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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies
As Dr. Mark Goulston tells his patients who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), "The fact that you're still afraid doesn't mean you're in any danger. It just takes the will and the way for your heart and soul to accept what the logical part of your mind already knows." In "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies, " Dr. Goulston helps you find the will and shows you the way. A traumatic event can turn your world upside down, but there is a path out of PTSD. This reassuring guide presents the latest on effective treatments that help you combat fear, stop stress in its tracks, and bring joy back into your life. You'll learn how to: Identify PTSD symptoms and get a diagnosis Understand PTSD and the nature of trauma Develop a PTSD treatment plan Choose the ideal therapist for you Decide whether cognitive behavior therapy is right for you Weight the pros and cons of PTSD medications Cope with flashbacks, nightmares, and disruptive thoughts Maximize your healing Manage your recovery, both during and after treatment Help a partner, child or other loved one triumph over PTSD Know when you're getting better Get your life back on track
Whether you're a trauma survivor with PTSD or the caregiver of a PTSD sufferer, "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies, " gives you the tools you need to win the battle against this disabling condition.
Whether you're a trauma survivor with PTSD or the caregiver of a PTSD sufferer, "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies, " gives you the tools you need to win the battle against this disabling condition.
384 pages, Paperback
Published March 27, 2012
31 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Mark Goulston
32 books174 followersMARK GOULSTON, M.D., is a business psychiatrist and consultant, author of the bestselling Just Listen, and subject of the PBS special “Just Listen with Dr. Goulston.” He writes a Tribune syndicated career column; blogs for Fast Company, Business Insider, Huffington Post, and Psychology Today; and is featured frequently in major media including The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Newsweek, CNN, NPR, and Fox News.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 22, 2020
This is a really informative book and it breaks down the information really well. I think it would have been good to have a chapter on handling a relapse though, as that's quite common and tackling PTSD the second, or even fifteenth, time round is different to the first.
August 25, 2014
I think the format of the "For Dummies" books are both very informative and simple. Even though textbook terms are used, things are dumbed down to a point that you don't have to look up every other word. Yet, it's not so dumbed down that it is just summarizing stuff and not actually being helpful.
This specific book was on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. It gave a basic outline of the disorder, as well as treatment plans, self help, helping loved ones suffering, and many other main ideas. I found that it was very informative about the disorder and a lot of the information was reliable.
There are two complaints that I have about this book. Firstly, when it describes about dealing with a loved one with PTSD, it only has a few relations to the loved one, including: partner, parent, or distant relative. I think from the child of the one dealing with the disorder would have been effective. It was touched on briefly, but I think it deserved more time. The second complaint is somewhat general and at the same time my fault. I read this book from cover to cover, and it says not to at the beginning of the text. Because I read it this way, I found that it was often repetitive in information. Obviously, if you are reading only certain parts, it is okay, but reading cover to cover, it can be very annoying.
All in all, I think this book has helped me learn more about the disorder and it treatment and has been a very good resource.
I would recommend it to anyone who thinks that they may be suffering from PTSD, anyone who knows someone who has PTSD, or anyone who is generally interested in the disorder itself.
This specific book was on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. It gave a basic outline of the disorder, as well as treatment plans, self help, helping loved ones suffering, and many other main ideas. I found that it was very informative about the disorder and a lot of the information was reliable.
There are two complaints that I have about this book. Firstly, when it describes about dealing with a loved one with PTSD, it only has a few relations to the loved one, including: partner, parent, or distant relative. I think from the child of the one dealing with the disorder would have been effective. It was touched on briefly, but I think it deserved more time. The second complaint is somewhat general and at the same time my fault. I read this book from cover to cover, and it says not to at the beginning of the text. Because I read it this way, I found that it was often repetitive in information. Obviously, if you are reading only certain parts, it is okay, but reading cover to cover, it can be very annoying.
All in all, I think this book has helped me learn more about the disorder and it treatment and has been a very good resource.
I would recommend it to anyone who thinks that they may be suffering from PTSD, anyone who knows someone who has PTSD, or anyone who is generally interested in the disorder itself.
April 19, 2011
This is a great primer for those who are dealing with PTSD or who know someone who is. While it is written by someone who does not have PTSD (which, for any anxiety disorder, greatly reduces any sense of authority on the subject), Goulston is experienced in the therapeutic field, and offers some good strategies for understanding the condition, how to think about help, how to find help, and how to evaluate the help received.
Goulston does suggest alternative therapies (holistic therapies), but kind of on a "buyer beware" basis, which means to me that he does not have much personal experience with these therapies. This is not such a bad thing, as he points to many helpful techniques that are not prescribed by a doctor. But this reflects the major purpose and limitation of this book. It is simply a primer, not a PTSD bible. It's a great starting point, but I would never recommend for someone to use this book as an exclusive guide. Goulston does, to some extent, acknowledge this situation in that he says "not every treatment is going to be right for everyone." However, let us please remember that this was written by a psychiatrist/clinical therapist . . . and so, that bias should be acknowledged and kept in mind for the duration of reading this primer.
Goulston does suggest alternative therapies (holistic therapies), but kind of on a "buyer beware" basis, which means to me that he does not have much personal experience with these therapies. This is not such a bad thing, as he points to many helpful techniques that are not prescribed by a doctor. But this reflects the major purpose and limitation of this book. It is simply a primer, not a PTSD bible. It's a great starting point, but I would never recommend for someone to use this book as an exclusive guide. Goulston does, to some extent, acknowledge this situation in that he says "not every treatment is going to be right for everyone." However, let us please remember that this was written by a psychiatrist/clinical therapist . . . and so, that bias should be acknowledged and kept in mind for the duration of reading this primer.
June 14, 2014
I browsed through this book earlier this evening. I read some parts as I'm doing quite well with my personal healing but am mostly looking for information on repairing damaged relationships and how to explain the effects of PTSD to friends, family, etc. I found this book to be quite helpful in that it breaks down complicated concepts, symptoms, biological effects of trauma, and makes them very easy to understand and digest. There's a lot of information about PTSD out there and sometimes it can be really overwhelming to know where to start. This is a pretty good start for survivors, support people, and family of survivors.
January 21, 2013
This is a good introduction for anyone either living with PTSD or caring for someone with PTSD. The author touches on the basic causes, indicators, therapy options, and tips for coping. He gives lots of information for further assistance, and he gives hope. There IS a way out of the PTSD maze for those willing and able to make that move.
March 24, 2013
After having read more PTSD texts than most, I figured this book would be laughable by comparison. It most definitely is not. It offers laymen's language for what can be a difficult subject to comprehend. I recommend this book for anyone trying to find ways to speak about PTSD to others - or even simply to understand it more basically for one's self.
March 27, 2014
This was a re-read because my ptsd symptoms were acting up. A very informative book, well presented - I like the way things are laid out in the For Dummies books. They make information easy to access, and it's very simple to locate a particular part that you need to again.
February 21, 2018
This was an informative read, but not quite as much as I thought it would be. I had a hard time staying focused on the material the closer I got to the end. There were some good points, but I felt as though the author could have delved more into the causes and effects of PTSD.
January 11, 2015
Pretty good beginner book for those who have PTSD. Give some great resources.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews