What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Trauma is identified by somebody experiencing a distressing occasion and having a difficult time moving past it. It affects you continuously, to the point you cannot function normally. It can cause changes in the brain, sleep disturbances as well as other various mental health symptoms that might result after having an upsetting event in one’s life. The individual suffering from this type of condition has their health effected in an extreme way; regrettably, several may commit suicide due to the stress of the event. Nonetheless, PTSD and addiction treatment is available, and has been shown to reduce signs and symptoms to assist the person in conquering the disorder.
Signs and symptoms of PTSD
- Continuous distressing memories of the event that re-occur and are unwanted
- Psychological distress or responses to something that reminds you of the occasion
- Dreams or headaches that are upsetting
- Experiencing the occasion repetitively
- Avoiding places or areas that remind you of the event
- Adverse ideas about yourself or your future
- Despondence as well as unfavorable thoughts
- Feeling numb or emotionless
- No passion in activities that you used to like
- Removed from friends or other members of the family
- Stunned or discouraged easily
- Problem focusing
- Trouble with resting
- Embarrassment or guilty sensations
Treatment for PTSD
While prescription medicines have been shown to be beneficial in people struggling with PTSD, this alone cannot cure the signs associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Various other forms of PTSD treatment and addiction treatment will be needed to alleviate the feelings as well as emotions that surround somebody’s PTSD and the traumatic event that took place.
Many medical professionals and psychologists suggest a combination of therapy as well as prescription medications to help the person gain back control of their life. There are a variety of resources readily available for an individual. This will help them to understand that they are not alone. With that being said, it is additionally important to bear in mind that relief from PTSD typically takes some time. There is no overnight solution for this disorder, as well as some who may never totally remove the signs and symptoms from PTSD. Therapy will help reduce these symptoms as well as enable the individual to get their life back.
A lot of treatments will be defined under “cognitive behavioral therapy” techniques. The various types of treatment will depend on the situation that the person experienced and also what their signs and symptoms are.
Kinds of PTSD and Addiction Treatment
Long Term Exposure Treatment
Long term exposure treatment helps a person slowly overcome the sensations as well as feelings that are related to a traumatic event. Commonly, therapy is offered over a time period, usually a couple of months with once a week therapy sessions.
“Therapists begin with an overview of treatment and understanding the patient’s past experiences. Therapists continue with psychoeducation and then will generally teach a breathing technique to manage anxiety.”
After an evaluation is done, generally the person will begin to have anxiety due to discussing the traumatic event, enabling the therapist to establish the best methods to deal with the feelings, stress and anxieties happening.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
CPT is a sort of therapy that is used to assist an individual in finding out how to understand as well as handle the obstacles that are connected to their unresolved event. It is commonly conducted over 12 treatment sessions with a qualified therapist and allows the person to create a new understanding and awareness around their stressful event to minimize the symptoms that the person experiences.
“The patient becomes more aware of the relationship between thoughts and emotions and begins to identify “automatic thoughts” that may be maintaining the PTSD symptoms.”
Eye Motion Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
A sort of psychotherapy therapy that is used to reduce the adverse signs and symptoms associated with a traumatic event. Performed to ‘re-train’ your mind to and allow new beliefs to be reformed.
“After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated, and physiological arousal is reduced. During EMDR therapy the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. “
Medications for PTSD
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) have been shown to help in reducing the unfavorable signs and symptoms of PTSD by allowing the chemicals in someone’s brain to be changed.
“These medications can help symptoms of depression and anxiety. They can also help improve sleep problems and concentration.”
Due to the possibility of misuse, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are just to be used for a short amount of time to deal with depression as well as anxiousness.
Stress Inoculation Training
SIT training acts the same as a vaccine acts to deal with an illness, by exposing the body to it as well as allowing the body to find out how to react and handle it. During treatment sessions, the individual will be exposed to triggers or other signs and allow the therapist to prepare them in how to deal with these tough situations.
“By exposing you to milder forms of stress, your confidence is boosted so that you can respond quickly and effectively when trauma-related cues occur.”
Success of These Treatments
All of these treatments of PTSD have been known to be successful in dealing with the symptoms of PTSD in people, yet some might do better than others. It all depends upon the individual situation and the seriousness of the signs they are experiencing.
For some individuals, they might not like to be proactively exposed to the scenarios and feelings they have surrounding their trauma and reliving the details of what happened to them. If this holds true, SIT could be much better suitable for their treatment. For others, CPT as well as direct exposure therapy may be the very best choice for their circumstance.
Getting assistance right now for PTSD is vital to an individual’s success in getting help. If you or someone you know is experiencing PTSD, ask for help immediately. The best therapy is available for you or your loved one.