- (CBT) involves practical ways of working to change emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
- Exposure therapy is one form of CBT that uses careful, repeated, talking about the disaster (exposure) in a safe therapy situation to help the survivor face and gain control of the fear and distress that was overwhelming during the event.
- Cognitive therapy is another form of CBT that involves examining and rethinking the distressing beliefs about the disaster and its effects "("I'm going crazy," or "I'm to blame for what happened")" that often trouble survivors.
- CBT for disaster also includes learning skills for coping with anxiety (such as breathing and relaxation), managing anger, and communicating effectively with people.
- Medications can reduce the anxiety, depression, and insomnia often experienced with severe stress, and in some cases, it may help relieve the distress and emotional numbness caused by memories
- Several kinds of antidepressant drugs have contributed to patient improvement in most (but not all) clinical trials, and some other classes of drugs have shown promise. Medication is clearly useful for symptom relief, which makes it possible for survivors to participate in psychotherapy.
- EMDR is a treatment for traumatic memories. It involves elements of exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with techniques (eye movements, hand taps, sounds) that create an alternation of attention back and forth across the person's midline. It can help a survivor gain a new perspective and sense of control over a stressful experience.
- Group treatment is often helpful because survivors are able to share experiences in the presence of other survivors.
- Group discussion can help group members achieve greater understanding of their and gain hope and coping ideas from each other.
- Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on the emotional conflicts caused by the pandemic, particularly as they relate to early life experiences.
- Through the retelling of the pandemic to a calm, empathic, compassionate, and nonjudgmental therapist, the survivor achieves a greater sense of self-esteem, develops effective ways of thinking and coping, and learns to deal more successfully with intense emotions.
The Seeking Professional Help Goal Sheet includes a checklist of the treatments listed above so you can mark down which interest you. This checklist may be useful to have in front of you when contacting counselors because it will remind you to ask which treatments they provide.
Click Here for your Seeking Professional Help Goal Sheet