The Role Medications Play in the Treatment of PTSD - Trauma Series by Mark Schiller, MD

/ Mind Therapy Clinic/
The Role Medications Play in the Treatment of PTSD - Trauma Series by Mark Schiller, MD

Psychotherapy is the keystone of PTSD treatment.  Nevertheless, medications play an important role and often included to facilitate the psychotherapeutic treatments.  Medication can help improve core symptoms as well as other problems related to the traumatic experience, such as depression, anxiety, or excessive alcohol or drug use.

For people who have experienced trauma, there may be changes in the brain that are linked to their ability to manage stress.  Specifically, people with PTSD have changes in the balance of certain chemicals - called neurotransmitters -  in the brain than those who do not have PTSD.  These imbalances in different neurotransmitter systems are the focus of medication treatment. 

There of different classes of medications that are used to address different types of symptoms.

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How is brain scanning (EEG) used to treat mental health?

/ Mind Therapy Clinic/
How is brain scanning (EEG) used to treat mental health?

If you are currently taking medication as a part of your mental health treatment, and it is not working, you are not alone.  Almost 20 million Americans have failed two or more medication therapies (mynd analytics) for a mental disorder.

To tackle this problem, an online database was created called PEER Online.

What is PEER Online?

PEER stands for Psychiatric EEG Evaluation Registry.  

Through this tool, your doctor can learn which medications have been effective, and which have not, in treating patients with similar brain patterns.  Doctors use the data to help identify the medications most likely to achieve a positive outcome based on your unique neurophysiology.

An electroencephalogram (EEG) which records a person's brain electrical activity, much like an EKG does for the heart, helps your doctor understand the unique brain patterns or neurophysiology.  Your EEG is then, compared to others with similar EEGs to see which medications worked and which didn't.  This information is used by your doctor to better design your treatment options.

EEG is sometimes covered by your insurance depending on the results of the outcome report. If you are interested, contact Mind Therapy Clinic's doctors for more information.  You can also find more information in our diagnostic imaging and eeg pages.

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