Alcohol dependence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often co-occur and prove resistant to treatment. Treatment is complicated by concerns that prolonged exposure (PE) therapy—considered one of the most effective therapies to treat PTSD—may exacerbate alcohol use.

By now most of us know how PTSD looks in DSM-5. Among a number of changes is the removal of criterion A2, which required a response to an event to include “intense fear, helplessness, or horror.” Criterion A1—exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence—was slightly edited, but remains a diagnostic requirement for the disorder.

VA Offers PTSD Tools   TCRBH: There are books, workbooks, and now applications coming out on smart phones to provide self-help in PTSD recovery. How do you view these tools as a way to sustain recovery?   Dr. Friedman: Any cognitive behavioral therapist will tell you that the more...

Although there was talk about changing it, the name posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stays the same in DSM-5.Within the military, there has been discussion about changing the name PTSD. “Certain military leaders, both active and retired, believe the word ‘disorder’ makes many soldiers who are experiencing PTSD symptoms reluctant to...

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The treatments for PTSD with the most evidence behind them are prolonged exposure (PE), trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).PE starts with psychoeducation and brief relaxation training through breathing, and quickly moves into two types of exposure therapy: in-vivo and...

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is manifested by a cluster of symptoms that commonly occur after a traumatic event.PTSD is just one potential aftermath of a traumatic event, which DSM-5 describes as an event in which a person is directly or indirectly exposed to threat of death, actual or threatened serious...

Treatment options for pediatric PTSD and trauma symptoms are limited, and the symptoms are clearly detrimental to youths’ functioning, particularly in the presence of comorbid disorders.

PTDS is one of the greatest mental health concerns in veterans, but there is a stigma, among veterans, on issues related to seeking mental health services. Dr. Kean discusses effective screening methods, current findings and treatment options.