Does Any One Know What Official ,effective Therapies Are Available For Ptsd?

[oasis2003]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone knew of the official, effective therapies for Ptsd. There are so many different ones out there. Not to say I would try anything if it was to work properly.

 

[Ronin]

Cognitive behavioral therapy.

 

[Namenotdiagnosis]

Hi , I've had them all!!! Lol well feels like it, for me EMDR worked really well, I've also done EFT which tapping your meridian points, if you google it it will show you how it works, mindfulness , CBT didn't work for me because my ptsd is complex. Good luck

 

[Hope4Now]

You're right, there are many types of treatment. Decisions should include what type of PTSD you have and how much dissociation is involved. Was it complex or developmental trauma, or what they call "single incident"? Probably the most important thing of all is to get a trauma specialist with whom you can build a solid relationship. Without the relationship, not much healing is going to occur no matter what type of therapy is used. IMHO.

Here's a link to some descriptions. http://www.traumacenter.org/clients/spec_svcs_treatment.php This place is top notch.

 

[anonymous]

I wouldn't get so hung up on the "official" bit beyond trying CBT and EMDR and perhaps exposure therapy and DBT. Once you try these and they don't end up getting at it all, then perhaps branch out to other therapies. My best therapies (besides CBT) are way off the PTSD radar....one is pretty much brand spanking new and the other one is considered holistic fluff by many.

I think Paxil is an official PTSD recommended medication and many of us know how effective that stuff is. *rolls eyes* Just to give you some perspective on how an "official" treatment isn't the end all and be all of healing.

 

[SeaQuel]

Somatic experiencing therapy is another important one, though I have no idea if it's considered an "official" treatment. Trauma-focused therapies are the key; just talking about sh*t won't do it. And in many cases, collateral therapies are needed (i.e. CBT + some form of body work) to get the traumas reprocessed as normal memories and the body cells to heal.

ETA: Of course, I'm probably the last person to dispense advice on this topic as I'm not exactly this poster child of progress to date. But I haven't been at it very long, either. My answer is mainly just informed by my readings and discussions with professionals about treatment options.

 

[Kintsugi]

I actually find just talking about shit is highly effective for me. Having said that, the sort of T I need is paramount. My current T has several specialties, one of which is CBT, but I really picked her because she specializes in PTSD, and her personality fit.

 

[Chava]

There isn't one official therapy for PTSD (or an official medication). Ditto @Hope4Now it's very helpful to find a trauma specialist for one (not just a counselor who did a little EMDR training or a basic CBT therapist who isn't a trauma specialist). CBT works well for many people, but has failed many others. Ditto EMDR...very helpful for some, not for others. I do body psychotherapy for trauma (primarily Somatic Experiencing)...that works well considering my symptoms and complex trauma, including very early trauma. For adult trauma, CBT or EMDR (or a mix) are helpful for many people.

Basically you don't want a therapist who is willing to let you just tell them about your trauma and then you are done. A trauma specialist will help you first work on safety and regulation stuff...developing some positive resources, grounding, etc. Then they will be careful to not push you through memories without being careful to create a retraumatizing scenario. So, trauma specialist or solid background in treating trauma is probably the most important. Depending on the nature of your trauma, your symptoms, and also what is available to you where you are at, you could research CBT for trauma, EMDR, and Somatic Experiencing.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all treatment for trauma, and because of the complicated nature of trauma (and human beings), there might never be. And I think it's good we have some choices. Sometimes you can do a phone interview to find out more about a therapist's process for working on trauma (and they can also learn a little about you and help decide if it's a workable fit). I hope you're able to find a good fit for you.