Conventional and Unconventional Treatment Methods of PTSD: Which is Better at Decreasing Symptoms of PTSD?
MEDICAL TREATMENTS, BOTH COMMON AND EXTREME. Is traditional or unconventional treatment for PTSD more effective at alleviating the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder? What’s Yours? California State University, San Francisco Treatments that are both conventional and unconventional are available. What’s the Difference Between Conventional and Unconventional Treatments for PTSD?
It is common for those who have encountered or witnessed tragedy to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Mayo Clinic, 2018). Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can begin to occur within a month after the traumatic event, however it is imperative that one finds care to treat and lessen these symptoms because they can and will have a negative impact on one’s daily life (Mayo Clinic, 2018).
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In addition to but not limited to, having flashbacks of the traumatic incident, avoiding stimuli (people, places or things) that remind one of the event, feeling hopeless towards one’s self, and being in a permanent state of arousal and alienation from the real world, symptoms of PTSD are present (Mayo Clinic, 2018). PTSD is a condition that can affect anyone, but those who have served in the military are more likely to be diagnosed with it (National Veterans Foundation, 2015; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2018).
In the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (2018), about 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetimes. Combat or missions that expose them to harrowing and life-threatening experiences are the primary reason of their diagnoses (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2018). Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can take a toll on a veteran who has served in the military.
As a result, it is critical that veterans receive and seek treatment for PTSD symptoms. There are a number of options available to vets in terms of treatment. There are a plethora of therapy options, so it’s critical to figure out which one is the most successful in the long run for alleviating PTSD symptoms. This research will investigate whether traditional treatment methods or innovative treatment approaches are superior for treating PTSD symptoms.
Methods of treatment These therapeutic modalities, such as cognitive-behavior therapy and exposure therapy, or cognitive-exposure therapy, have been utilized by mental health practitioners for a long time and are considered mainstream. Rather, unusual treatment options include leveraging the internet to conduct therapy sessions, virtual reality (VR) simulations, and even creative arts to address PTSD symptoms.
Thesis Proposal Types of PTSD Treatment Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be divided into two categories: those that have been extensively researched and widely used, as well as those that are relatively new to the field.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been found to be the most effective treatment for the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Bryant, & Tarrier, 2003; Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg, 2006). It has also been found that re-exposure to the trauma and the examination of cognitive processes affected by the trauma is a more effective type of treatment, according to Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg (2006).
Virtual reality (VR) simulation (to recreate the traumatic event) and the use of software applications and the internet to give therapy have not been thoroughly investigated, according to Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg (2006). According to Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg (2006) research, patients prefer cognitive-based therapies for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
E-therapy and virtual reality (VR) treatments, as well as the use of computers to conduct therapy (e-therapy), weren’t well regarded or suggested by patients. Treatments that are both conventional and unconventional are available. 4 Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and extended exposure (PE) are the two most popular psychotherapy treatments for veterans with PTSD, according to Pomerantz (2017).
Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) have frequently used CPT or PE to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to Pomerantz (2017). Even though CPT and PE are more widely available, many vets were reluctant to participate in these sorts of therapies due to the stigma and having to attend weekly visits (Pomerantz, 2017).
For those who experience PTSD symptoms but don’t fulfill the criteria to be diagnosed, both CPT and PE have been demonstrated to be effective in helping them (Pomerantz, 2017). In spite of the fact that CPT and PE do not guarantee PTSD symptoms will be reduced or eliminated, CPT and PE have been demonstrated to be a significant element in allowing patients to get more severe types of treatment and encouraging more patients to seek treatment (Pomerantz, 2017).
Using an online cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention to treat soldiers’ PTSD symptoms was discussed in a publication by Hobfoll, Blais, Stevens, Walt & Gengler (2016). Vets Prevail, a web-based program for veterans returning from deployment, was the subject of the study, which looked at the program’s ability to help those who have returned to civilian life as well as its ability to help those who have not (Hobfoll et al., 2016). Besides the courses that were uploaded, this web-based program also allowed veterans to contact other veterans who had suffered PTSD symptoms and was targeted at helping them through seven sessions of CBT (Hobfoll et al., 2016). The patient was able to learn at their own pace and grasp how their emotions and feelings could effect their day-to-day functioning through these teachings (Hobfoll et al., 2016).
Veterans who took part in the trial and used Vets Prevail demonstrated a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms, according to Hobfoll et al. (2016) CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS 5. Additionally, Hobfoll et al. (2016) point out how effective the treatment was in dismantling barriers that had previously prevented veterans from receiving treatment for their problems.
For veterans who are experiencing the earliest signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Vets Prevail could be an effective first step intervention (Hobfoll et al., 2016). A review of creative arts therapy strategies in the treatment of PTSD was conducted by Baker, Metcalf, Tracey, and O’Donnell (2018). Music therapy was initially described by Baker et al. (2018) as a study that involved participants playing musical instruments and reflecting on their experiences both with and without the assistance of an occupational therapist.
According to the study, both supervised and unsupervised music therapies had relatively little effect on PTSD symptoms (Baker et al., 2018). The next form of creative arts therapy studied by Baker et al. (2018) was art therapy treatment which had patients making different types of art with and without contact with a therapist (Baker et al., 2018).
Art therapy was found to have a significant impact on PTSD in this group of individuals, according to Baker et al. (2018). There is no evidence that drama therapy can help alleviate symptoms of PTSD, according to a study published in 2018. Creative arts therapy has been shown to be ineffective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it does provide PTSD sufferers another therapeutic option (Baker et al., 2018).
