J Affect Disord. 2024 Jul 17:S0165-0327(24)01135-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.076. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Exposure to traumatic events is a frequent source of distress, provoking isolated symptoms such as distressing memories (DM) to full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We aimed to assess the continuum theory using DM as an isolated symptom, and to examine trauma consequences in a exposed to traumatic events.

METHODS: Using data from the National Epidemiologic Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions III, we assessed the prevalence of DM in a trauma exposed sample, and examined their sociodemographic and lifetime psychiatric correlates, comparing three groups: (i) controls (no DM, no PTSD); (ii) participants with isolated DM without PTSD; (iii) participants with PTSD. We estimated the sensitivity and specificity of DM for PTSD diagnosis.

RESULTS: In our sample of 17,505 participants exposed to trauma, 13 % had PTSD and 42 % had DM without PTSD. The sensitivity of DM for the diagnosis of PTSD was 95.14 %, specificity was 51.91 %. Participants with DM and those with PTSD shared the same socio-demographic correlates. Participants with DM reported more lifetime psychiatric disorders (mood disorders – mainly depressive disorders and bipolar type 1 disorder; anxiety disorders – mainly social anxiety disorder, substance use disorders – mainly opioid use disorder and cannabis disorder; eating disorders – mainly binge eating disorder; personality disorders – mainly borderline personality disorder- and suicidality) than controls, but less than participants with PTSD.

CONCLUSION: DM represent an intermediate state between well-being and post-traumatic stress disorder; DM is also associated with other psychiatric disorders. It should be considered as a transdiagnostic psychiatric symptom useful for clinicians in identifying psychiatric vulnerability.

PMID:39029679 | DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.076