What is the treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder?

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Treatment can help to ease symptoms and help you to adjust following a trauma. However, no treatment will 'wipe the slate clean' and erase all memories of the event. (Note: some non-drug treatments mentioned below may not be available on the NHS in every area.)

Talking treatments and other non-drug treatments

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) may be advised. Briefly, CBT is based on the idea that certain ways of thinking can trigger, or 'fuel', certain mental health problems such as PTSD. The therapist helps you to understand your current thought patterns. In particular, to identify any harmful, unhelpful, and 'false' ideas or thoughts. The aim is then to change your ways of thinking to avoid these ideas. Also, to help your thought patterns to be more realistic and helpful. It may help especially to counter recurring distressing thoughts, and 'avoidance' behaviour. Therapy is usually done in weekly sessions of about 50 minutes each, for several weeks. You have to take an active part, and are given 'homework' between sessions.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment that seems to work quite well for PTSD. Briefly, during this treatment a therapist asks you to think of aspects of the traumatic event. Whilst you are thinking about this you follow the movement of the therapists moving fingers with your eyes. It is not clear how this works. It seems to 'desensitise' your thought patterns about the traumatic event. After a few sessions of therapy, you may find that the memories of the event do not upset you as much as before.
Other forms of talking treatments such as anxiety management, counselling, group therapy, and learning to relax may be advised.
Self help. Joining a group where members have similar symptoms can be useful. This does not appeal to everyone, but books and leaflets on understanding PTSD and how to combat it may help. A longer leaflet in this series called 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - a Self Help Guide' is a good start. See also the groups listed below