Is The Medical Community Looking for Quick Fixes to PTSD Metal Health Issues?

By: Deutschmann Personal Injury & Disability Law (Lawyers) | Published 11/22/2022

Symptoms of mental health disorders are common in individuals who have suffered TBI (traumatic brain injury). Treatment patterns among people diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD following a TBI are more likely to be with psychotropic medication than psychotherapy and this is raising some questions.

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry recently published a paper “Treatment Patterns of Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Traumatic Brain Injury”. The objective of the study was to study this treatment trend and to review whether it is appropriate.

TBI results in neural damage to the brain which often manifests in anxiety and mental health symptoms but it seems they often go unnoticed and untreated which results in poor treatment of the TBI and poor outcomes.

The researchers investigated what medications are being used, and the psychotherapy [patterns in those diagnosed with anxiety disorders and PTSD post-TBI. They reviewed the records of more than 200,000 adult patients with TBI and found that anxiety disorders and PTSD were about 75% higher post-TBI than before the injury. They also found that individuals diagnosed with anxiety were far less likely to receive psychotherapy compared to those with PTSD.

Antidepressants were the most commonly prescribed drugs although the group with Anxiety and PTSD had similar rates of depression, they were used more for anxiety patients. Benzodiazepines were also commonly prescribed and there is some concern as they are not considered a first line of treatment drug due to their high rate of addiction and other issues.

They concluded that further investigation is warranted to determine the risks of using pharmacological approaches for anxiety and PTSD post-TBI to refine treatment guidelines.

TBI due to car accidents, slip and falls, and workplace accidents are major causes of insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits in Ontario. These injuries are often serious and have lifelong implications for the quality of life of those injured. Many are also unable to continue working and suffer relationship problems, high healthcare costs, and addiction due to self-medication.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, slip and fall accident and suffered a brain injury please contact one of our personal injury lawyers at Deutschmann Personal Injury and Disability Law today. We are experienced and successful in protecting those who have been injured and their families. Don’t face your situation alone! 1 (519) 742-7774