Psychological Perspectives
Scenarios
First case scenario is: Steve who is thirty-two years old and has recently been involved in a road
traffic accident where his partner died. Steve has been diagnosed as having post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) and has begun to self-harm.
Second case scenario is: Keira who is fifty-four and who has become addicted to pain killers following
surgery three years ago. Keira found the surgery traumatic as it followed a diagnosis of cancer and
has altered her appearance.
Steve’s Scenario
PTSD
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is when someone experiences intrusive thoughts about the
incident, recurrent distress/anxiety, flashback due to their past experiences. In Steve’s case, he has
been in a road traffic accident where his partner died, which has now led him to self-harm. PTSD is
the reliving of a traumatic event that an individual has experienced or been involved in, through
nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. ‘Survivor’s
Guilt’ as in the case of Steve, meaning that he, and other sufferers like him, blame themselves and
relive the horrific experiences/traumatic event over and over in their mind and in nightmares.
Hippocampus and Amygdala
The Hippocampus and Amygdala are parts of the brain. The Amygdala is specialised for the impact
and processing of emotion. The Hippocampus is essential for episodic and declarative memory.
These two areas of the brain interact during emotional reactions and they form both long- and
short-term memories. Studies suggest that ‘constant stress may damage the hippocampus’
(www.verywellmind.com). Experiencing ongoing stress as a result of severe and chronic PTSD may
ultimately damage the hippocampus, making it smaller. When affected by PTSD, the amygdala
becomes hyperactive. Those who suffer from emotional trauma will often exhibit more fear of
traumatic stressors than others. Steve may have suffered a head injury in the car accident, although
this is not made clear in the scenario provided. He is still suffering severe trauma, from the severity
of the accident which resulted in the loss of his partner.
Cognitive
PTSD can have a massively negative impact on both mental health and physical wellbeing, which in
turn can affect relationships, work, every day activities and life in general. PTSD sufferer’s often sink
into deep depression which in turn leads them to avoiding events, people and places; with
some sufferers (often in the case of ex-servicemen and women turning to crime or ending up
with criminal records). It can severely limit someone’s life and can even lead to anxiety
disorders or depression, phobias and cognitive behavioural changes. It can affect the sufferer’s
memory, concentration, and cause extremely negative thoughts, including suicidal thoughts
and in some cases leading to the use of illicit drugs, and alcohol dependency and addiction;
(and in Steve’s case, self-harm) and worse case scenarios could lead to suicide. In some cases,
PTSD sufferer’s display unnecessary risk taking with little regard for their own safety, the
safety of others, suicidal thoughts, or intrusive thoughts of harming others. Being a complex
issue: the reverse can happen with sufferer’s being over cautious, doubting themselves and
others, and being overprotective.
Scenarios
First case scenario is: Steve who is thirty-two years old and has recently been involved in a road
traffic accident where his partner died. Steve has been diagnosed as having post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) and has begun to self-harm.
Second case scenario is: Keira who is fifty-four and who has become addicted to pain killers following
surgery three years ago. Keira found the surgery traumatic as it followed a diagnosis of cancer and
has altered her appearance.
Steve’s Scenario
PTSD
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is when someone experiences intrusive thoughts about the
incident, recurrent distress/anxiety, flashback due to their past experiences. In Steve’s case, he has
been in a road traffic accident where his partner died, which has now led him to self-harm. PTSD is
the reliving of a traumatic event that an individual has experienced or been involved in, through
nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. ‘Survivor’s
Guilt’ as in the case of Steve, meaning that he, and other sufferers like him, blame themselves and
relive the horrific experiences/traumatic event over and over in their mind and in nightmares.
Hippocampus and Amygdala
The Hippocampus and Amygdala are parts of the brain. The Amygdala is specialised for the impact
and processing of emotion. The Hippocampus is essential for episodic and declarative memory.
These two areas of the brain interact during emotional reactions and they form both long- and
short-term memories. Studies suggest that ‘constant stress may damage the hippocampus’
(www.verywellmind.com). Experiencing ongoing stress as a result of severe and chronic PTSD may
ultimately damage the hippocampus, making it smaller. When affected by PTSD, the amygdala
becomes hyperactive. Those who suffer from emotional trauma will often exhibit more fear of
traumatic stressors than others. Steve may have suffered a head injury in the car accident, although
this is not made clear in the scenario provided. He is still suffering severe trauma, from the severity
of the accident which resulted in the loss of his partner.
Cognitive
PTSD can have a massively negative impact on both mental health and physical wellbeing, which in
turn can affect relationships, work, every day activities and life in general. PTSD sufferer’s often sink
into deep depression which in turn leads them to avoiding events, people and places; with
some sufferers (often in the case of ex-servicemen and women turning to crime or ending up
with criminal records). It can severely limit someone’s life and can even lead to anxiety
disorders or depression, phobias and cognitive behavioural changes. It can affect the sufferer’s
memory, concentration, and cause extremely negative thoughts, including suicidal thoughts
and in some cases leading to the use of illicit drugs, and alcohol dependency and addiction;
(and in Steve’s case, self-harm) and worse case scenarios could lead to suicide. In some cases,
PTSD sufferer’s display unnecessary risk taking with little regard for their own safety, the
safety of others, suicidal thoughts, or intrusive thoughts of harming others. Being a complex
issue: the reverse can happen with sufferer’s being over cautious, doubting themselves and
others, and being overprotective.
