PTSD and Secondary Symptomatology

I am currently treating an adult female client who has been diagnosed with PTSD. While the therapy, I believe, is progressing well, there is an issue with which I would appreciate input.

The client has periodically engaged in compulsive lying and fraudulent activities. To date these have not been such that legal intervention have been required although they have caused a great deal of distress to all people involved. The periods of this behavior coincided, not surprisingly, with an increase in her re-experiencing symptoms and/or retraumatizing experiences.

I have searched the literature which I have access to and am unable to locate any work which has been done in this area. I would appreciate suggestions or references which you could pass along to me which may be of assistance in this case.

I can be contacted either on this forum or by e-mail at CanMFT@POBoxes.com

Thanks

• Re: PTSD & 2ndary Sxs by Barbara Fleming, Ph.D., 11/19/97
• Reply -- PTSD and Secondary Response by David C. Brown, 10/22/98