Olivia Tucker Analyze the etiology (in terms of Biological, Cognitive and Sociocultural factors) of ONE disorder from

ONE of the following groups. Anxiety disorders, Affective disorders, Eating disorders. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (more commonly referred to as PTSD) is unique in that it is the only disorder that puts emphasis on a stressor. PTSD cannot be diagnosed without the presence of a traumatic or horrifying event having happened, that prevents the person in question from being able to cope and function in daily life. The biological level of analysis is mainly concerned with the role of noradrenaline, which is a neurotransmitter that is important in emotional arousal. As Geriacioti (2001) found, patients with PTSD have higher levels of noradrenaline than average. When the adrenal system was stimulated in PTSD patients, it induced a panic attack in 70 percent of the patients, something that no control group experienced. This may be because of what Bremner (1998) found; evidence that noradrenaline receptors in PTSD patients had greater sensitivity. Twin research has also shown that there is a possibility for genetic predisposition for PTSD (Hauff and Vaglum 1994), although it will not be onset unless a stressor is present. If biological factors are assumed as being involved the symptoms, therapy will be the biomedical approach. The biomedical approach assumes that biological factors do not necessarily cause the disorder, but that they are associated with changes in the brain chemistry, such as with neurotransmitters and hormones. Drugs are used to treat the disorder in this instance, because the aim is to change the brain chemistry. It has been found that drugs are more effective for some than for others, but it is a preferred treatment because drugs work quickly and can immediately change the mood of the patient. Patients also often experience somatic symptoms, such as back pain, headaches, digestive problems, and insomnia, and drugs can be an effective way to counteract these. The cognitive level of analysis focuses on how individual cognition makes a difference in the development of PTSD. The cognitive level is used because there may be differences in the way individuals cognitively process events just as everyone has individual schemas. There may also be differences in ones attributional style; whether it leans more toward situational or dispositional. Cognitive therapists note often that PTSD patients feel that they have no control over their lives. They often feel guilt regarding their trauma, and this happens most often with rape victims. Intrusive memories are part of what prevents PTSD victims from functioning in daily life. Sounds, sights or smells relating to a traumatic event often trigger the memories. For example, a soldier may have flashbacks when hearing a loud noise. Brewin et al.

(1996) say that the flashbacks are resultant of cue-dependent memory, and stimuli associated with the original event trigger sensory and emotional memories, causing panic. Flooding is a therapy that is related to this, developed by Albert Rizzo, a professor at the University of Southern California. He used Brewins theory and exposed war veterans to a virtual war, which would trigger memories but show over time that no danger would come of it. This resulted in habituation, a state where the victim becomes desensitized to the memory. The development of PTSD, when seen as the cognitive level, shows that PTSD can be a result of emotion and disposition. Sutker et al. (1995) found that war veterans who had more of a sense of commitment to the military were less likely to experience PTSD. When the victim sees that the blame is not theirs, it also results in the disorder being overcome. For example, victims of child abuse were able to recognize that is was not their fault, and were able to overcome the symptoms. This is why group therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy, both of which involve talking to people who understand the disorder, are used when the patient is assessed at the cognitive level of analysis. The sociocultural level of analysis is what the majority of PTSD research focuses on. Research has shown that experiences with oppression or racism can be predisposing factors. Roysircar (2000) found that among Vietnam war veterans, 20.6 percent black and 27.6 percent of Hispanic veterans had PTSD, compared to 13 percent in white veterans. Among victims of genocide, such as in Rwanda and Bosnia, threat of death was an important cause of PTSD, and Dyregrov found that intrusive thoughts and avoidance behavior were apparent in these victims. Social learning might also play a role in PTSD. Silva (2000) found that children who had witnessed domestic violence were more likely to develop the disorder. PTSD is also more prevalent among women, occurring in 5% and 10% respectively in American men and women, reflecting that women deal with issues such as domestic violence and more likelihood of rape. Another reason for the discrepancy could be socialization differences that may lead girls to internalize their problems (for example: depression, anxiety) and boys to externalize them (by being aggressive and violent) as was found by Nolen Hoeksema (1994). Mental disorders are also characterized differently depending on culture. In non-western cultures, for example, doctors are not as quick to diagnose mental disorders. They focus more on somatic symptoms and treat physical problems instead. Non-western survivors commonly experience body memory symptoms. (Hanscom 2001). Etiology is important to understand on al levels of PTSD, because depending on whether biological, cognitive, or sociocultural factors are recognized, treatment varies significantly.