Treatment Options for Individuals with PTSD and Concurrent TBI: A Literature Review and Case Presentation

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well-studied mental health condition with existing guidelines and algorithms for treatment of PTSD. Those guidelines, while acknowledging an increased complexity, fail to provide clear PTSD treatment guidelines when an individual has a concurrent traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis. Therefore, a literature review along with an accompanying case presentation is presented to demonstrate the minimum necessary considerations for approaching treatment of this complex population. Treatment approaches must be lead by providers that have the expertise and training necessary to consider all facets of the patient and their potential options. The provider must consider the pathophysiology of PTSD and TBI and be capable of leading a team to identify the patient's source(s) of dysfunction, current cognitive abilities, and potential indications for psychotropic medications and/or other types of therapeutic intervention.