WEBVTT

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[Narrator:] Posttraumatic stress disorder,
or PTSD, can affect your daily life.

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For someone with PTSD, it can feel like
your thoughts are getting in your way.

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Ordinary situations
may make you feel uneasy or irritated.

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You may feel exhausted from nightmares
or suffer from an upset stomach

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or a pounding heart.

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But you don’t have to live this way.

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There are treatments available
to help you address

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those symptoms — and you have options.

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Some people prefer talk therapy,
or psychotherapy,

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which has proven to be the most effective
treatment option.

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The positive effects of psychotherapy
can last long after treatment ends.

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Others find medications to be the best
option for decreasing their PTSD symptoms.

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Recommended
medications can help you sleep better

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and make you feel less anxious,
irritable, sad, withdrawn,

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or on guard —
so you can move forward with your life.

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When are medications the right choice?

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Some people prefer to try medications
if they don’t want to try talk therapy

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right now or if they can’t fit weekly
therapy appointments into their lives.

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Others find that
taking certain medications for PTSD

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while they’re in therapy
makes the process easier.

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This isn’t a decision
you have to make alone.

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Your health care provider
will play an important role in the process

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of starting —
and sticking with — medications for PTSD.

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How do medications work?

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PTSD causes changes in the brain
that affect your ability to manage stress.

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For people with PTSD, the function
of certain chemicals in the brain —

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called neurotransmitters —
may be altered.

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Specific antidepressants help
put these brain chemicals back in balance.

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Antidepressants are also effective
for addressing

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anxiety and irritability
and for decreasing nightmares.

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Some of these antidepressants
balance serotonin,

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which regulates mood.

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They’re called selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors,

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or SSRIs for short.

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Other antidepressants
that work on both serotonin

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and norepinephrine,
which regulates stress reactions,

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are called serotonin norepinephrine
reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs.

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Both types of medications
regulate brain chemistry

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that has been affected by trauma
to reduce the intensity of PTSD.

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So, where do you start?

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There are three SSRI and SNRI medications
that are recommended

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to treat PTSD symptoms:

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sertraline, which has a
brand name of Zoloft;

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paroxetine, or Paxil;
and venlafaxine, or Effexor.

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These medications can improve
your symptoms, making them less

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bothersome so that you can navigate
your life more successfully.

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It’s important to know:

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These medications must be prescribed
by a health care provider.

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Typically,
it takes about four to six weeks

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to feel the full benefits
of your medication.

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Their benefits end
after you stop taking them.

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You’ll meet with your health care provider
every few months to check on

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your response to the medication
and discuss side effects, such as

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upset stomach, indigestion, agitation,
and sexual dysfunction.

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Your provider can change the dose
if needed.

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Most side effects are easily treated
or stop being a problem over time.

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There are some medications
that are not helpful for PTSD.

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This includes benzodiazepines,
also known as benzos.

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Benzodiazepines include medications
you may have heard about,

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such as Xanax, Valium,
Klonopin, or Ativan.

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Sometimes, they’re prescribed
in crisis situations

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for sleeplessness or extreme anxiety.

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But long-term, everyday use can cause
issues like: substance use problems,

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memory problems, driving accidents,

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falls, or even worsening PTSD symptoms.

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So, talk with your provider about changing
your benzodiazepine prescription.

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New medications are
also being tested to treat PTSD.

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A good tip to remember: Work
with your health care provider

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to make sure you have
the best medication for you.

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Know that if you have symptoms of PTSD,

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you don’t have to face them alone.

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There are treatments that can help.

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No matter how long you’ve been living with
PTSD, you can get better.

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Scan the QR code on the screen

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or visit ptsd.va.gov to learn
more about effective PTSD treatments.

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This video was brought to you

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by the Department of Veterans
Affairs, National Center for PTSD.