groundbreaking study to prevent PTSD

| PTSD can be prevented if treated in early-days.

by Anna Westerberg

For the first time researchers have identified how to spot early signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and possibly prevent the symptoms from developing further.

The study, carried out by researchers at University of Haifa and University of Amsterdam, looked at civilians during the war between Israel and Gaza in 2014. By detecting which symptoms of PTSD showed up first, the researchers believe it will be possible to spot who will be vulnerable to developing the disorder, based on the earliest reactions to the trauma.

Twice a day for 30 days the participants documented their symptoms after having been exposed to shelling or other type of warfare. The symptom that was most detected immediately after the event was “the startle reaction”, being jumpy in response to sudden movement or sound.

Dr Talya Greene at University of Haifa, leader of the research, said, “For this particular group, in this particular context, the startle response seems to play a role in driving their symptoms, but more research is needed to see if this is true for all populations and all contexts.”

Mark de Rond, author and doctor at Cambridge Judge Business School, studied medical staff in warzones in Afghanistan, to understand how people with PTSD better can adapt to normal life at home. He also believes more research is needed, as PTSD is so complex, and therefore “it’s still quite poorly understood”.

The new study is unparalleled, according to Dr Greene, “nobody has done anything like this before”. She stresses the importance of raising awareness and funding for mental health, “GPs don’t always know what to look for.”

Continued research to spot early suffering, could lead to the prevention of PTSD.

“Maybe we can even intervene to provide targeted support or treatment at a very early stage following exposure, before the problems become chronic,” said Dr Greene.

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