Psychologists have relied on numerous methods, including psychological debriefing, to prevent the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. This disorder is classified as an anxiety disorder, and it affects individuals who have faced exposure to traumatic events, such as military combat, vehicular accidents, physical abuse or the death of a loved one. It leaves the afflicted individual with long-term phobias, recurring nightmares and emotional numbness, along with a host of other detrimental symptoms.Psychological debriefing is a tactic in critical incident stress management (CISM), which was designed with the intention of reducing the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder and other related anxiety disorders. However, studies have indicated that psychological debriefing may be less effective than originally intended.