29. Understanding PTSD: Diagnosis, Neurobiology and Management

29. Understanding PTSD: Diagnosis, Neurobiology and Management

Why does a sound, a smell or a flash of light have the power to pull someone back into the worst moment of their life, years after it happened? In this episode, we explore post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in depth. We cover the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria, the three core symptom clusters, and the neurobiology that explains why PTSD symptoms are so persistent and so difficult to simply talk yourself out of. Topics include re-experiencing, avoidance and hyperarousal, the role of the amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, the paradox of cortisol in PTSD, and evidence-based treatments including trauma focused-CBT, EMDR and pharmacological options. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychiatry trainees and anyone working with patients who have experienced trauma. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9, 3.5.1.13 and 3.9.5. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

28. What Is Motivational Conflict? Kurt Lewin, Approach-Avoidance and the Psychology of Trauma

Not all stress comes from outside events. Some of the most corrosive stress arises from within, when we are pulled in opposite directions at the same time. In this episode, we explore the psychology of conflict and trauma. We cover the three classical types of motivational conflict described by Kurt Lewin, the psychological impact of traumatic experience, and the relationship between trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Topics include approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance and approach-avoidance conflict, the diagnostic features of PTSD, and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying traumatic memory. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone seeking to understand why trauma leaves such a lasting mark. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

27. Can Stress Make You Sick? The Social Readjustment Rating Scale and Daily Hassles

Can a single life event make you physically ill? Research suggests it can, and the evidence is more precise than you might expect. In this episode, we explore the social origins of stress. We cover Holmes and Rahe's Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the landmark studies linking life events to illness onset, and Kanner's research on daily hassles and uplifts as independent predictors of wellbeing. Topics include the concept of the life change unit, the distinction between acute and chronic stressors, the difference between negative and positive life events as stressors, and the clinical relevance of life event assessment in psychiatry. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about why stress gets under the skin. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9.  I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

26. What Is Stress? Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome and the Biology of Cortisol

We all talk about feeling stressed, but what is actually happening inside the body when stress strikes? In this episode, we explore the physiology and psychology of stress. We cover Hans Selye's landmark General Adaptation Syndrome, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the role of cortisol, and the distinction between acute and chronic stress. Topics include the three stages of Selye's model, the physiological consequences of prolonged stress, and the clinical relevance of the stress response in psychiatric practice. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about the science of stress. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

25. Do We All Feel the Same Things? Ekman, Plutchik and Emotional Arousal

Can the same emotion mean something different depending on who is feeling it, or where in the world they live? And does being more emotionally aroused always mean you perform better? In this episode, we explore the differentiation of emotions, the debate around primary emotions, and the relationship between emotional arousal and performance. Topics include Ekman's six primary emotions and his cross-cultural research, Plutchik's wheel of emotions, Feldman Barrett's theory of constructed emotion, and the Yerkes-Dodson Law alongside Easterbrook's cue utilisation hypothesis. The clinical relevance of these ideas to anxiety, depression and therapeutic practice is discussed. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about what emotions really are and where they come from. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.8. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]