Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication
A clinically significant number of patients suffer from delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (delayed-onset PTSD), where symptoms appear at least six months after the traumatic event. This case report describes the combined use of pharmacotherapy with cognitive‒behavioral therapy (CBT) and N...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | SSM - Mental Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560325000234 |
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| author | Hussam Gharib Mohamed Bassam Hayek Ahmad Shathel Omar Dakkak Rana Khaled Salam Alchabani Aya Rajoub Mohamad Sami Mawardi Reem Hasan Obaydo |
| author_facet | Hussam Gharib Mohamed Bassam Hayek Ahmad Shathel Omar Dakkak Rana Khaled Salam Alchabani Aya Rajoub Mohamad Sami Mawardi Reem Hasan Obaydo |
| author_sort | Hussam Gharib |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A clinically significant number of patients suffer from delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (delayed-onset PTSD), where symptoms appear at least six months after the traumatic event. This case report describes the combined use of pharmacotherapy with cognitive‒behavioral therapy (CBT) and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) to treat symptoms of delayed-onset PTSD in a young Syrian girl who experienced recurring flashbacks of repeated sexual abuse that began several years prior. The death of her brother, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a subsequent earthquake in Aleppo-Syria at 2023 triggered memories of prolonged physical abuse, that were not contextually related. The patient coped with these distressing memories and unwanted thoughts through behavioral avoidance. She received treatment through psychiatric clinic sessions, and WhatsApp communication (due to confidentiality concerns), combining pharmacological therapy with psychological support. The treatment included cognitive restructuring, narrative exposure, and identifying triggers, leading to the reprocessing of trauma-related memories. Her PTSD symptoms reached a non-observable stage of PTSD, even when she was confronted with thoughts or contextual situations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0762556804ff4a7c8d35d7a254a92dcd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-5603 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SSM - Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-0762556804ff4a7c8d35d7a254a92dcd2025-08-20T03:45:08ZengElsevierSSM - Mental Health2666-56032025-06-01710041110.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100411Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communicationHussam Gharib0Mohamed Bassam Hayek1Ahmad Shathel Omar Dakkak2Rana Khaled3Salam Alchabani4Aya Rajoub5Mohamad Sami Mawardi6Reem Hasan Obaydo7Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, 22743, Idlib, Syria; Corresponding author. Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, Syria.Department of Neurology, Ibn Khaldun Hospital for Mental and Psychiatric Diseases, Aleppo, SyriaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Ibn Khaldun Hospital for Mental and Psychiatric Diseases, Aleppo, SyriaGraduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, Idlib, SyriaGraduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, Idlib, SyriaGraduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, Idlib, SyriaGraduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, Idlib, SyriaDepartment of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, 22743, Idlib, Syria; Corresponding author. Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ebla Private University, Syria.A clinically significant number of patients suffer from delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (delayed-onset PTSD), where symptoms appear at least six months after the traumatic event. This case report describes the combined use of pharmacotherapy with cognitive‒behavioral therapy (CBT) and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) to treat symptoms of delayed-onset PTSD in a young Syrian girl who experienced recurring flashbacks of repeated sexual abuse that began several years prior. The death of her brother, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a subsequent earthquake in Aleppo-Syria at 2023 triggered memories of prolonged physical abuse, that were not contextually related. The patient coped with these distressing memories and unwanted thoughts through behavioral avoidance. She received treatment through psychiatric clinic sessions, and WhatsApp communication (due to confidentiality concerns), combining pharmacological therapy with psychological support. The treatment included cognitive restructuring, narrative exposure, and identifying triggers, leading to the reprocessing of trauma-related memories. Her PTSD symptoms reached a non-observable stage of PTSD, even when she was confronted with thoughts or contextual situations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560325000234Delayed-onset PTSDcognitive‒behavioral therapyContinuous exposureSexual harassmentWhatsApp communicationCase report |
| spellingShingle | Hussam Gharib Mohamed Bassam Hayek Ahmad Shathel Omar Dakkak Rana Khaled Salam Alchabani Aya Rajoub Mohamad Sami Mawardi Reem Hasan Obaydo Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication SSM - Mental Health Delayed-onset PTSD cognitive‒behavioral therapy Continuous exposure Sexual harassment WhatsApp communication Case report |
| title | Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication |
| title_full | Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication |
| title_fullStr | Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication |
| title_short | Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication |
| title_sort | managing delayed onset post traumatic stress disorder triggered by the syrian war covid 19 and an earthquake a case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication |
| topic | Delayed-onset PTSD cognitive‒behavioral therapy Continuous exposure Sexual harassment WhatsApp communication Case report |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560325000234 |
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