To our colleagues who find themselves responding to the aftermath of
the horrific attack of Sept. 11, this page is offered as a resource in
the hope that it might provide practical help, a fresh insight, and
encouragement. These past weeks, the whole nation experienced the
horrors of terrorism in real time, and for many, those images will
linger. Our hearts go out to all the innocent victims, all those who
lost loved ones and all who still live with uncertainty. Now more than
ever, people will turn to us for comfort, understanding, and support as
they cope with grief and loss, and many more will turn to us for
treatment for the anxiety, nightmares, hopelessness and fear that can
suddenly seem to overtake all aspects of life.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Clinicians who are treating clients who have been exposed directly or
indirectly to the recent act of terrorism, may find it helpful to review
the treatment literature on post-traumatic stress disorder. Those
clinicians who have been particularly successful remind us of the
importance of understanding the "course" of PTSD and
appropriate treatment for each of these phases.
During the initial days following exposure to a traumatic event,
individuals can experience shock and denial. They may not even be able
to acknowledge that they have experienced a stressful event.
After the numbness subsides, individuals can experience a wide range
of emotions. The unpredictability of these emotions can be very
unnerving for individuals who are used to being in control. Each
individual's response is unique, and normalizing the client's reaction
is an important first step in recovery.
Being able to talk about what has happened is a critical step toward
recovery. Things such as extreme anger, profoundly depressed mood, or
anything that interferes with this processing can have a negative impact
on an individual's ability to recover. In a review of the current
literature, exposure therapy alone (which is easily taught) is one of
the most effective treatments for PTSD. It is significant that adding
stress inoculation and/or cognitive restructuring does not improve
outcome.
A good outcome is associated with the client's perception that
therapy is effective. In addition, clients who are motivated and
compliant are more likely to get well than those who aren't. In fact
dropping out of therapy can lead to an unexpected bad outcome. In
treating a patient with PTSD, it may be even more important for the
therapist to be especially caring and compassionate because dropping out
of treatment can produce such negative outcomes. Individuals who have a
greater number of ongoing stressors may have poorer outcomes than those
who have fewer stressors.
For more specific information on the treatment of PTSD, you may want
to consult the following web pages:
© 2007 CIGNA Behavioral Health
Self-Care Strategies | Helping Children Cope | How
Companies Can Help
Stress At Work | Stress
Reactions | Fear of Flying | PTSD
Resources for Providers
Survivor Guilt | Traumatic
Loss | Mourning | Stages
of Grief
