The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - 1225 Words

The family will typically sacrifice their own needs to take care of the veteran who has returned. When a family member begins to place the veteran’s health, welfare and needs before their own, they can lose contact with their own needs, desires, and sense of self: becoming co-dependent (Mental Health America). The family has good intentions by taking care of the veteran who is experiencing difficulty, but the caretaking becomes compulsive and defeating. Co-dependents often take on a martyr’s role. The problem is that these repeated rescue attempts allow the needy individual to continue on a destructive course and to become even more dependent on the unhealthy caretaking of the family. As this reliance increases, the co-dependent†¦show more content†¦Group interventions for trauma-related psychoeducation and social support may also provide a benefit (Defense Centers of Excellence, 2015). The first line of treatment for PTSD should include an evidence-based psyc hotherapy (i.e., talk therapy) and/or psychopharmacology (the study of drug-induced changes in mood, thinking, and behavior). The psychotherapies with the most evidence typically include one or more of several productive therapeutic approaches including exposure to traumatic memories, stimuli or situations; cognitive restructuring of trauma-related beliefs; and stress reduction techniques. â€Å"The table below summarizes effective PTSD psychotherapy approaches detailed in Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) clinical practice guidelines. These treatments should be considered the first line of treatment for patients with PTSD† (Defense Centers of Excellence, 2015) Therapy Approach Therapeutic Elements Examples Exposure-based Therapies Includes in-vivo, imaginal, or narrative (oral and/or written) exposures to traumatic memories, situations, or stimuli. These therapies also generally include elements of cognitive restructuring (e.g., evaluating the accuracy of beliefs about danger) as well as relaxation techniques. Prolonged Exposure Therapy Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy Narrative Therapy Cognitive-based Therapies Emphasizes cognitive restructuring strategies including