Dr. Victor Carrión: How to Heal From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD Symptoms

Victor Carrión, a leading expert on PTSD, explains the complexity of PTSD symptoms, which often extend beyond the typical diagnosis. He notes that many individuals, especially children, exhibit functional impairments without meeting the full diagnostic criteria for PTSD, highlighting the nuanced spectrum of this disorder 1. Avoidance is a key factor that exacerbates PTSD, as it can lead to substance abuse and self-injurious behaviors if not addressed 1. Understanding the cues and triggers of PTSD is crucial for recovery, as recognizing these can help individuals manage their symptoms more effectively 2.

PTSD feeds on avoidance. If we pretend that something didn't happen, if we pretend that it will go away, if we pretend that treatment is not necessary, then that's when it gets complicated.

--- Victor Carrión

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PTSD in Children

Children's vulnerability to PTSD is heightened due to their neuroplasticity, making them more susceptible to trauma's cumulative effects 3. Victor Carrión emphasizes that children's symptoms, such as hypervigilance and dissociation, are often misdiagnosed as ADHD, leading to inappropriate treatments 4. He highlights the importance of recognizing these symptoms accurately to provide effective interventions 5.

Children are really not [resilient]. They are more vulnerable. They have the opportunity to become resilient if we help them and we tell them what tools to use.

--- Victor Carrión

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Transgenerational Trauma

Transgenerational trauma involves both genetic predispositions and learned behaviors, impacting subsequent generations even without direct trauma exposure 6. Victor Carrión discusses how behaviors such as avoidance and hypervigilance can be passed down, influencing children's development 6. Epigenetic changes, such as those affecting glucocorticoid receptors, may also play a role in how trauma impacts future generations, potentially accelerating aging and affecting mental health 7.

The jury is still out if genomic changes that result as a consequence of stress can be passed from one generation to the other.

--- Victor Carrión

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