Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Combat Related PTSD

Approximately 4% of the population, and 7% of combat veterans have nightmare disorder. Chronic nightmares are found in approximately 18% of patients with insomnia, 15% with anxiety and depression, and 50-80% of patients with PTSD. Annually, eight (8) Million Americans and 20% of Airmen and Soldiers serving in wartime operations and US conflicts are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Suicide is a national problem without easily identifiable treatments and during 2021, Stars and Stripes reported more than 136 Air Force suicides (84 suspected suicides) among active-duty Airmen. Nightmare disorder associated with PTSD leads to depression, addiction, anxiety, and even suicide.    NightWare improves the quality of care and the quality of life for those suffering from frequent nightmares. NightWare will improve force resilience, readiness, and retention for Air Force personnel. The Air Force requires its installations to have traumatic stress response teams providing resilience education for those likely to experience traumatic events. This is followed by education, intervention, screening, and psychological first aid. Clinically untreated nightmare disorder leads to serious consequences. It decreases sleep quality and increases the risk of insomnia, depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Prolonged nightmare disorder can also exacerbate the symptoms of underlying psychological dysfunction in patients with depression and anxiety, leading to poor occupational and or social functioning. In all populations, frequent nightmares are an independent risk factor for suicide ideations, attempted, and completed suicide.   Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can occur after someone witnesses or participates in a traumatic event like combat, physical or sexual abuse, assault, serious accidents, or natural disasters. A person may have PTSD if their reactions to these events do not go away after time and they disrupt their daily life. Exposure to trauma is common in the military population, which includes active-duty personnel and veterans. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment for PTSD. CBT usually involves meeting with a therapist weekly for up to four months. The two most effective types of CBT for PTSD are Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE).  These therapies are time intensive, and many patients resist treatment because they do not like speaking about their experiences to others.