There are several effective psychological treatments for PTSD. These treatments have been shown through research to help reduce the symptoms of PTSD and to help people recover. They include cognitive therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD), prolonged exposure (PE), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and psycho-social interventions.
Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD)
Trauma can be involuntarily re-experienced when an individual is left feeling a sense of serious, current stress and danger from persistent PTSD due to the way the trauma has been processed. CT-PTSD aims to reduce this by addressing unhelpful thoughts and beliefs resulting from the trauma.
CT-PTSD aims to adjust excessively negative judgements and address unhelpful thoughts and problematic behaviours, as well as any subsequent unfavourable beliefs individuals may develop about themselves, others and the world.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
In PE, the individual is supported to gradually confront the memories of their traumatic experience and situational reminders of that experience that are otherwise avoided. This involves assisting them to change the way they think and feel about the traumatic experience and develop more helpful ways of coping, through: education about common reactions to trauma, breathing retraining, behavioural exposure (to feared situations that individuals avoided due to trauma-related fear), and cognitive processing (discussion of thoughts and feelings related to the exposure exercises).
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
In EMDR, the individual is guided by the therapist to focus on particular images, thoughts, and bodily sensations related to the traumatic experience while being sensorily stimulated. Most commonly this is done by having the client move their eyes back and forth across their field of vision (e.g., by tracking the movement of the therapist’s finger). The theory and research behind EMDR is that doing this helps the person to process the trauma and integrate the memory with existing memory networks.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
In CPT, the individual is assisted to identify unhelpful thoughts and beliefs (“stuck points”) and subsequently challenge and replace them with more helpful and realistic alternatives. This is done via an adaptation of standard cognitive therapy approaches. CPT has a smaller exposure component than PE (see above) that is typically restricted to writing an account of the traumatic experience. CPT also helps to address associated problems such as depression, guilt, and anger.
Psycho-social interventions
Support from family, friends, and others after the experience of a trauma has been found to be a highly significant predictor of recovery. As a result, treatment for PTSD is likely to involve building or strengthening the individual’s social support network. Lifestyle changes that address unhelpful habits which have emerged after the traumatic event - such as reducing or eliminating the use of alcohol or drugs or re-establishing normal activities - will also be helpful. Relaxation exercises can help reduce feelings of agitation and “edginess”, while maintaining a balanced diet and engaging in routine exercise supports overall emotional and physical wellbeing and can also aid recovery.