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Edits to Article: Treatments for PTSD
Exposure to trauma induces an intense amount of stress as a result of an individual directly or indirectly experiencing some type of threat, also referred to as a Potentially Traumatic Experience (PTE). PTEs can include--but are not limited to--sexual violence, physical abuse, unexpected death of a loved one, witnessing another person badly hurt, exposure to natural disaster, being a victim of a serious crime, car accident, combat, interpersonal violence and many other stressful experiences. PTEs can also include learning that a traumatic event occurred to another person or witnessing the traumatic event; an individual does not have to experience the event themselves to develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTEs are labeled as such because not everyone who experiences one or more of the events listed will develop PTSD. However, PTSD is estimated to develop in about 4% of individuals who experience some type of traumatic experience. Approximately 8% of adults the United States (U. S.) population will have PTSD at some point in their lives. That means about 8 million U.S. adults have PTSD during a given year, which is only a small portion of individuals who experience traumatic events. Biological stress responses can be adaptive at the time of the traumatic event, but prolonged biological stress responses can lead to impairing symptoms known as PTSD.

PTSD is a psychiatric disorder characterized by. intrusive thoughts and memories, dreams, or flashbacks of the event; avoidance of people, places, and activities that remind the individual of the event; ongoing negative beliefs about oneself or the world, mood changes, and persistent feelings of anger, guilt, or fear; alterations in arousal such as increased irritability, angry outbursts, being hypervigilant, or having difficulty with concentration and sleep. PTSD is commonly treated with various types of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Cognitive Therapy Section copied from Treatments for PTSD

Cognitive therapy[edit]
Ehlers and Clark (2000) developed a cognitive model that explains what prevents people from recovering from traumatic experiences and thus why people develop PTSD. The model suggests that PTSD develops when individuals process the traumatic event in a way that makes him/her feel like there is serious current threat. This perception of threat is followed by reexperiencing and arousal symptoms and persistent negative emotions like anger and sadness. Differences in how the individual appraises the event ("I cannot trust anyone anymore" or "I should have prevented what happened") and the most intense moments of the trauma being poorly integrated into memory contribute to the distorted way people with PTSD make sense of what happened to them.

Cognitive therapy involves the therapist helping the patient develop and believe a new, less threatening understanding of their trauma experiences. Patients gain an increased understanding of how they perceive themselves and the world around them and how these beliefs motivate their behavior before beginning the process of changing these cognitions. Thus, three goals drive cognitive therapy for PTSD:


 * 1) Modify negative appraisals of the trauma
 * 2) Reduce reexperiencing symptoms by discussing trauma memories and learning how to differentiate between types of trauma triggers
 * 3) Reduce behaviors and thoughts that contribute to the maintenance of the "sense of current threat" state

Cognitive processing therapy [sandbox edits] Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based treatment protocol designed using techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is designed specifically for individuals diagnosed with PTSD (Insert reference). CPT is based on the idea that over time, individuals exposed to trauma will "naturally" recover from traumatic events. For some survivors, however, this natural recovery process has been impaired in some way, thus leading to continued symptoms of PTSD. CPT involves writing and verbally reciting written passages that are either related to why the Client thinks he/she was exposed to the traumatic event or a trauma narrative that outlines the traumatic event in explicit detail. CPT is typically completed over 12 one-hour weekly session with a practitioner[15]. CPT draws on CBT, exposure therapy, narrative exposure therapy and information processing theory. The treatment phases consist of: 1. Education about PTSD and the role of thoughts and emotions as they relate to cognitive theory 2. Processing the actual traumatic event or reasons the person believes the event happened to them 3. Identifying "stuck points" that are holding the person back from recovering from PTSD 4. Challenging and modifying "stuck points" 5. Exploration of "stuck points" related to the themes of safety, trust, power and control, esteem, and intimacy It is strongly recommended for treatment of PTSD by the American Psychological Association.[22]