PTSD News

Symptoms of dissociation are a prominent feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a distinct subtype of individuals with the disorder, according to a study published online.

Prolonged exposure therapy in the emergency department initiated within hours of a traumatic experience successfully reduced posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and depression symptoms 1 and 3 months after the traumatic event, according to recent study results. Researchers said early intervention is safe and feasible.

Veterans who had higher killing experiences in the Vietnam War had twice the odds of suicidal ideation compared with those with lower or no killing experiences, according to study results.

One in eight patients with acute coronary syndrome experienced clinically significant symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, according to recent study results. The same study also showed that posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in heart patients doubled their risk for death or having another cardiac event.

Current mental health screening protocols may not fully gauge the problems associated with subsyndromal posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in disaster responders after events such as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, according to researchers.

The US Department of Health and Human Services is focusing on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month by highlighting a number of resources available to veterans and civilians.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in older patients is more prevalent than previously reported and is associated with a significant number of comorbid psychiatric disorders, according to researchers.

Virtual reality has shown to be an effective treatment option for soldiers with posttraumatic stress disorder, military and civilian scientists said here at the 2012 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. They showcased two exposure-therapy programs called “Virtual Iraq” and “Virtual Afghanistan,” in which patients are encouraged to work through their combat trauma in computer-simulated war zones.

Suicide rates for United States Army personnel rose by more than 80% from 2004 to 2008 and surpassed those of comparable civilian populations, results of an analysis demonstrate.

Women traumatized by physical and sexual violence and already infected by HIV are contributing to the transmission of the epidemic in the United States, two recent studies report.