Psychiatry

Answer 2 Cognitive behavioral therapy in combination with an antidepressant. The most extensively investigated psychosocial therapies for PTSD are the cognitive behavioral and behavioral therapies. These treatments are a mainstay for treatment of PTSD. Many other types of psychosocial therapies have also proved to be useful, including trauma-focused psychodynamic therapy, hypnosis, eye-movement desensitization reprocessing, and relaxation therapies. Psychotherapy is an important component in the treatment of most people who suffer from PTSD. A variety of medications have also been tried for patients with PTSD. In controlled trials, the tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have all proved to have efficacy in reducing symptoms of PTSD. Anxiolytics such as the benzodiazepines have not proven to be as helpful in controlled trials. A significant number of patients with PTSD do not achieve full remission with either medication or psychotherapy alone, so the combination of treatments is recommended. Click here to return to the questions

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