Therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and counselors have long recognized the profound impact trauma has on people’s lives.
Treatment approaches that focus on decreasing PTSD symptoms or on drugs to obliterate feelings fail to address the core of trauma’s impact.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is any distressing event that can have a profound impact on a person’s ability to cope and function. These can include anything from the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one to surviving a natural disaster or war. Trauma can be both acute (single traumatic experience) or chronic (long-term trauma).
Symptoms of trauma can range from immediate reactions such as exhaustion, confusion, and fear to delayed responses like sleep disorders, nightmares, and avoidance of emotions, sensations, or activities that remind one of the trauma. Survivors may also develop learned helplessness, such as feeling they can’t trust others or anticipate that their lives are too fragile to function normally.
Trauma can lead to PTSD or other mental health conditions, such as depression, mood, and anxiety disorders, or it can exacerbate symptoms of preexisting conditions like substance use disorder and personality disorders. Often, the impact of trauma is underestimated. A therapist can help you process the challenging consequences of living through a distressing or difficult event.
What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
PTSD develops after you experience or learn about an event that’s scary and causes serious emotional distress. It can also cause trouble relating to others, problems at work or school, and physical health issues like memory problems or depression.
Symptoms include re-experiencing type symptoms such as flashbacks or bad dreams; avoidance symptoms such as staying away from people, places, or thoughts that remind you of the trauma; and negative mood and cognitions including difficulty remembering details about the event, distorted thoughts about yourself and others and feelings of guilt and anger. People with PTSD can also be easily startled or become jumpy and have a hard time sleeping.
Counseling for trauma Westminster helps many people with PTSD, especially forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, and some medications can also help. Talking to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, is the best way to get diagnosed and treated. If you know someone who has PTSD, offer support and encouragement.
What is PTSD Treatment?
If someone has untreated PTSD, the symptoms can interfere with daily life. They may include difficulty sleeping, a persistently negative mood, avoidance of people, places, and thoughts, heightened arousal, which can manifest as problems relating to others, anger or outbursts, and being easily startled.
There are many ways to treat PTSD. Some treatments are short-term psychotherapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In CBT, you learn to identify and reframe negative thinking patterns and gain control over fears. Other treatment options for PTSD include prolonged exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and hypnotherapy.
Medications are sometimes used in conjunction with these therapies. Examples of these medications are paroxetine and sertraline, which are both in a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Psychiatric medication is not meant to replace therapy, and people who are experiencing PTSD should never attempt to self-medicate. This can prevent progress in treatment and lead to more serious underlying mental health issues.
What is Trauma Counseling?
Trauma counseling can help you overcome the effects of a traumatic experience. This can include anything from a car accident, natural disasters, sexual assault, or physical abuse. Nearly everyone will witness or experience some trauma in their lifetime.
A trauma-informed therapist will know the common reactions to trauma and how to treat them effectively. They can also help you learn relaxation and self-care techniques to ease the physiological arousal that comes with trauma symptoms.
Trauma therapy is a form of psychotherapy (talk therapy) that can help people manage the negative effects of a traumatic event or experience. There are several evidence-based treatments for trauma, including cognitive processing beh, behavioral therapies, and prolonged exposure therapy. Prolonged exposure involves gradually confronting a person’s fearful memories, thoughts, and emotions to help them realize they are no longer dangerous or life-threatening. EMDR is another form of trauma therapy that can help people process their traumatic experiences.
We are not doctors and this is in no way intended to be used as medical advice and we cannot be held responsible for your results. As with any product, service or supplement, use at your own risk. Always do your own research before using.
We are not doctors and this is in no way intended to be used as medical advice and we cannot be held responsible for your results. As with any product, service or supplement, use at your own risk. Always do your own research before using.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.