The Case of Daniel Terzi: Trauma with Clinical Care

Abstract

In exposure to a traumatic event involves a real or threatened injury to oneself or others, an individual can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traumatic events such as violence, assault, natural disaster or critical medical illness which involve a real or threatened injury to oneself or others can lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This disorder involves psychological and physiological symptoms including intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks, as well as hypervigilance, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, and sleep disturbance. Other psychiatric comorbidities are high in individuals with PTSD, and therefore careful attention must be paid to evaluating for comorbid mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Depending on an individual's preference, first-line treatment can involve medication management or psychotherapy that is typically trauma-focused in nature. The combination of these treatment approaches can aptly address both the acute symptoms of PTSD and the more dynamic issues seen in this disorder. With treatment, individuals can experience improvement in their overall functioning. This chapter provides a case study of Daniel Terzi, a 26-year-old third-year medical student, who presented to student health at the strong encouragement of his girlfriend for evaluation of poor sleep and decline in function over eight weeks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)