Antipsychotic Medication is Not More Effective than Placebo for PTSD

[2012PhD]

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Good to know for those of us working at VA hospitals. Everyone is way over medicated in the VA system, often with drugs that are harmful and ineffective. Studies like these should increase funding for psychologists to provide psychotherapy since its actually one of the only effective treatments for PTSD.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/health/research/03psych.html?hp

 

[DrGachet]

Meh

 

[DrGachet]

Let me qualify my disinterest. There is research saying that antidepressants are effective, as is psychotherapy. There was never any major double blind study showing that antipsychotics were particularly effective. There are some smaller studies here and there, nothing big. I think antipsychotics are used or at least should be used for practical purposes like severe paranoia and psychosis or intrusions and dissociative symptoms. When unmanageable hypervigilance is under control, obviously psychotherapy is THE method, the actual method of dealing with the emotions that are so out of whack.

 

[roubs]

Let me qualify my disinterest. There is research saying that antidepressants are effective, as is psychotherapy. There was never any major double blind study showing that antipsychotics were particularly effective. There are some smaller studies here and there, nothing big. I think antipsychotics are used or at least should be used for practical purposes like severe paranoia and psychosis or intrusions and dissociative symptoms. When unmanageable hypervigilance is under control, obviously psychotherapy is THE method, the actual method of dealing with the emotions that are so out of whack.

I agree with you, but this is relevant because psychiatrists like to throw antipsychotics at the/any problem if antidepressants don't work. By giving patients a useless medication they are causing harm. Hopefully this will alter their prescribing patterns.

 

[PerhapsMaybeOk]

I agree with you, but this is relevant because psychiatrists like to throw antipsychotics at the/any problem if antidepressants don't work. By giving patients a useless medication they are causing harm. Hopefully this will alter their prescribing patterns.

let me add, 'at VAs' to your statement just to clarify.

 

[nononora]

Personally, I have reservations about journalists reporting on psychology studies. One need only look at how certain newspapers sensationalized the autism-MMR link for proof on how wrong things can get.

Looking at the abstract itself, the p-values aren't entirely terrible and their conclusion is somewhat strong. I'm admittedly more practice-oriented so perhaps the research-y folks could chime in 🙂

One article does not a conclusion make! Here's to hoping for more replications.

 

[roubs]

let me add, 'at VAs' to your statement just to clarify.

You think that issue is confined to only VAs?

 

[Cindrelle]

As reported by the study, probably the most widely prescribed PTSD narcotics are no more useful than placebos at curing the condition, yet still have serious unwanted effects like weight gain and exhaustion. I found this here: Antipsychotics fail to alleviate PTSD symptoms in veterans . Unhelpful and ineffective medical treatment, I think.

 

[LM02]

Personally, I have reservations about journalists reporting on psychology studies. One need only look at how certain newspapers sensationalized the autism-MMR link for proof on how wrong things can get.

Looking at the abstract itself, the p-values aren't entirely terrible and their conclusion is somewhat strong. I'm admittedly more practice-oriented so perhaps the research-y folks could chime in 🙂

One article does not a conclusion make! Here's to hoping for more replications.

How will our work ever be disseminated to the public, if the popular press never reports on our findings? The issue is one of good vs. bad reporting of research, and there are some fantastic journalists who specialize in mental health reporting (Benedict Carey of the NYT comes to mind).

Rosalyn Carter actually established a fellowship just for this purpose - I think this is a fabulous thing:

http://www.cartercenter.org/health/mental_health/fellowships/index.html

Also, it is the effect size that matters more than the p-value (which is entirely dependent on sample size).