Depression Symptoms and Emotional Support Impact PTSD Treatment

Findings reported in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology show that many individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also experience depression. Researchers at Case Western University found that during PTSD treatment, rapid improvements in depression are associated with better outcomes of the disorder. This is one of the first studies to explore how depression symptoms impact progress throughout PTSD treatment. Participants in the study were either treated with depression medication or therapy sessions. Researchers also examined how social support from family and friends impacted sudden depression changes. Negative social support was found to be associated with worsening depression for all individuals receiving medication or therapy. After participants completed surveys about their symptoms, researchers further discovered that patients experienced ups and down in their depression whether or not they were treated with only medication or only therapy. To read more about this study, click here.