PTSD is treatable, and trauma survivors often recover and go on to live happy lives. But PTSD will not disappear on its own; it is a disease that requires medical attention. Here are three common components of PTSD treatment: Medication: The most common medications for PTSD are antidepressants known as selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but …
According to new research at the University of Bradford in the U.K., exposure via social media to images and videos of violent news events can trigger PTSD-like symptoms. Many people now turn to their social media feeds, such as on Facebook or Twitter, to keep up with current events. Almost immediately, users are able …
A new study based in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands has found a significant correlation between PTSD in veterans and increased risk of heart failure. The study authors describe their findings as the “the first large-scale longitudinal study to report an association between PTSD and incident heart failure in an outpatient sample of U.S. veterans.” …
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop in survivors of disturbing or dangerous events and causes chronic and debilitating anxiety. Moreover, the symptoms of PTSD often put considerable strains on a trauma victim’s family. Traumatic stress can profoundly change a victim’s personality. The afflicted family member may become more withdrawn, cold and irritable. In severe cases, …
Researchers have discovered a similar pattern of grey-matter loss in the brain across a broad range of psychiatric disorders, suggesting that mental illnesses with differing symptoms could arise from the same neurological basis. Their findings challenge the assumption of differentiating mental disorders by symptoms rather than by brain pathology. Dr. Amit Etkin of Stanford University, …
A new study suggests that women suffering from PTSD may be more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Published in JAMA Psychiatry, it was one of the first longitudinal studies on PTSD and type 2 diabetes, examining almost 50,000 participants over 22 years. The study found that women experiencing symptoms of PTSD may have …
Right now, it is difficult for clinicians to make a diagnosis between PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) since patients experience similar symptoms and the conditions are unable to be detected by normal structural neuroimaging. However, using hybrid imaging with positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT), researchers are able to differentiate between the …
Through a telemedicine-based collaborative care model, veterans with PTSD who live in rural areas improved upon their clinical outcomes. Of the 500,000 military veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with PTSD, many of them live in rural areas, making it difficult for them to engage in treatments. For the study, John C. Fortney, …
