Treatment of traumatic war neurosis with phenelzine.

Traumatic war neurosis may become a chronic, debilitating condition that resists treatment interventions. Five patients with traumatic war neurosis had favorable therapeutic responses to phenelzine sulfate. These patients did not respond to multiple previous therapeutic trials with antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, and psychotherapy with or without medication. With phenelzine, the patients felt calmer and stopped having nightmares and flashbacks of traumatic war material. Startle reactions and aggressive, violent outbursts also ceased.