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What are the Most Effective Treatment Options for PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects millions of Americans, casymptoms that can quickly take a toll on everyday activities, relationships, and a person’s overall quality of life. The good news is that PTSD is very treatable as long as you work closely with a care provider skilled in managing PTSD and its symptoms.
At Conduit Behavioral Health, Temika Heyward, PhD, FNP, CRNP, PMH, and her team offer patient-centered PTSD treatment aimed at helping patients in Baltimore, Maryland, manage their symptoms successfully. In this post, learn the basics about PTSD and the treatment options that can help.
Quick facts about PTSD
PTSD is a mental health condition that occurs after direct or indirect exposure to a traumatic or extremely frightening event. While most of us experience some degree of anxiety or fear after such an exposure, people with PTSD have lingering fear and anxiety responses that can last for months or even years.
PTSD is diagnosed using criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Criteria include exposure to a traumatic event, followed by symptoms including:
- Recurrent flashbacks or nightmares
- Intrusive thoughts or memories
- Avoidance of anything that reminds you of the trauma
- Negative beliefs spawned by the event
- Loss of interest in activities
- Intense anxiety, fear, or guilt
- Mood changes
- Problems concentrating
- Self-destructive behavior
- Sense of detachment
Symptoms must have been present for a month or more and serious enough to interfere with daily activities, like work, school, relationships, or social activities.
PTSD symptoms may develop immediately, or they may not become apparent for weeks, months, or years after the initial triggering event. While many people develop PTSD after direct exposure to trauma, you can develop the condition after indirect exposure, too, like hearing about a traumatic event on the news or from someone else.
Treating PTSD: Knowing your options
PTSD is a complex disorder, and many people benefit from a combination of therapies tailored and adjusted to their evolving needs. At our practice, PTSD therapy focuses on psychotherapy, medications, supportive therapies, self-care, education, and family and social support.
Psychotherapy
Sometimes called talk therapy, psychotherapy uses a variety of techniques to help you “work through” your PTSD responses and understand why you’re being triggered. Therapy focuses on helping you learn powerful coping strategies while “unlearning” negative thought patterns driving your symptoms.
Medications
Medications can play an important role in helping people with PTSD manage their symptoms, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. Our team works closely with you to manage your dosing for optimal results.
Supportive therapies
Individual therapy is important for managing PTSD, and taking part in group therapy and support groups can help, as well. Sharing experiences with people experiencing similar symptoms and situations can be empowering and play an important role in banishing feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation while developing empathy and self-confidence.
Self-care
Self-care involves:
- Focusing on healthy eating behaviors.
- Being more physically active.
- Practicing stress-management techniques, like meditation.
These activities provide a foundation for a healthy lifestyle that supports your therapy and sets the stage for a happy, stable, successful life.
Education
Our team knows that understanding PTSD is important for making healthy choices and playing a proactive role in therapy. We provide the resources you need to stay informed about your condition while offering a platform for inquiry and understanding.
Family and social support
Having a strong support network among your family and friends is important at every stage of treatment and for maintaining positive results over time, too. Through family and social support, we help you and your loved ones identify resources that can help answer questions, quell concerns, and build confidence throughout your recovery journey.
Invest in yourself
PTSD treatment involves a customized plan of therapies tailored to each person’s unique and individual needs to support long-term recovery. To learn more about our treatment options and how we can design a plan that works for you, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Conduit Behavioral Health today.