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5 Reasons to Get PTSD Treatment

PTSD AWARENESS DAY: June 27, 2017

On PTSD Awareness Day, share these 5 reasons to get PTSD treatment with someone you love, and help someone learn about and compare PTSD treatment with the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid.

5 Reasons To Get PTSD Treatment

Early Treatment Is Better.

Symptoms of PTSD may get worse. Dealing with them now might help stop symptoms from getting worse in the future and lead to a better quality of life for you.

It's Never Too Late to Get PTSD Treatment.

Treatment can help even if your trauma happened years ago. And treatment for PTSD has gotten much better over the years. If you tried treatment before and you're still having symptoms, it's a good idea to try again.

PTSD Symptoms Can Affect Those You Love.

PTSD symptoms can get in the way of your family life. You may find that you pull away from loved ones, are not able to get along with people, or that you are angry or even violent. Getting help for your PTSD can help improve your relationships.

PTSD Can Be Related to Other Health Problems.

PTSD symptoms can affect physical health problems. For example, a few studies have shown a relationship between PTSD and heart trouble. By getting help for your PTSD, you could also improve your physical health.

It May Not Be PTSD.

Having some symptoms of PTSD does not always mean you have PTSD. Some of the symptoms of PTSD are also symptoms of other mental health problems. For example, trouble concentrating or feeling less interested in things you used to enjoy can be symptoms of both depression and PTSD. And, different problems have different treatments.

When you seek help, your mental health care provider can determine whether you need treatment for PTSD, or another type of treatment.

Find the Best Treatment for You

You can learn about effective PTSD treatment options using our PTSD Treatment Decision Aid. It includes videos to explain how the treatments work.

You can also build a chart to compare the treatments you like most. Both psychotherapies (also called talk therapy or counseling) and medications are included in the decision aid. You can print or save a personalized summary of your goals and preferences, and share this summary with your provider at your next visit.

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For Providers

Using the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid with your Clients

The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid can teach your patients the basics about evidence-based treatments.

Patients can use the decision aid on their own, or you can work through it together during an appointment. At the end, your patient will receive a personal summary. Use this as a jumping-off point to discuss next steps for treatment.

Visit our website for more information and to download the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid Clinician's User Guide that contains helpful tips on how best to use the decision aid. Other materials include a customizable slide deck and flyers you can share.

Consult with PTSD Experts

The PTSD Consultation Program offers free PTSD consultation to any provider who treats Veterans in any setting.

This program is now open to Community Providers.

PTSD Lecture Series

Free continuing education credits for our monthly lecture series.

• 7/19 at 2 pm ET - Stephanie A. Sacks, PhD on
  Assessment and Treatment of PTSD in Individuals with Co-occurring Psychotic Disorders

Mark your calendar for the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 2 pm ET.

Subscribe to receive monthly emails that include a registration link and instructions for joining the live lectures.

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PTSD Research

Improving Psychosocial Functioning in Older Veterans with PTSD

Center researchers are developing a group-based intervention for older Veterans with PTSD that targets areas of psychosocial functional impairment and comparing to a traditional support group model. This multi-year study will evaluate quality of life and reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms.

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PTSD in the News

Reckless behavior fuels ongoing stress for some with PTSD. Researchers with the National Center for PTSD at the VA Boston Healthcare System found that engaging in risky behavior -- itself a symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder -- could in turn lead to worse PTSD symptoms. This sets up a pattern of repeated stressful experiences, they say, that could have harmful consequences for those with PTSD. Read more.

Share the PTSD Monthly Update

Help Raise PTSD Awareness and forward this update to others so they can subscribe. We send one update per month to keep you informed of the latest PTSD developments.

Thank you,

The Staff of VA’s National Center for PTSD

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