The treatment of PTSD can be difficult with the type and number of times a trauma is experienced and the presence of other disorders such as major depression influencing the treatment outcome.
The key stone feature of PTSD treatment is the use of trauma-focussed therapy (T – FT) with T-FT included in prolonged exposure and, cognitive therapies and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Pharmacotherapy is required in many cases with antidepressants used to assist in the management of PTSD and depressive symptoms.
While the various treatments can reduce symptoms up to a third of patients continue to experience symptoms that are associated with ongoing adverse psychological and social outcomes.
Wallace, D.(2020). Australasian Psychiatry.https://doi.org/10.1177/1039856220922245
National Centre for PTSD. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand_tx/tx_basics.asp
Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Complex PTSD