Clinical Presentation and Therapeutic Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Post-Katrina
Section snippets
Practice recommendations
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Therapeutic goals must be realistic for the patient.
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Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication have shown to be of special benefit in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) has not been shown to be consistently successful in treating PTSD.
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Group therapy is the best therapeutic option for those patients with a mild form of PTSD.
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Sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil) are the first medications to have received Food and Drug
Survivors' perspectives
Six months after the disaster, interviews were conducted with low-income hurricane survivors in New Orleans, Houston, and Baton Rouge. These interviews revealed that survivors experienced health problems before and that they are now facing even more daunting challenges in obtaining needed health care (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2003). Despite suffering emotional and mental trauma from the storm, with many experiencing anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping and eating, almost none had received
Diagnosis and Treatment of PTSD
The best way PTSD or any psychiatric disorder is diagnosed is from structured histories with complete physical assessments (Blank, 1994). This process will determine if individuals might be denying or exaggerating their symptoms. The criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000; DSM-IV-TR, 2000) are often used to assist the health care provider in diagnosing PTSD (Table 4).
For the
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