The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The VAMC study found that Serzone not only alleviated depression, but also the core symptoms of PTSD-flashbacks and nightmares. The VAMC has received a research grant to confirm these initial findings. Although psychotherapy is commonly used to treat the disorder, its effectiveness is unproven. Although psychodynamic psychotherapy is commonly used to treat the disorder, its effectiveness is controversial.
Some disorders display similar or sometimes even the same symptom.