The Latest on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

By Sandra Krummenacher | Mental Health Clinical Therapist Lead

While about 60% of adults experience a traumatic event in their lives according to the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, only a small percentage go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. In fact, in response to traumatic events, such as domestic violence, wartime military service, accidents or natural disasters, it is estimated that 20% of people develop PTSD. In the United States, this is approximately 5% of the population or 13 million Americans. Women are more likely to experience PTSD with 8% of adult women affected compared to 4% of adult men. It is also common for those with PTSD to experience a dual diagnosis of depression, anxiety or substance use disorder. Despite these challenges, long-term prognosis is good for those who seek treatment.

Who Develops PTSD?

While there’s no clear determining factor that leads to PTSD, trauma response is varied based on many factors. According to the National Institutes of Health, the risk of PTSD decreases when people seek out supportive friends, family or groups, or have a coping strategy for their trauma. However, when trauma is severe, chronic, violent, involves self-harm or loss of a loved one, the risk of PTSD increases.

The Impact on Caregivers

PTSD can impact the lives of loved ones as well. Caregivers are at higher risk of symptoms like headaches and fatigue, and their own PTSD when providing supportive care to someone experiencing PTSD. A 2016 report from the New England Journal of Medicine showed that almost 70% of caregivers experience higher levels of depression. And caregivers with a personal history of anxiety or depression have a higher risk as well.

Prognosis and Treatment Options

There is no cure for PTSD, but managing symptoms through treatment can reduce symptoms significantly. Statistics show that 46% of those who seek treatment improve within 6 weeks. For those in treatment, symptoms last less than 36 months, compared to 64 months for patients not in treatment.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

A well-proven treatment method is CPT, where the clinician helps the client examine the impact of a traumatic event on his/her life and helps to challenge and change unhelpful thoughts related to the event, as well as beliefs about one’s self, others, and the world. Individual and/or group sessions focus on encouraging clients to describe their thoughts around why trauma occurred, identifying “Stuck Points” where they can increase independence and healthier ways of thinking, and use of Socratic Dialogue to guide clients in examining their own thinking.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a form of individual treatment that utilizes exposure to triggers. By moving the eyes in a specific way during triggering experiences, the brain learns how to reprocess and react to feelings and fears.

Prolonged Exposure (PE)

Teaching individuals to gradually confront their memories of trauma, related feelings, and situations, PE is a type of cognitive behavior therapy. By facing fears, clients may be able to decrease symptoms by learning, through exposure, that their feelings and memories are not dangerous.

Medication

Treating related depression, anxiety, and insomnia with medication can be an important step in managing symptoms of PTSD for those who experience them. Often, medication may only be needed for a short time.