Online therapy program now offered for PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is the most common anxiety disorder in Australia yet many people never receive treatment.

Macquarie University’s new eCentreClinic, which offers a growing range of therapy programs online, has now added PTSD to its offerings. The online treatment program for PTSD offered by the eCentre Clinic is based on the most recent psychological research findings.

Symptoms for PTSD like anxiety, depression, irritability and avoidance can be caused by a traumatic event or a series of highly stressful events. Studies show that treating their cause can eliminate these painful symptoms.

“During a trauma, people have to adapt in order to survive. PTSD is when this adaptation persists in daily life, causing serious problems for the trauma survivor,” said Jay Spence, eCentre Clinic clinical psychologist who has developed several online treatments for PTSD.

“Many people with PTSD say they feel constantly on guard for threats. This is a behaviour that can help to survive dangerous situations, but when it doesn’t switch off, it can be painful and exhausting,” Spence said.

Spence notes that several trials for PTSD online treatment programs have shown major reductions in PTSD symptoms.

“In our last trial, 70 per cent of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD by the end of the treatment,” he said.

Treatment involves logging in to the www.ecentreclinic.org site once a week for six weeks to complete an online lesson as part of the PTSD treatment course. Each lesson contains information on key skills and is recommended for practice over the week.

PTSD Facts:

• 60 – 70 per cent of Australians will suffer at least one major traumatic event in their lifetime.
• The treatment for PTSD costs more than any other anxiety disorder in Australia.
• The cost to Australian society of child abuse alone is $10.7 billion conservatively.
• Online treatments can substantially reduce the cost while maintaining effectiveness
• PTSD is the most common anxiety disorder in Australia

(Source: Macquarie University Sydney)

More information

For more information on psychology and psychotherapy, including different types of therapy, see Psychology and Psychotherapy.