Trauma-Informed Medication Approaches

Medication for PTSD is often considered less effective than therapy, yet some patients may prefer or require pharmacological options. The FDA has approved sertraline and paroxetine as treatments for PTSD; however, they exhibit notable limitations. Sertraline has shown efficacy primarily in women with civilian trauma and performed poorly in trials overall, while paroxetine poses significant withdrawal risks and has troubling side effects. An alternative suggested is fluoxetine, which, although off-label, has demonstrated a larger effect size in PTSD studies compared to the FDA-approved SSRIs, thus positioning it as a more favorable option for robust response rates.