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- 19 - accessHealthNews.net August 2022 Volume 8 | Issue No. 60 E xperiencing trauma at any age leaves a lasting impact, whether it is the result of a single event or years of neglect or abuse. However, facing trauma as a child can compound the effects of the trauma throughout one's developmental years, distorting interpersonal relationships and self-worth. Though developmental trauma disorder (DTD) is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the former compounds multiple traumatic experiences over time, rather than just one event. As a result, DTD creates a false narrative about one's sense of self and worth that is consistently reinforced over time without proper recognition and treatment. Embark Behavioral Health hosted the webinar Developmental Trauma and its Relationship to PTSD. During the webinar, Embark's Clinical Officer Rob Gent, MA, LPC, described his personal experience with DTD and PTSD, their differences and similarities, and several evidence- based options for treating trauma. Understanding PTSD PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that occurs in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence, or serious injury. Traumatic events that can lead to the development of PTSD include but are not limited to natural disasters, serious accidents, terrorist acts, war or combat, or sexual assault. According to Gent, PTSD symptoms last more than four weeks and include three main criteria: re-experiencing details of the event through intrusive thoughts, memories, or dreams; avoiding thoughts, people, or places associated with the event or isolating from others entirely; and alterations in mood such as irritability, isolation, difficulty concentrating, and distorted beliefs about oneself or others. Symptoms of PTSD typically develop within three months of the traumatic event but can persist for months and often years. Affected individuals not only continue to remember the event, but sometimes relive it through flashbacks that can be debilitating and affect day-to-day life. Although PTSD can affect people of any age, the lasting effects are especially profound among children. Experiencing trauma during developmental years affects the narrative children create about themselves as they grow. Repeated exposure to trauma, or experiencing multiple traumas at once, leads to the development of DTD and sparks a belief that they are inherently bad and deserve the bad things happening to them. Children who are abused or neglected by a primary caregiver (75%) are more likely to develop DTD and PTSD than children who are abused by a trusted adult (25%) or a stranger (10%). READ MORE The 988 Crisis Lifeline has Launched! Too many people are experiencing suicidal crisis or mental health- related distress without the support and care they need, and sadly, the pandemic only made a bad situation worse when it comes to mental health and wellness in America. There are urgent realities driving the need for crisis service transformation across our country. Some statistics: • In 2020 alone, the U.S. had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes • For people aged 10 – 34 years, suicide is a leading cause of death, and • From April 2020 to 2021, over 100,000 individuals died from drug overdoses. Yet, there is hope. The 988 Lifeline helps thousands of struggling people overcome suicidal crisis or mental-health related distress every day.