PTSD news -
30/07/2009

Post-traumatic stress disorder to feature in Panorama

The director of this week's Panorama programme on post-traumatic stress disorder has written an opinion piece for the Daily Mail that previews the findings to be screened in the show.

He argues that PTSD has become an easily-learned behaviour that is diagnosed too widely, and one that is costing the UK money in no win no fee settlements. He describes the existence of websites that list the symptoms of the condition on the same page as the button to launch a compensation claim with the implication that the personal injury companies are encouraging those who may have suffered to make such a claim, and argues that "it's high time we did something about it."

A Guardian take on the same story acknowledges the potential for over-diagnosis, but the author welcomes the excellent treatment that she received for the condition.

It is understood that the programme will argue for a tighter definition of post-traumatic stress disorder for medical and compensation claim purposes.