Medicines in the treatment of trauma and grief
From the book – Chapter 10: Trauma, Grief and Loss
Medicines
SSRIs such as sertraline and paroxetine and the SNRI venlafaxine can reduce PTSD symptoms and are often used alongside therapy. Some medicines may be used for specific problems, such as nightmares or sleep. Doctors take care to avoid long-term use of sedatives, which can interfere with trauma recovery.
Read the full chapter – Chapter 10: Trauma, Grief and Loss
Stories from real life
- The Road That Kept Coming Back – Imran, thirty-five, a delivery driver in Lucknow, survived a night-time road accident in which his friend was badly hurt. For the first few days he felt…
- Six Months Since Ashok – Lakshmi, sixty-two, lost her husband Ashok six months ago in Coimbatore. At first neighbours filled the house and she was too busy to feel. Now the…
- The House Where She Always Listened – Nadia, twenty-six, works as a designer in Birmingham. She is talented but exhausted by relationships. As a child she grew up in a home where shouting…
- When the Water Came – Ravi, eight, lives in a village in Assam. Last monsoon, the river flooded the house in the night, and the family had to wade out in…
Shloks
- Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.3 – The afflictions are ignorance, I-making, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life.
More on this topic: Trauma, grief and loss – healing at your own pace
More questions
- Phases of healing in the treatment of trauma and grief
- What helps after a traumatic event?
- Grounding skills for flashbacks and overwhelming feelings – explained simply
- Supporting someone who has experienced trauma – explained simply
- Understanding post-traumatic growth
- What is true: PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms must last more than…?
- Which is a common symptom of PTSD?
- About grief, which statement is TRUE?
- What is true: trauma can result from…?
- What is true: EMDR is a therapy specifically used for…?
- Coping with grief and the loss of a loved one