The traumatized body: Long-term PTSD and its implications for the orientation towards bodily signals

Tsur, Noga; Defrin, Ruth; Lahav, Yael; Solomon, Zahava

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.12.083

Cited by 30 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…This means that even after many years of the trauma, survivors may relive their experience as vivid as when the trauma first occurred. Furthermore, reminders may trigger re-experiencing of the past trauma, activating trauma-related fear and hyperarousal (Tsur et al, 2018). Especially individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might experience heightened physiological arousal due to traumatic reminders without any direct recollection of the event (Ehlers & Clark, 2000;van der Kolk, 2000;Zoellner et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connection between the COVID-19 pandemic, war trauma reminders, perceived stress, loneliness, and PTSD in Bosnia and Herzegovina

et al. 2021

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In order to gain a better understanding of what happens during the COVID-19 pandemic to those who were previously traumatized, this study investigated perceived stress and severity of PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in people who experienced the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was also examined how reminders of past trauma and loneliness instigated by the COVID-19 crisis relate to current stress and PTSD symptoms. The sample consisted of 123 participants (74.8% women). Participants responded to assessments of sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to COVIDrelated information, concerns over disease, severity of exposure to war, frequency and intensity of war trauma reminders, loneliness, stress, and severity of PTSD symptoms. Data was collected as part of [edited out for blind review] Global Survey. Results showed that in a population previously exposed to the effects of war, severity of PTSD symptoms was positively related to perceived stress, and loneliness during the pandemic significantly mediated this relationship. Intensity of exposure to war trauma reminders was associated with higher levels of PTSD symptom severity. Higher severity of PTSD symptoms was related to forced displacement during the war. Moreover, higher stress was related to increased concerns over disease. To conclude, those exposed to war may be more affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic and preventive measures that accompany it, while loneliness mediates the effects of PTSD and perceived stress in this population.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connection between the COVID-19 pandemic, war trauma reminders, perceived stress, loneliness, and PTSD in Bosnia and Herzegovina

et al. 2021

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“…Both PTSD and pain are characterized by the awareness of such somatic symptoms enduring beyond the acute stage. The ongoing experience of these symptoms, particularly outside the context of an actual life‐ or injury‐threatening event, may induce misgivings or even fear of one's somatic symptoms (Tsao et al, ; Tsur, Defrin, Lahav, & Solomon, ; Van der Kolk, ; Vervoort, Goubert, Eccleston, Bijttebier, & Crombez, ; Vlaeyen & Linton, ). The model of somatosensory amplification, developed initially for hypochondriasis (Barsky, ; Barsky & Wyshak, ; Barsky, Goodson, Lane, & Cleary, ), posits that, particularly under stress, individuals may experience ambiguous somatic symptoms more intensely, which commands their attention and ultimately reinforces misperceptions.…”

Section: Posttraumatic Stress Disordermentioning

confidence: 99%

Somatic burden and perceived cognitive problems in trauma‐exposed adults with posttraumatic stress symptoms or pain

et al. 2019

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Objective Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with somatic and cognitive changes, which may be magnified when accompanied by persistent pain. The mechanisms of somatic sensation processing may extend to cognitive symptoms, revealing a potential generalization of impairment across cognitive and somatic domains in PTSD. We hypothesized that somatic burden would mediate relationships between PTSD, pain, and perceived cognitive impairment. Methods Two samples—360 trauma‐exposed college students and 268 mechanical Turk users—completed self‐report measures. Results Both samples revealed similar findings. There was a significant indirect effect of PTSD and pain on perceived cognitive problems through somatic burden. There remained a direct effect of PTSD symptoms. These findings indicate that in trauma‐exposed samples with pain, somatic burden rather than pain severity accounts for perceived cognitive problems. Conclusion High somatic burden may reflect an underlying appraisal about somatic cues, which extend in part to interpretation of cognitive cues.

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“…Particularly, individuals who were exposed to CA may react to health-related threats with elevated fear and anxiety as well ( Hein & Monk, 2017 ; Van der Kolk, 2015 ). Such understanding arises from findings showing that individuals who were exposed to interpersonal trauma tend to perceive bodily signals as catastrophic and frightening, presumably indicating dreadful consequences ( Sansone, Watts, & Wiederman, 2013 ; Tsur, Defrin, Lahav, & Solomon, 2018 ). Furthermore, findings reveal that CA is often implicated in elevated levels of health anxiety in adulthood ( Reiser, McMillan, Wright, & Asmundson, 2014 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19-related fear and stress among individuals who experienced child abuse: The mediating effect of complex posttraumatic stress disorder

Tsur

Abu‐Raiya

2020

Child Abuse & Neglect

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic exposes individuals not only to health-related risks, but also to psychosocial fear and acute stress. Previous studies reveal that individuals who experienced child abuse (CA), especially those who suffer from complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), are at a higher risk of reacting with fear and stress when faced with stressful life-events. Objective To test whether exposure to CA is implicated in a higher risk of COVID-19-related fear and acute stress, and whether CPTSD intervenes in such processes. Participants and settings A convenience sample of 837 adults participated in the study during the first peak of COVID-19 in Israel. Methods Participants completed self-report questionnaires, assessing child physical, sexual and emotional abuse, CPTSD (ITQ), COVID-19-related acute stress disorder (COVID-19 ASD; ASDS) and fear of COVID-19. Results Bivariate analyses showed that participants who experienced CA were higher than participants who did not experience CA in COVID-19 ASD ( p = .032), but not in fear of COVID-19 ( p = .65). Mediation analyses demonstrated two significant paths: in the first, CA was associated with elevated fear of COVID-19 (effect = .061, .059; p < 0.05) and COVID-19 ASD (effect = .14, .084; p < 0.05) through the mediation of CPTSD; in the second path, when controlling for the mediation of CPTSD, CA was associated with reduced fear of COVID-19 (effect = −.15; p = 0.001), and COVID-19 ASD (effect = −.12; p = 0.024). Conclusions The findings reveal a complex pattern, indicating that CPTSD may be a risk factor for elevated levels of COVID-19 distress among individuals who experienced CA. However, some CA survivors may express reduced COVID-19 distress.

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The traumatized body: Long-term PTSD and its implications for the orientation towards bodily signals

Cited by 30 publications

References 65 publications

Connection between the COVID-19 pandemic, war trauma reminders, perceived stress, loneliness, and PTSD in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Connection between the COVID-19 pandemic, war trauma reminders, perceived stress, loneliness, and PTSD in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Somatic burden and perceived cognitive problems in trauma‐exposed adults with posttraumatic stress symptoms or pain

COVID-19-related fear and stress among individuals who experienced child abuse: The mediating effect of complex posttraumatic stress disorder

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