Early therapy can stop post-traumatic stress disorder from taking hold, say doctors at the Mayo Clinic.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a car crash, an assault, or a major catastrophe like the terror attacks of September 11 last year. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, lack of concentration, sleep disturbance, irritability and guilt. Left untreated, someone with PTSD will lapse into a state of chronic anxiety.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say there's now evidence that early intervention, in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy, can prevent the development of PTSD. Ideally, the therapy should take place in the first weeks following exposure to trauma. So if you begin to experience any of the above symptoms, it really is worth getting help straight away.

Source

Mayo Clinic Health Letter September 2002