Veterans with PTSD find relief by ditching 'Safety Crutches' in new therapy
NCT ID NCT04515784
First seen Nov 01, 2025 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 29 times
Summary
This study tested a 10-week group therapy called START-PTSD for 45 veterans with PTSD who had declined standard trauma-focused treatments. The therapy helps veterans identify and gradually reduce 'safety aids'—behaviors like avoiding certain places or using mental distractions—that can keep PTSD symptoms going. Researchers measured changes in PTSD symptoms, safety aid use, and treatment satisfaction to see if this approach is acceptable and helpful.
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Safety Aid Reduction Treatment (START-PTSD) - a behavioral therapy that helps veterans identify and reduce safety behaviors (like avoidance) that maintain PTSD symptoms.
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could offer an alternative treatment option for veterans with PTSD who are unwilling or unable to undergo traditional trauma-focused therapy.
What could go wrong
This was a small, early-stage study with only 45 participants, so results may not apply to all veterans. The treatment is behavioral and may not work for everyone, especially those with severe co-occurring conditions.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.