Study: New treatment method helps reduce suicide risk among military and veterans

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among U.S. military veterans. It's also linked with a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

A study led by researchers with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine found that crisis response planning (CRP) can help. This brief intervention quickly reduced suicidal thoughts among patients receiving daily therapy for two weeks for PTSD. This type of therapy is called "cognitive processing therapy," or CPT.

"This study shows that crisis response planning can rapidly reduce suicide risk. It is the first study to prove this technique works when used during massed therapy for PTSD," said principal investigator Craig J. Bryan, PsyD. He is a clinical psychologist, professor, and director of the Division of Recovery and Resilience at Ohio State's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health.