Treatments for PTSD have been focused on two types of cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) has been used and shows the strongest evidence for reducing symptoms, better than any other non drug treatment (Reisman, 206). It focuses specifically on the impact of trauma and identifies negative thoughts. Therapists then work with the patient to replace negative thoughts and work on coping skills. Prolonged Exposure (PE) focuses on repeatedly visiting the trauma in a safe setting to change emotional reaction to the event. It also teaches patients how to overcome stress and fear in situations that may induce these negative emotions. Both techniques take twelve weekly sessions to complete. This time commitment and reexposure to trauma can be potential factors that lead to patient dropout. Dropout rates are as high as 54 percent (Schottenbauer, Glass, Arnkoff, Tendick, & Gray, 2008) and are even higher for Afghanistan and Iraq veterans with dropout rates being 62 percent (Harpaz-Rotem & Rosenheck, 20). Some other treatments include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy and medications. However, these treatments are not used as the first
step.
New treatment approaches have been used that focus on mindfulness cognitive behavioral and incorporating exercise. These treatments have been seen as a way to help not only with symptom reduction but also with patient dropout. Mindfulness has been brought into psychology by Langer and Kabat-Zinn (Lang et al., 202). There has been an increase in using these techniques, which can be used in addition to treatment or as its own intervention (Lang, 207). Some of these treatments are already being conducted at Veteran Affairs offices (Libby, Pilver, & Desai, 202). A randomized trial of a certain type of yoga showed reduction in PTSD symptoms, and had a 90 percent rate completion of the veterans in the active group (Seppälä et al., 204). This suggests that veterans may be interested in trying new methods to helping with PTSD symptom reduction. Mindfulness includes non judgemental acceptance which helps with avoidance and thought suppression, two symptoms that are frequently found in PTSD (Lang, 207). These two characteristics are often the focus of mindfulness techniques and are strong predictors of outcome (Boden, Bernstein, Walser, Bui, Alvarez, & Bonn-Miller, 202).