Overcoming PTSD
Take Home Messages:
Evidence suggests that psychological treatments can reduce traumatic stress symptoms in people suffering from PTSD.
The most effective psychological treatments for PTSD are trauma-focused cognitive therapy and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing.
Why the study matters:
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a relatively common condition that may occur following a traumatic event. Sufferers experience anxiety, depression, nightmares and sleeplessness.
Psychological interventions are often used to treat PTSD. Although these treatments have a theoretical basis as to why they might work, their actual effectiveness has not been properly assessed.
What the study involved:
33 research papers about psychological treatments used for post traumatic stress disorder were examined, which looked at:
- Adults suffering from traumatic stress symptoms for three months or more;
- Use of psychological treatments; and
- Severity of symptoms.
Clinician-rated symptoms of PTSD were the main outcome measure used, although self-assessment was also considered.
The psychological treatments assessed were:
- Exposure therapy (imaginary reliving of trauma by the patient);
- Trauma-focused cognitive therapy (patients are encouraged to challenge distorted thinking);
- Stress management therapy;
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy (integrating traumatic experience into the individual’s life experience as a whole); and
- Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (receiving bilateral stimulation while focusing on traumatic image, thought emotion and a bodily sensation).
The study rated the effectiveness of these psychological treatments and compared each to outcomes for patients on wait list / usual care.
Summary of study findings:
Psychological therapies were found to reduce post traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety and depression. Therapies which were found to be most effective:
- Trauma-focused cognitive therapy; and
- Eye movement and reprocessing.
Stress management was also found to be effective, but the above therapies were preferred.
Original research:
Psychological treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (review)
Bisson J, Andrew M.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jul 18;(3):CD003388