purpose, will be able to determine the presence of the diagnostic criteria established by the American Association of Psychiatry in the (DSM-5).
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Among the tests used by specialists to evaluate PTSD are:
Davidson Trauma Scale (The Davidson Trauma Scale – DTS)
This is a clinical severity or intensity scale that evaluates PTSD symptoms in patients through 17 questions, which address all the symptoms described in the Mannual diagnostic and statistical analysis of mental disorders (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association. (2014).
This instrument also allows evaluating the treatment to be followed in each particular case to address PTSD. It consists of questions that must be answered based on their presence and intensity, being a fairly complete test.
It is a scale that can be filled out directly by the patient, that is, it is a self-administered instrument. And another of its advantages is that it is available in Spanish, making it one of the most used by mental health professionals.
Traumatic Experiences Questionnaire (Questionnaire to rate Traumatic Experiences TQ)
In this case we are talking about an instrument of screening, that is, early detection, which is very useful in primary medical and/or psychological care to determine the possible existence of PTSD. For this reason it is widely used for patient assessment.
The Traumatic Experiences Questionnaire includes 3 parts, the first being made up of 17 items related to the symptoms associated with PTSD. In each case, the duration of the symptoms is investigated, and there is even a section to note any event causing the disorder that is not included in these items.
Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)
It is a diagnostic instrument that allows you to evaluate symptoms related to PTSD and their severity. It also includes the assessment of feelings of guilt related to PTSD, depersonalization and derealization, from a quantitative and temporal perspective.
It is important to keep in mind that these types of scales must be administered solely and exclusively by personnel trained in mental health care. Its application time can vary between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
In the second, the characteristic of the event that caused the trauma is evaluated through 9 items, and finally we find 18 questions about the symptoms associated with PTSD.
PTSD Treatment Evaluation
Once the presence of PTSD has been determined, it is necessary to intervene and treat the person and the symptoms related to this mental problem. Subsequently, it becomes essential to have a scale to evaluate the patient’s evolution, and that is exactly where they are used:
Duke Global Rating Scale for PTSD – DGRP
This instrument is used to evaluate symptoms related to PTSD, based not on its presence, but on its improvement after treatment, comprehensively assessing the person and the severity of their symptoms taking into account the improvement.
It is available in Spanish and it is a hetero-applied scale, that is, it requires the presence of an evaluator to apply the instrument. It is a very short test, as it only has 4 questions on a scale of Likert.
The Eight-Item Treatment-Outcome Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale (TOP-8)
This is a scale whose purpose is the evaluation of the results that have been obtained through the application of the treatment that the specialist has determined to apply to each particular patient.
It should be noted that this scale alone does not really determine the effectiveness of the treatments, but it does offer important information for the specialist who, depending on the results, can continue or reformulate the treatment to be followed in cases of PTSD.
This scale evaluates the frequency criteria of the symptoms and the change produced from the first assessment to the last. It is a widely used instrument, which is available in Spanish, and its application time is really short, ranging between 5 and 10 minutes.
“No passion like fear so effectively robs the mind of its ability to act and reason,” Edmund Burke.
It is important to keep in mind that the diagnosis of PTSD can be determined solely and exclusively by personnel trained in mental health care. Likewise, these personnel will be in charge of determining the type of treatment to follow in each particular case.
If you suspect you have PTSD, don’t hesitate to consult a specialist. Mental health is as important as physical health. Always go to qualified specialists.
Reference:
- American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5 (5th ed.). Madrid: Panamericana Medical Editorial.