PTSD | How Can Therapy Help?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be brought on by experiencing any type of traumatic event. This can range from a violent event, a natural catastrophe, a threat to safety physically or emotionally etc. These traumas can occur once or happen frequently over a long period of time. It only takes one experience to cause symptoms of PTSD. PTSD can leave you feeling scared, alone, distraught, restless, guilty, or even disconnected. These symptoms can be incapacitating; they are intense, overwhelming, and distressing. While PTSD is powerful, you are not powerless. Help is available and recovery is possible.

PTSD: The Fear That Persists

Trauma is an emotional reaction to a terrible experience like a tragic accident, an assault, abuse, natural catastrophe, or other type of violence. You may bind your body going on the defensive, running away or freezing in the face of this trauma —the “fight or flight” response. For some they will return to their usual state or “baseline” once the danger is gone. This is certainly not the case for many. If you develop PTSD, the fear response will persist, even when the danger is no longer present. PTSD symptoms can make moving forward after a traumatic experience extremely challenging.

PTSD develops after a traumatic event. It was once associated primarily with soldiers. Through more research and understanding it is widely held that PTSD can affect anyone. Symptoms of PTSD can arise for anyone who has experienced, witnessed, learned of a close friend or relative experiencing or been exposed to aversive details of a trauma.

A hallmark of PTSD is excessive fear and re-experiencing of events. These symptoms are often connected to feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and extreme danger.

PTSD does not only affect adults: children and teens can also experience these incapacitating symptoms, though they may manifest differently for children. It is common for PTSD in children and adolescents to delay their development or cause disruptive behaviors at home or school.

Symptoms of PTSD

The symptoms of PTSD may appear immediately after the event, or weeks, months, even years later. Typically, symptoms of PTSD will include re-experiencing of the event(s) either through intrusive memories, flashbacks or nightmares. This re-experiencing or exposure to things that remind you of the trauma will result in panic and extreme fear. It is common to attempt to avoid thinking about, talking about or having feelings related to your trauma.

Symptoms of PTSD often impact mood and emotions. You may experience sad moods, decreased interest in things you used to enjoy, feel isolated, experience guilt and blame, feel negatively about yourself and even experience problems with memory. It is common to feel on edge, irritable, startle easily, struggle with concentration and have sleep disturbance. This may affect your functioning, making it difficult to work or perform everyday tasks and chores. Relationships with those close to you may also suffer as PTSD can create feelings of numbness and difficult connecting with others.

While these are common symptoms of PTSD, they are not the same for everyone. You could also become more prone to certain types of medical issues. Studies reveal that PTSD is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disorders.

How Can Therapy Help with PTSD?

PTSD symptoms can feel debilitating and can worsen without intervention. The prognosis for PTSD is good with therapy and continuing support. Therapy can change the outcome of PTSD. You may not have control over what happened to you, but you do have control over what you do with it. Since the signs and symptoms of PTSD can be delayed, it is best to promptly seek the help of a trained professional when you first begin to notice these symptoms.

Your past cannot be changed, but your future can be. Trauma and PTSD can disrupt your life plans. PTSD is a serious condition, but with help from a therapist contracted independently with Carolina Counseling Services — Cameron, NC, recovery is possible. Call today to schedule your first appointment.

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