PE for PTSD: Comorbidities and Therapy Myths

Associate Vice-Chair of Clinical Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
Director, Emory Healthcare Veterans Program
Director, Emory Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program
Paul A. Janssen Chair in Neuropsychopharmacology

Key Points

  1. PTSD frequently co-occurs with comorbid conditions such as major depression and substance use disorders, needing a strategic treatment approach that addresses these comorbidities.
  2. Concurrent treatment of substance use disorders alongside PTSD using exposure therapy has shown to be highly effective, improving patient outcomes.
  3. Exposure therapy myths, including re-traumatization concerns and informed consent issues, need to be debunked to encourage its appropriate use as a powerful PTSD treatment modality.
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It is noteworthy that PTSD rarely presents itself in isolation. Clean PTSD, devoid of comorbidities, is seldom encountered.

Approximately 50% of individuals with PTSD also suffer from major depression. Within the Veterans Program, PTSD often co-occurs with substance use disorders or substance misuse. This suggests that many individuals turn to substances as a form of self-medication, an attempt to escape distressing memories or emotions. Additionally, patients may exhibit other anxiety disorders and physical complaints.

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