PTSD Treatment

Post-traumatic stress disorder, typically abbreviated as PTSD, is a serious mental health disorder that affects the lives of many Americans every year. An estimated six percent of our entire population has PTSD, which adds up to roughly fifteen million people. And while many people associate this condition with veterans, it can be caused by any kind of trauma. In fact, PTSD is twice as common in women as it is in men. No matter what led to a person’s PTSD, the symptoms of this condition often have a very negative impact on their well-being. Luckily, effective therapies and different types of PTSD treatment are available at Mind Body Wellness.

What is PTSD?

PTSD is a condition that can result after a person has been through serious trauma. The trauma can be physical, mental, or emotional, and can be very different from person to person. PTSD was first recognized during World War I when many soldiers suffered from similar mental health issues. It was first called “shell shock” or “combat fatigue,” but over the years evolved into the current diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Signs and Symptoms of PTSD

One of the things that makes PTSD a unique condition is that it doesn’t have just one set of symptoms. Instead, it’s marked by a range of symptoms that can change depending on the situation, and sometimes from day-to-day experiences. Many people live years with the effects of undiagnosed PTSD without realizing what is causing their symptoms. There are four different categories of symptoms for this disorder:

Having Intrusive or Unwanted Thoughts

Most commonly, this involves flashbacks that make you relive a traumatic event. In addition to this, it can also include having nightmares, night terrors, or unwanted thoughts that won’t go away. All of these things can make it difficult for someone with PTSD to get a good night’s sleep. It also affects the ability to concentrate on everyday tasks.

Avoiding Reminders Of Your Trauma

Often, people with PTSD avoid anything that reminds them of a traumatic event, whether it be a place, situation, activity, or even certain people. This can also include pretending that the event never happened or refusing to talk about it.

Having Major Changes in Your Moods or Thoughts

PTSD also includes having major shifts in your mood suddenly and without warning. It also causes the feeling as though you aren’t worthy of love or that others cannot be trusted. Many people also harbor feelings of shame or guilt about their trauma, which can lead them to suffer from depression.

Having Inappropriate Outbursts

Having difficulty controlling your behavior, such as having inappropriate angry outbursts, is also a category of PTSD symptoms. This can also include self-destructive behavior like binge drinking, substance abuse, or participating in risky activities.

When Should I Seek Treatment for PTSD?

Many people live with the effects of this condition instead of seeking PTSD treatment. However, it’s important that you seek help for this condition so you can get the treatment you need. If you have frequent upsetting thoughts or feelings, problems controlling your temper, issues sleeping, or are using avoidance behaviors to prevent triggering your symptoms, you need to enlist the help of a PTSD treatment center as soon as possible.

How is PTSD Treated?

With advancements in modern medicine in recent decades, coupled with the increased understanding of this disorder and how it affects people, there are many different treatment options that you can take advantage of. There are a few different medications that many people find to help with their PTSD symptoms. These include anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants. Often these help to manage the worst of your symptoms so that you can live a normal life.

The most important component of PTSD treatment is talk therapy. While many people have spent years avoiding talking about their trauma, it is in fact the key to finding healing from this disorder. In therapy, you will learn how to cope with your triggers when they are unavoidable, and can even work to replace some negative thoughts and emotions with positive ones. Over time, the work you do with a therapist will help to lessen the symptoms of your PTSD, for many people to the point where they have little or no symptoms at all.

Start Treatment for PTSD Today

You don’t continue to let PTSD continue to impact your happiness, your health, and your relationships. Thanks to PTSD treatment, you can find real and lasting relief from your symptoms. At Mind Body Wellness, our mental health experts are here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today, or visit our admissions page to schedule your initial consultation, and from there we can work with you to design the most effective treatment plan possible. Let us help you to regain your sense of normalcy and get on the path to mental wellness today.