The use of prolonged exposure therapy to help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by intrusive re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance behaviors, elevated arousal, and changes in cognition and mood. Nearly all individuals with PTSD suffer from at least one additional psychiatric diagnosis. Prolonged exposure is one of several evidence-based treatments for PTSD that has been efficacious for PTSD sufferers with a range of comorbid disorders. In this review, we first discuss the prevalence of PTSD comorbidity and the challenges that it presents to clinicians working with traumatized patients. We then discuss the treatment of PTSD, focusing on prolonged exposure therapy. After providing a brief overview of PE, we review evidence supporting the use of PE in reducing PTSD severity and associated symptoms in a variety of comorbid samples.