Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/Developmental Trauma Disorder/Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Complementary and Integrative Medicine/Functional Medicine

Abstract

Response to PTSD treatments differ based on the age the abuse occurred, the type of abuse, and the chronicity of the abuse. Even when modifications to treatment are made based on the developmental age when the abuse occurred, therapies may be insufficient. In addition, when diagnostic criteria are modified to identify more children, some children continue to escape detection. Developmental Trauma Disorder, (akin to the RDoC), may be more suitable to identify epigenetic and inflammatory effects of early abuse that may be responsible for the nonresponsive to treatment. Complementary and Integrative Medicine interventions (meditation, EFT, EMDR, PUFAs, etc.) may reverse these effects.

Keywords: Abuse; Adolescents; Child; Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM); Developmental trauma disorder (DTD); Epigenetics; Inflammation; Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Research domain criteria.