Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder: Part Five
PTSD Part Five - Community Support and Treatment Options
Is It Ever Too Late To Start Treatment?
The best Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatments available are psychological therapies, usually combined with medication to ease anxiety. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can really affect quality of life. The good news is that it is never too late to start treatment.
Psychological Therapies and Medication
Psychological therapies are highly recommended for PTSD, above all other treatments. A commonly used therapy is cognitive behavioural therapy which is useful for many other mental health problems as well. For more severe cases, medication may be recommended. It is likely the medication would be a type of SSRI antidepressant. Medication is only usually used as a last resort in these circumstances. There is also a treatment called EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing). The patient makes side-to-side eye movements (usually following an object or the therapist’s finger) while they remember and describe the traumatic event. It is unclear why EMDR works well when treating PTSD, but evidence suggests it does help to change negative thoughts relating to trauma.
What To Do If You Think You're Suffering From PTSD
If you think you may have symptoms of PTSD, visit your GP who may refer you to a mental health professional who specialises in this area.