TARGETS AND TREATMENTS FOR POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER-FROM BYGONE TO NOVEL
*Dharti M. Panchal and Dr. Kedar S. Prabhavalkar
ABSTRACT
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that is affecting the society at large. PTSD develops when an individual is exposed to exceptionally life threatening or horrifying events. Many people can overcome and manage the trauma. Single traumatic event or prolonged exposure to trauma like sexual abuse in childhood can lead to the development of PTSD. The different traumatic events that can cause PTSD are sexual and physical assault, combat and other military experiences, accidental death or injury of a loved one, child abuse, and natural disasters like flood, earthquake etc., and terrorist attacks. The symptoms of PTSD include unwanted and repeated re-experiencing the event, emotional numbing, hyperarousal and unavoidable thoughts that may remind the event to the individual.Also, the patient‟s incapability to overcome the trauma can lead to suicidal ideation. Hence it is important to diagnose and treat PTSD in depth. Many treatment regimens are available, depending upon the type of PTSD (acute or chronic) the appropriate treatment regimen should be selected. The intensity of PTSD can be found by also considering the Biomarkers responsible for the disorder. There are differnt nonpharmacological and pharmacological approaches which are effective in treating PTSD. Drug therapy can be used for patients who does not want to engage in psychotherapy (nonpharmacological), or if the individual has a serious co-morbid condition (severe depression) or is unable to respond to psychotherapy alone. The focus of this review is to understand different therapy options that can be useful in PTSD.
Keywords: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis, Psychotherapies, Novel drugs and targets.
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