"Using Prolonged Exposure to Treat Abortion-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Alcohol-Dependent Men"

These Mississippi-based, teaching and practicing psychiatrists wrote about their case study about helping a man grieving over his involvement in abortion, using standard therapy often used to treat PTSD in war veterans. It was published in Clinical Case Studies, December 1, 2011, 10:427-439:

Using Prolonged Exposure to Treat Abortion-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Alcohol-Dependent Men: A Case Study

Men’s reactions to a partner’s abortion are an understudied area. Few studies have examined abortion as it relates to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in males, and no studies have examined the use of an empirically supported behavioral treatment for PTSD in this population. The current case study examines prolonged exposure (PE) for the treatment of abortion-related PTSD in a 46-year-old White male who also has alcohol dependence. The patient was involved in a residential substance abuse treatment program at the time of treatment. After receiving 12 sessions of PE, the patient experienced a decrease in PTSD symptoms as measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Rating Scale (87%) and Impact of Event Scale–Revised (85%). The results of this study suggest that the literature supporting PE as a first-line treatment for PTSD can be expanded to include men needing treatment for abortion-related PTSD. Implications for treatment and research are discussed.

Aisha Baker
Jay A. Morrison
Scott F. Coffey

The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, USA
The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA

Scott F. Coffey, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St. Jackson, MS 39216, USA

"Prolonged exposure therapy"

works by helping you approach trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding due to the distress they cause. Repeated exposure to these thoughts, feelings, and situations helps reduce the power they have to cause distress.

And all it took, for me, for Annie, for over 60,000 like us (or even not exactly like us, like one Jewish man, at least), was a weekend retreat with Rachel's Vineyard, and a whole lot less money than 12 sessions with a shrink. (Heck, there are even resources to help someone attend for free, if that's the need. All you need do is look 'em up and contact 'em)