What is Post-Traumatic Stress?
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs as a reaction to traumatic events. It may arise soon after the event or it could surface years after the event took place. Although not everyone develops this conditions following a trauma, they may experience some responses to the stressful event that aren’t categorized as PTSD diagnostically.
Experiencing aftereffects after a seriously stressful event is natural, and although this condition is most commonly associated with people in the military service, it’s possible for anyone who has been exposed to scary, shocking, dangerous, or upsetting situations to develop it. PTSD can be treated using various methods and techniques which means that anyone suffering from it can overcome it.
Situations that can lead to the development of PTSD in individuals include:
- All kinds of transportation accidents
- Traumatic military combat experiences
- Domestic violence, Verbal abuse or Altercations
- Sexual assault or abuse
- Major life experiences like divorce, breakups, or job loss
- Second-hand traumatic experiences such as witnessing an attack or hearing about the death of someone you care about
What is Trauma Therapy?
Trauma therapy is the specific approach to therapy that is based on the understanding of how a traumatic experience affects a person’s mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and behavioral well-being. Trauma therapy is based on understanding the link between the traumatic experience and the individual’s emotional and behavioral responses.
The main purpose of this type of therapy is to provide techniques and skills to assist the person under treatment to better cope with and process the memories and emotions that are tied to the traumatic experience.
Symptoms of PTSD
Re-living Symptoms – When someone suffers from post-traumatic stress, they sometimes re-live the experience with physiological signs such as flashbacks, nightmares, scary thoughts, as well as faster heartbeat and profuse sweating.
Avoidance Symptoms- Instead of exhibiting reliving symptoms, other people show experience avoidance symptoms like trying to escape the anything that reminds them of the traumatic event including places, people, situations, objects, and even ignoring or repressing emotions and thoughts related to that event.
Reactivity Symptoms – Some people suffering from PTSD find that they always have that tense feeling of being on edge, or they startle easily. Others symptoms include finding it hard to fall asleep, and angry or emotional outburst.
Who Can Benefit From Trauma Therapy?
Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event in their lives could benefit from trauma therapy. This treatment could help them learn more about what they are experiencing, and ultimately how to develop healthier ways of addressing the emotions they are feeling. Some of the benefits of trauma-focused therapy include:
- Re-establishing safety
- Identifying the triggers
- Developing healthy skills for coping
- Decreasing the traumatic stress symptoms
- Practicing trauma processing or integration
Trauma Therapy Treatment Activities
Some of the techniques and strategies used during trauma therapy include activities to address memories, emotions, or behaviors associated with the traumatic experience. These are conducted in a personalized way that is unique to the person seeking treatment and are usually used together with relaxation skills as part of the therapy process.
PTSD Therapy Counseling Near Me
Looking for a PTSD therapist? Browse our directory by typing in your city and state in the search bar. Make sure to review the therapist profile to make sure that they specialize in PTSD.
If they do, in fact, specialize in PTSD counseling, visit their website or call them to schedule an appointment.