Please respond to the following in 150 words or more.
There are several treatment options for individuals who have suffered from a disaster situation whether man-made, natural, or a hybrid of each. Different treatment options could include therapy-based options, such as, cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness therapy. There is also a pharmacological intervention and antidepressant therapy. There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration after a disaster event with individuals who are trying to cope with the situation. Some of these factors are the nature of the disaster, the severity or frequency of the disaster, the loss or trauma manifested from the disaster, the social and environmental issues, support systems, stress reaction, coping with dramatic change, the physiological issues, along with memory impairment, and different emotional issues such as depression and increased anxiety. With each factor being identified, coping can be difficult and should have a set plan of action due to each individual’s coping behaviors being different.
The most popular and or appropriate choice for individuals struggling from PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, are the different treatment options noted above, cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness therapy, pharmacological intervention, and antidepressant therapy. Cognitive behavior therapy is the most commonly used out of each of the treatment options for PTSD. Cognitive behavior therapy is used to help individuals stop identifying negative thinking and or self-blame. Cognitive therapy’s main goal is to redirect and or manage negative thoughts by recalling the experience and understanding where the associated blame is going. This type of therapy allows patients to feel self-aware and allows them to feel more in control of their thoughts. Mindfulness therapy is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy. Relaxation techniques are used in order to slow down or calm an individual’s mind. When a patient relaxes and reduces their anxiety, they are able to dig deeper into their mind in order to draw out different thought patterns. By doing this, the patient begins to diminish their anxiety and push out negative thoughts or self-doubt or self-blame like cognitive therapy. Pharmacological intervention is not only beneficial for those suffering with PTSD, but it can help in the early onset of PTSD after a disaster event. Different drugs are used with pharmacological intervention that block the glutamatergic activity and the glucocorticoid receptor prior to trauma. Most therapies that involve drugs are dependent on the individual being treated and their emotional response. Antidepressant therapy was most widely used to treat patients with PSTD, however, treatment throughout the years with this therapy has been inconsistent. Although antidepressant therapy gives an immediate relief to its patients, there are long term effects such as sleep issues, issues with cognitive behavior, balance issues, and reduced awareness to include own mortality, (American Public University). With these issues and the unpredictability of this type of therapy, PTSD should be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy first in order to start treatment in a more beneficial manner.
