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Australian Guidelines for the Treatment of Adults with Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Australian health practitioners now have their own guidelines to
help people with acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder
(ASD and PTSD).
Approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), these Guidelines will assist health practitioners to determine:
- When is the right time for different interventions?
- What is the best approach for helping people affected by trauma?
ACPMH developed the Guidelines in consultation with trauma experts from a range of disciplines, as well as people affected by trauma. These Guidelines provide practical recommendations applicable in all healthcare settings.
- Download the Guidelines brochure
- Email a colleague the link to this page
- To download a copy, go to the Guidelines page
Help us spread the word about the Guidelines to other health practitioners who may have less experience with trauma and mental health.
Why do we need the Guidelines?
Over a quarter of a million Australians experience PTSD in any one year. Without effective treatment PTSD can be a chronic and debilitating condition. It carries a higher suicide risk than any other anxiety disorder.
There is currently a gap between proven treatments for ASD and PTSD and routine clinical care. The Guidelines aim to bridge this gap by promoting evidence-based interventions such as trauma-focussed therapies.
Treatment works
The Guidelines include comprehensive recommendations, but a few simple principles underpin the delivery of evidence-based care:
- Initial assistance involves practical and emotional support
- Tailored to individual needs
- People should be encouraged to return to their usual social and work routines
- Mental health interventions should only be offered when a person is not recovering
- Trauma-focussed psychological interventions are strongly supported by research
- Some people will need both psychological help and medication
- It’s never too late to start addressing PTSD. A delay to treatment should not affect its success.
Who are the Guidelines for?
- Health practitioners supporting people affected by trauma or treating those who have gone on to mental health problems as a result of a traumatic incident
- Organisations funding programs which help survivors of accidents, sexual assault, natural disasters, crime and torture; emergency workers; veterans and the military
- People experiencing ASD or PTSD, and their families making decisions about their care.
Putting the Guidelines into practice
Our graduated training program will help you put the Guidelines into practice. We can:
- Assess your organisation against best practice
- Conduct workshops to demonstrate the practical application of the Guidelines for policy, program, training and clinical settings
- Undertake quality assurance and outcome monitoring
- Provide skills development workshops and expert supervision to assist practitioners apply the recommendations.
Contact us about the Guidelines
Obtain copies of the Guidelines and associated resources