Sunday 27th June marks PTSD Awareness Day
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone who has been exposed to a traumatic event. Some of these events may include experiencing or learning about abuse (physical, emotional or sexual), natural disasters or serious illnesses. PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have experienced traumatic events. It can develop immediately after the experience, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later.
PTSD can cause a wide variety of physical, mental and emotional difficulties such as unwanted memories, flashbacks, nightmares, feeling on edge or on guard, anger, fear, panic attacks, feelings of being numb, and exhaustion.
Although the impact of trauma can be long lasting, it doesn’t need to be. Several psychological therapies, such has Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, have been shown to be able to help trauma survivors even many years after the traumatic event occurred, which means it is never too late to seek help!
From past research, we know that many people who experience psychosis (for example, people who hear voices or have worries about being unsafe or persecuted) have had very difficult life experiences. We also know that many struggle with symptoms of PTSD. Unfortunately, people with psychosis often do not have access to high-quality psychological therapies that could improve these distressing consequences of trauma. The STAR (Study of Trauma and Recovery) trial is taking place in Manchester and other regions in the England to see if a new psychological therapy could help people with psychosis who also experience distressing symptoms of PTSD.
Bringing you the STAR trial!
Recent studies have shown that trauma therapies can be helpful for people with problems like voices, visions, and sensations, or worries about being unsafe or persecuted. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have recommended that a large study should evaluate trauma therapies in people with psychosis in the NHS, to fill a major gap in the availability of this kind of treatment.
The STAR trial is a large study to find out if trauma therapy is helpful for a range of problems. It will include 300 people, across 5 NHS areas in England: Manchester, London, Oxford, Newcastle and Sussex.
To test whether the therapy is helpful, half of the people taking part will receive the therapy in addition to their usual care and half will continue with their usual care only. This is decided randomly by a computer, with a 50/50 chance, like flipping a coin. We will then compare how the two study groups get on over a period of 2 years.
The trial will be recruiting until July 2022!
If you, or someone you know is experiencing:
Common effects of trauma like upsetting memories, nightmares, constantly feeling on edge, and difficult thoughts and feelings
And they are:
Having problems such as hearing, seeing or feeling things other people can’t, or have worries about being unsafe or persecuted, or other unshared or distressing beliefs
Find out more at www.startherapytrial.co.uk/what-is-star
Contact the STAR team to get involved:
Email: STAR@gmmh.nhs.uk
Aqsa Choudary: Peter Panayi
Email: aqsa.choudary@gmmh.nhs.uk Email: peter.panayi@gmmh.nhs.uk
Tel: 07776 965107 Tel: 07551 219693
The Mind Charity offers more helpful advice on how further treatment and support can be accessed for PTSD. It offers tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
How to manage my own symptoms:
Self-care for PTSD | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems
Treatments available and how to access them:
Treatment for PTSD | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems
Tips for friends and family:
Helping someone with PTSD | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems
