Effective treatments for PTSD include a variety of therapies and some medications. You and your provider may decide to use a combination of these treatments.
The information here is based on the APA’s clinical practice guideline on PTSD. Your provider can answer your questions about the differences between these treatments and how they work.
For general information on psychotherapy, please visit the psychotherapy topic page.
First-Line Therapies
The APA recommends the following therapies:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is an encompassing term for therapeutic treatments that address learned and conditioned behaviors, thoughts (cognitions) and emotional reactions. These strategies may include exposure, cognitive restructuring, changes in behavior and development of coping skills. Most of the therapies described below involve CBT techniques.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT is a specific kind of cognitive behavioral therapy. It focuses on the ways of thinking that developed as a result of the trauma, and the role that inaccurate or distorted thoughts have on emotional responses and behavior. The goals of CPT are to encourage the expression of natural emotions and to promote a balanced set of beliefs about the traumatic event, yourself, others and the world. It involves education about PTSD and CPT, processing the trauma and learning to challenge your thoughts about the trauma.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
PE is a specific kind of cognitive behavioral therapy. It is designed to help people with PTSD emotionally process their traumatic experiences through repeated revisiting and recounting of their trauma memories, which is called “imaginal exposure.” It also involves repeated, gradual confrontation of feared situations, places and things that are objectively safe but feel more dangerous following the traumatic event.
Second-Line Therapies
The APA suggests that patients may also benefit from these therapies:
Cognitive Therapy (CT)
CT is brief, goal-oriented therapy that helps the patient analyze distorted thinking in order to reshape existing beliefs and conditions, and to modify associated problematic behaviors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an eight-phase psychotherapy that helps the patient process and resolve traumatic memories. During EMDR therapy, the patient concentrates on emotionally disturbing material arising from their trauma while simultaneously focusing on controlled stimuli such as eye movements or sounds. The patient reports any new thoughts that emerge and repeats this process until no longer distressed by the memory.
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
NET is a treatment for trauma disorders during which the therapist guides a patient to establish a chronological narrative of his or her life, concentrating mainly on their traumatic experiences. By doing so, the memory of a traumatic episode can be refined and placed in the broader context of the patient's life.
Medications
Your provider may recommend medication as part of your treatment for PTSD. He or she will determine which medication to prescribe based on your particular experience, history and symptoms. In combination with therapy, these medications can provide your brain with the chemicals it needs to help you manage your stress. You can also read more information on choosing among therapy, medications, and their combination.
Your provider may prescribe you one of two kinds of medications: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Talk to your provider about the differences between these medications and which one might be best for you.
Who prescribes your medication may depend on the type of provider you see and the state you live in. If you’re being treated by a psychologist or a Master’s-level provider, they will probably have to coordinate your care with a physician, psychiatrist, or nurse practitioner.
More on PTSD treatments
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