Cortisol Augmentation of a Psychological Treatment in Warfighters With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Exclusion Criteria

• •Lifetime history of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder.
• •Moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• •A medical or mental health problem other than PTSD that requires immediate clinical attention.
• •Substance abuse or dependence within the last 3 months.
• •Suicidal risk (as determined by response of 5 or 6 on the suicidality items of the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)) and/or assessed suicide risk on the basis of clinical judgment.
• •Persons on a psychotropic medication regimen that has not been consistent for one month.
• •Presence of diabetes mellitus or any current unstable medical illness or condition that represents a contraindication to taking glucocorticoids (this will be determined by history and/or abnormal laboratory findings at medical clearance).
• •Unwillingness to discontinue other specialized psychotherapy for PTSD during the 10 weeks of study treatment and the 6 week follow-up. (Self-help (non-trauma focused) groups or supportive counseling can be continued but not initiated.)
• •Pregnant women or those planning to become pregnant within the study period will not be enrolled. Female participants must agree to use an effective method of birth control (i.e., oral contraceptive, Norplant, diaphragm, condom, or spermicide, abstinence) during the course of the study to ensure they do not become pregnant during the course of the study.