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Abstract

After someone directly experiences, witnesses, or learns about a traumatic event, he or she may begin experiencing a variety of troubling cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms. They may have intrusions of the event (e.g., nightmares), start avoiding reminders of the event, have unpleasant thoughts and feelings in relation to the event (e.g., self-blame), and could also have unpleasant physical symptoms in relation to the event (e.g., insomnia). While these symptoms are common in the aftermath of traumas, they typically subside after several weeks without the need for intervention. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a syndrome that can develop when the natural recovery process is thwarted.

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Correspondence to David Austern Psy.D. .

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Austern, D., Cigrang, J.A., Rauch, S.A., Evans, A.L. (2018). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. In: Maragakis, A., O'Donohue, W. (eds) Principle-Based Stepped Care and Brief Psychotherapy for Integrated Care Settings. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70539-2_30

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