I read an article this weekend from the Harvard School of Public Health, http://hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magazine_article/halting-the-legacy-of-ptsd/ that captured my attention. Two Harvard researchers have done some pretty interesting work on PTSD and have branched beyond the normal scope of research to also look at the entire picture, encompassing the roles of genetics, the presence of physical disease prior to trauma, and what role PTSD plays in future generations if parents are traumatized.
The article is well written and is a fascinating read. I highly recommend it.
Unfortunately, the researchers chose to only focus on trauma-focused cognitive behavioral interventions for their research. It is really important to understand that the trauma focused CBT interventions did, in fact, work. The article says the CBT interventions worked, when coupled with medications (SSRI’s) and when administered right after the trauma occurred.
I would have loved to have seen what the results would have been if the research had involved trauma focused CBT alone. After a period of time had passed after the trauma.
Do give the article a read. It’s well worth your time.