Counterargument The empirical evidence cited above appears to lend more weight to the use of traditional PTSD treatment. In spite of this, there is one piece of research that suggests unconventional therapy methods can be useful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. For PTSD, web-based treatments appear helpful, according to Hobfoll et al. CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS 6 (2016).
When Hobfoll and colleagues (2016) conducted a study utilizing Vets Prevail, they wanted to find out how effective the web-based program was at treating PTSD among veterans. These media courses and community posts (in order to facilitate interaction between veterans) were utilized to provide the concepts of CBT – veterans would be provided with the most effective treatment for PTSD but in the privacy of their own homes if they used Veterans Prevail (Hobfoll et al., 2016).
In spite of Vets Prevail’s claim to offer CBT, the method of delivery remains unorthodox because it is still being offered via the internet and not in person. Pomerantz (2017) points out that many veterans are reluctant to seek standard therapy approaches like (CPT or PE) because of the stigma associated with the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Treatment approaches like Vets Prevail, which aren’t commonly used to treat mental health issues, aim to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help (Hobfoll et al., 2016). Veterans would be able to do this on a computer with the help of Veterans Prevail. Web-based program would allow veterans to maintain anonymity while yet engaging in social interactions, especially with a therapist, who helped build this program.
There is no shame in seeking or receiving therapy since Veterans Prevail allows them to do so in the privacy of their own home and remain anonymous, preventing anyone who sees it from being able to identify them. Aside from that, having Vets Prevail used as a standard method of treating PTSD would assist in reaching a wide range of patients, particularly those who reside further out in the suburbs and are unable to receive the best care (Hobfoll et al., 2016).
Treatments that are both conventional and unconventional are available. 7 Questions and Answers An report by Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg (2006a) claims that the majority of people prefer traditional treatment methods such seeing a therapist for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Virtual reality (VR) or even the internet as a therapeutic medium for PTSD symptoms were not selected by soldiers who sought relief from their symptoms.
Veterans still favored CBT and exposure therapy to begin the healing process, even if re-experiencing the trauma may produce further stress (Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg, 2006). Conventional treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) have been shown to be successful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
As Pomerantz (2017) stated, CBT and PE are both beneficial in treating PTSD, with Pomerantz noting that CPT is a typical therapy option. It is a sort of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that seeks to help the patient modify any obstructive ideas they may have about the trauma. (American Psychological Association, 2017)
The Department of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration both prefer CPT (and PE) as a method of treatment for military members, both active and inactive, according to a report. Unconventional therapy options, according to Baker et al. (2018), are ineffective in reducing symptoms and treating PTSD.
As a result of the numerous research conducted on the various creative arts therapies, they were found to be ineffective in treating veterans’ PTSD. Vets Prevail, an internet-based therapy platform, is an unorthodox treatment approach, yet it is a combination of traditional and unconventional treatments. It’s worth noting that cognitive behavioral therapy is useful in treating veterans’ symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Conclusion For soldiers suffering from PTSD, traditional therapy approaches should be the first line of defense rather than the last resort of alternative treatment methods. CBT procedures like CPT should be utilized to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans (Pomerantz, 2017; Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg, 2006).
Veterans with CBT benefit greatly from CBT since it is extremely successful in reducing the symptoms of CBT (Pomerantz, 2017; Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg, 2006). Conventional treatment procedures (such as CBT and PE, for example) are preferred by many patients with PTSD over alternative treatment options (Tarrier, Liversidge & Gregg, 2006).
Many people/groups like the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Affairs choose conventional treatment methods to help effectively treat PTSD (Pomerantz, 2017). PTSD sufferers need to take action and seek treatment, but they need to choose treatments that have been proved to work, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Treatments that are both conventional and unconventional are available. Citations (9) Association for Psychological Science in the United States (2017). Treatment based on a patient’s cognitive abilities (CPT). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ptsdguideline/treatments/cognitive-processing-therapy Baker, F. A., Metcalf, O., Varker, T. & O’Donnell, M. (2018). A systematic review of the efficacy of creative arts therapies in the treatment of adults with PTSD.
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy,10(6), 643-651. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000353 Hobfoll, S. E., Blais, R. K., Stevens, N. R., Walt, L., & Gengler, R. (2016). Vets prevail online intervention reduces PTSD and depression in veterans with mild-to-moderate symptoms. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 84(1), 31–42.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000041 Mayo Clinic. (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stressdisorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967 National Veterans Foundation. (2015). The far-reaching effects of PTSD in Veterans. National Veterans Foundation.
Retrieved from https://nvf.org/effects-of-ptsd-in-veterans/ Pomerantz, A. S. (2017). Treating PTSD in primary care: One small step is one giant leap. Families, Systems, & Health, 35(4), 505-507. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000318 Tarrier, N., Liversidge, T. & Gregg, L. (2006). The acceptability and preference for the psychological treatment of PTSD.
Behavior Research and Therapy, 44, 1643-1656. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2005.11.012 CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS 10 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2018). How common is PTSD in veterans? U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp Siu, J. Y.-M. (2008). The SARS-associated stigma of SARS victims in the post-SARS era of Hong Kong. Qualitative Health Research, 18(6), 729–738. https://doiorg.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/10.1177/1049732308318372
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