Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
WHAT IS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)?
As defined by the National Center for PTSD, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. During this kind of event, you may not have any control over what's happening, and you may feel very afraid. Anyone who has gone through something like this can develop PTSD.
HOW IS PTSD DEVELOPED?
PTSD is a common yet often not talked about condition that many suffer from. Oftentimes PTSD is assumed to only be Veterans suffering from the trauma of combat, but there are many other traumas outside of combat that causes PTSD. Sexual trauma, physical abuse, near death experiences are other examples. PTSD can be a daily struggle, or for some a momentary occurence that places them back to their unresolved trauma. It is closely associated with depression and anxiety, but carries with it its own unique set of difficulties, unique interventions, and constant need for “maintenance” as to not find yourself in a position of despair.
WHAT CAN PTSD LOOK LIKE?
Avoidance of places, sounds, smells, or other triggering stimuli that reminds a client of their trauma: People suffering from PTSD have different triggers for their trauma. A person that looks like their attacker, smells that was present (fuels, alcohol, cigarettes), or sounds can place a person back in the moment/s of their trauma.
Feeling disconnected from your support system and once loved activities, often blaming yourself for the events that were out of your control.
Substance abuse: The use of drugs and alcohol to avoid the impacts of PTSD is a common negative coping mechanism used by sufferers of PTSD.
POTENTIAL TREATMENTS
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
According to American Psychiatric Association, "therapists employing CBT may encourage patients to re-evaluate their thinking patterns and assumptions in order to identify unhelpful patterns (often termed “distortions”) in thoughts, such as overgeneralizing bad outcomes, negative thinking that diminishes positive thinking, and always expecting catastrophic outcomes, to more balanced and effective thinking patterns.” Clients utilize these techniques to reform and better understand the experiences and develop coping techniques in the process.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR helps you process and make sense of your trauma. It involves calling the trauma to mind while paying attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound (like a finger waving side to side, a light, or a tone).
Prolonged Exposure
Prolonging your exposure to similar situations can teach you how to gain control by facing your negative feelings. It involves talking about your trauma with a professional and doing some of the things you have avoided since the trauma when deemed appropriate by your therapist.
