PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological and physical condition that is caused by very frightening or distressing events. It occurs in up to 30% of people who experience traumatic events.

Our PTSD Blogs

Is there a causal link between mental health problems and risk of COVID-19 infection?

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In his debut blog, Andrew Steptoe summarises two recent papers using electronic health record datasets, which suggest that having a psychiatric diagnosis may put people at risk of COVID-19 infection.

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MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: moving towards post-traumatic growth?

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Aster Daniel summarises a recent study exploring post-traumatic growth after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

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Parental PTSD in refugees predicts psychiatric contact in offspring

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A group of students from the UCL MSc in Mental Health Studies summarise a cohort study on the risk of childhood psychiatric disorders in children of refugee parents with PTSD.

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Guidance for online therapy during COVID-19

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Liesbeth Tip highlights the new OxCADAT guidance for psychotherapists providing online therapy for people with anxiety, panic or trauma.

This blog also contains many ideas and an extensive list of useful research and resources for delivering internet based treatment for people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Moral injury: the overlooked stressor of the NHS

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Heather McClelland summarises a recent BMJ article by Prof Neil Greenberg and colleagues, which looks to prevent moral injury and promote psychological growth in NHS staff working through the COVID-19 pandemic.

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COVID trauma response: pandemics require trauma-informed mental health support

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Sarah Steeg reviews the new trauma-informed guidance for healthcare workers, developed by the COVID Trauma Response Working Group from UCL and the Camden and Islington NHS Trust. The guidance aims to provide a coordinated, trauma-informed and evidence-based psychological response to the COVID outbreak.

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PTSD: the current picture #ISTSS2019

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Jon Bisson summarises an expert review written by Richard Bryant on post-traumatic stress disorder, which covers the current definitions of PTSD, its known prevalence and risk factors, the main models to explain the disorder, and evidence-supported treatments.

Readers who want to know more should follow the live coverage of the 35th annual International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies conference, taking place in Boston this week. The Twitter hashtag is #ISTSS2019.

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Treating PTSD in children and young people #ISTSS2019

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In Dr David Trickey’s debut blog for Mental Elf, he comments on the new ISTSS treatment guidelines for children and young people with post traumatic stress disorder.

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Are antidepressants safe? A new umbrella review of observational studies suggests they are, but we need more accurate data

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Andrea Cipriani and Anneka Tomlinson scrutinise a brand new umbrella review of the associations between antidepressants and adverse health outcomes, which suggests that antidepressants are safe for most people who experience mental health difficulties.

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Can PTSD in refugees affect their children’s well-being via harsher parenting styles?

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David Turgoose writes his debut elf blog on a longitudinal cohort study, which looks at the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on refugees’ parenting and their children’s mental health.

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