After a traumatic event, you might experience some troubling thoughts and frightening symptoms, which can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You might find it difficult to adjust and cope after a traumatic event, but your mental health usually improves with time. PTSD can last for months or years without proper treatment, affecting your day-to-day life. Effective treatment from a PTSD New York therapist for frightening or troubling thoughts can be critical in alleviating PTSD symptoms and improving your mental function. Learn more about PTSD and the best available treatment options.
What Is PTSD?
PTSD is a severe mental health condition that occurs after a traumatic experience. It is characterized by fear, nightmares, severe anxiety and other negative uncontrollable emotions and thoughts. You can begin to show PTSD symptoms a month or years after a traumatic situation. When these symptoms disrupt your day-to-day life, it would be best to see a mental specialist or therapist.
What Kind of Situations Can Lead to PTSD?
Many kinds of trauma or situations can lead to PTSD. However, the effects of a specific trauma might differ for each person, so no PTSD cases are alike. A few situations that might lead to PTSD include the death of a loved one, sexual assault, childhood physical and sexual abuse, war and terrorist acts. You can also develop PTSD from sustaining serious or life-threatening injuries or being involved in an accident.
What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?
As mentioned earlier, PTSD symptoms might appear months or years after a traumatic experience and can vary from person to person. They are categorized into four main groups, as highlighted below.
- Intrusive memories: This group of PTSD symptoms is characterized by upsetting nightmares or dreams and recurrent distressing memories about a past traumatic event you experienced.
- Avoidance: Avoidance symptoms may include shunning away from events or people that might remind you about the traumatic experience. Also, you may completely avoid talking or thinking about it.
- Changes in physical and emotional reactions: These are also known as arousal symptoms and might lead to lack of sleep, being easily startled, poor concentration and aggressive behaviors.
- Negative changes in thinking and mood: This group of symptoms involves having negative thoughts about yourself, the world and the people around you. They also lead to memory problems and feelings of hopelessness about the future.
How Does PTSD Get Treated?
Most people with PTSD need psychiatric treatment to recover from emotional and mental distress. However, some may get better on their own or through the help of family members or friends. The earlier you acquire effective treatment for PTSD, the better your chances of recovery. The most effective treatments for PTSD include psychotherapy and medication.
The most common psychotherapy treatment for PTSD includes cognitive behavioral therapy, which involves enabling a PTSD patient to cope with the traumatic experience safely. It also allows you to cope with the negative emotions and beliefs you might have developed due to trauma.
Various medications, such as antidepressant drugs, can help you control the symptoms of PTSD and respond well to psychotherapy treatment.
If you or a loved one is struggling with PTSD symptoms, contact Ketaesthetic, a mental health clinic that offers various effective treatments for various cognitive issues. Through a team of mental health specialists, you can fully recover from any PTSD-related symptoms and return to your normal daily activities. Call or schedule an appointment to learn about your best treatment options.
