Depression is also of major concern, as it leads to an overall lower quality of life and can even result in a trauma survivor attempting suicide—a trend that is tragically common among military veterans who have both higher rates of suicide and weapons training. CPT can be cognitively or emotionally intense, especially when the patient is writing or talking about the experience itself. Feeling discomfort during CPT is normal, though many patients report that their discomfort was brief and was outweighed by the benefits they gained from completing the full course of treatment. The need to routinely observe evidence‐based recommendations for effective treatment of PTSD is highlighted and factors undermining practitioner engagement with CBT‐based interventions for the treatment of PTSD are identified. Use these free digital, outreach materials in your community and on social media to spread the word about mental health.
CBT for PTSD: Different strategies for different people
Some people with PTSD, such as those in abusive relationships, may be living through ongoing trauma. In these cases, treatment is usually most effective when it addresses both the traumatic situation and the symptoms of PTSD. People who experience traumatic events or who have PTSD also may experience panic disorder, depression, substance use, or suicidal thoughts. It is also intended to review the long-term outcome and preventive role of CBT in PTSD and various modes of delivery of CBT in practice, and the current understanding of its mechanism of action is also discussed. The automation of e-CBT has the potential to reduce the time therapists spend on face-to-face interactions while minimizing the risk of untrained practitioners providing suboptimal care (Mason & Andrews, 2014). However, this shift highlights the critical need for skilled designers of automated psychotherapy programs.
Long-term effects of untreated PTSD
Challenges include inadequate accessibility to fully automated self-service clinics, the need for patient-therapist communication in many programs, and issues with time management for both therapists and patients (Smith et al., 2023). When someone feels like they need to find a reason for their trauma, doing it alone (without the guidance of a therapist) can result in solutions that aren’t always helpful in terms of mental health. Cognitive therapy for PTSD makes it possible to accurately view trauma in the context of the bigger picture. Although research exploring the underutilisation of exposure‐based therapy in clinical practice are dominated by US‐based studies (Becker et al., 2004), studies from the Netherlands (van Minnen et al., 2010) and Germany (Külz et al., 2010) report similar findings. In the UK, Walker and Turner (2016) raise particular concerns regarding underutilisation of exposure‐based techniques for PTSD and highlight how ‘therapist drift’ can undermine therapeutic effectiveness. Learn more about how to help children and adolescents cope with disasters and other traumatic events.
Health Topics
- In these instances, another research-supported trauma treatment, such as prolonged exposure therapy (PET), is often recommended over CPT.
- These digital interventions frequently emphasize behavioral therapy components more than cognitive procedures, with some being presented more as educational programs than therapeutic sessions (Green et al., 2019).
- A review by Ponniah and Hollon (2009) found one randomised control trial (RCT) (Brom et al., 1989) comparing PDT to a control condition; patients treated with PDT reported a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms compared to a control group and a waitlist control condition.
- Although research exploring the underutilisation of exposure‐based therapy in clinical practice are dominated by US‐based studies (Becker et al., 2004), studies from the Netherlands (van Minnen et al., 2010) and Germany (Külz et al., 2010) report similar findings.
- If you know someone who may be experiencing PTSD, the most important thing you can do is to help that person get the right diagnosis and treatment.
However, further research is needed to optimize these systems, ensuring they are both effective and engaging for a diverse patient population. A CBT therapist will spend some time explaining trauma as well as the kinds of reactions people often have to a traumatic event. This information can help the individual put a plan in place for better stress management, as well as how to handle an emotional crisis if one arises. By adjusting those thoughts on an incremental basis, many people find they can leave a large portion of a traumatic event in the past without ignoring its significance.
CBT for PTSD in children and adolescents
While there are a number of CBT techniques widely used, there are two core components of CBT for PTSD that are known for their efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms. These thoughts tend to lead to negative emotions—fear, anxiety, guilt, and anger—and can halt the person’s recovery from PTSD. CPT focuses on teaching a set of skills that will help the person challenge these negative thoughts. Thoughts and feelings can trigger these symptoms, as can words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event.
Related Articles About PTSD
Information about NIMH, research results, summaries of scientific meetings, and mental health resources. The latest information and resources on mental disorders shared on X, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Download, read, and order free NIMH brochures and fact sheets about mental disorders and related topics. There is scope for further research on implementation of CBT following major disasters, its preventive potential following various traumas, and the neuropsychological mechanisms of action. Research materials were gathered through secondary data collection, including journals, published psychotherapy textbooks, and other relevant data sources.
Unfortunately, there are many long-term effects when PTSD is left untreated, but given all of the ways in which post-traumatic stress disorder can affect our lives, this is hardly surprising. Aside from the increased likelihood that someone will abuse drugs or cbt interventions for substance abuse alcohol in an attempt to make their symptoms more bearable, there are other consequences to consider as well. CPT was first developed in the late 1980s, and numerous studies since then have demonstrated that it is highly effective for the treatment of PTSD.
How can I find help for PTSD?
Early electronic CBT interventions often resembled simple self-help materials (Bergmame & Shaw, 2018). However, modern e-CBT programs have evolved significantly, incorporating sophisticated features such as interactive learning modules, self-monitoring tools, progress tracking, multimedia content, avatars, games, and quizzes. These features are particularly beneficial in treating complex conditions like social anxiety disorder and PTSD, where engagement and interactivity are crucial (Søgaard Neilsen & Wilson, 2019; Stott et al., 2013; Wild et al., 2016).
The user could respond with, “This is what my father once said to me,” which, while not legally valid, helps the user reassess their thoughts. Such feedback loops are designed to improve cognitive processing by encouraging users to critically evaluate and modify their unhelpful beliefs (Osipov, 2019). However, developing comprehensive databases to manage diverse user profiles requires significant clinical input and ongoing refinement. Guided Internet-based CBT (iCBT) has evolved from traditional bibliotherapy, which involves using specific texts or storytelling to facilitate healing. While bibliotherapy has its roots in more expensive, therapist-led interventions, guided iCBT has proven to be a cost-effective and accessible alternative for treating conditions such as depression and anxiety (Newby et al., 2019). Studies indicate that the benefits of guided iCBT are not only significant but also long-lasting, with patients reporting sustained improvements in their mental health over time (Hamatani et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2019).
Notably, most of these platforms are grounded in forms of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which has been widely validated for its effectiveness in treating a range of mental health conditions (Andersson et al., 2019; Fairburn & Patel, 2017). The authors conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases, including Scopus, Science Direct, Springer, Elsevier, APA PsycNet, Web of Science, and PubMed. The search terms used included “psycho disorder,” “CBT,” “cognitive behavioral therapies,” “automated CBT,” and “electronic CBT.” The initial search yielded 203 papers. After removing duplicates and irrelevant studies, 117 journal articles were selected for review, as detailed in Table 1. The selection process involved assessing the titles, abstracts, and full texts of studies based on the inclusion criteria.