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PTSD and Treatment PTSD patients usually respond well to treatment. Generally, most people benefit from individual or family psychotherapy. By talking with a therapist, an individual is able to better understand the illness and its effects on daily life and relationships. During therapy, the person can learn to rebuild his or her self-esteem, to cope effectively with symptoms and develop alternate ways of responding to stress. Another form of treatment is called cognitive therapy, in which the person and therapist work to identify ways in which the person’s thoughts and perceptions contribute to or reinforce symptoms. People can learn to identify negative or unhealthy thoughts and transform them into thoughts and assumptions that encourage recuperation and recovery. Behavior therapy can help people with PTSD learn new ways of dealing with the stresses that worsen their symptoms. For example, a woman who stopped driving because she was in a terrible auto accident may be able to reduce or eliminate her anxiety about automobiles through systematic desensitization. First, she would learn deep relaxation. then, she would list situations that are likely to provoke anxiety and rank them from least to most fearful. Working with her therapist, she would then envision or experience the least frightening situation while practicing deep relaxation. As her anxiety fades in that situation, she moves to the next most fearful level and repeats the process until she can participate in the most feared activity without anxiety. Because PTSD has such an effect on loved ones, some treatment plans may call for family therapy. By working together, family members can learn to recognize and understand the symptoms of the illness and more effectively cope with their responses to those symptoms. In addition, families often work together to improve their communication, parenting and stress management skills. Group therapy offers many therapeutic advantages. Survivors of a trauma come together to share their experiences and feelings. Nothing helps to understand as much as being understood. In doing so, people realize they are not alone and are able to provide support and feedback to each other. They also realize that others see them as valuable individuals worthy of respect and friendship. That realization bolsters their self-esteem and helps reduce their sense of survivor’s guilt. The group also works together to improve participants’ problem-solving and communication skills.
PTSD and Medications Researchers have found that some people suffering from PTSD may benefit from medications. Studies have found that both heterocyclic and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor antidepressant medications can alleviate the fear, tension, excessive vigilance and other symptoms of PTSD. Other research shows that benzodiazepines, a type of medication used to ease anxiety, are helpful when a person is suffering an emotional crisis related to PTSD. Beta-blockers, medications normally used to treat heart conditions, and another compound called clonidine, have also been found to be effective in alleviating the intrusive thoughts and explosive outbursts of emotion. These medications help reduce the symptoms of PTSD that interfere with psychotherapy. As a result, patients can benefit more from therapy sessions and regain a more fulfilling life.
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