PTSD BASICS

Treatments Included in this Decision Aid

This decision aid focuses only on evidence-based treatments that are proven to work. Treatments in this decision aid received a strong recommendation in the 2017 guideline published by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD).

To treat PTSD, the VA/DoD guideline strongly recommends the use of trauma-focused psychotherapies or specific SSRIs and SNRIs (types of antidepressants). Trauma-focused psychotherapies are the most highly recommended type of treatment.

Click any of the treatments below to see a description. You will learn more about all of these options as you continue using the decision aid. However, if these terms are new to you, this will help.

What about other types of treatments?

There are many other types of treatments for PTSD. Some treatments have been studied and do not appear to be effective for PTSD. Other treatments have not been studied enough to say with certainty whether they work for PTSD. Sometimes people with PTSD may choose to receive a treatment that is not evidence-based, and they may find these treatments are helpful.

This decision aid focuses only on evidence-based treatments because years of research tell us that these treatments offer the best chance of recovery.

*table does not list treatments recommended over no treatment.

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