Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects people of every age and from all walks of life after they experience a threatening or frightening event. With compassionate treatment from our providers at Ease Psychiatry, you can overcome your PTSD and release the symptoms that obstruct your daily life. To start your new path, schedule an in-person or telemedicine appointment. Call the office in Duncanville, Texas, Vancouver, Washington and Dike, Iowa or use the online booking feature today.

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What is PTSD?

PTSD is a mental health condition that begins after you experience an event that threatens your safety or causes physical harm. You may also develop PTSD if you witness a traumatic event or a friend or family member had the experience.

PTSD is best known for affecting veterans. However, anyone can have PTSD after traumas such as:

  • Sexual assault
  • Physical assault
  • Emotional or physical abuse
  • Car crash
  • Airplane or train accidents
  • Earthquakes, floods, or tornadoes
  • Gun violence
  • Robberies
  • Fires

These traumatic events naturally cause distress, anxiety, and fear, but the symptoms improve before long. If your feelings don’t improve or get worse, you may have PTSD.

What symptoms occur due to PTSD?

People with PTSD experience:

Intrusion symptoms

Intrusion means you keep reexperiencing the trauma through flashbacks, nightmares, and memories that uncontrollably invade your thoughts. Reliving the event causes emotional and physical distress.

Negative thoughts and feelings

After the event, you may become depressed or anxious. Many people with PTSD feel shame, guilt, or fear that stops them from interacting with other people. You may also feel sad or isolate yourself from others.

Avoidance

PTSD makes you go out of your way to avoid the places, people, or objects that remind you of the traumatic event.

Arousal and reactivity

Arousal and reactivity refer to feeling hypervigilant or like you’re constantly on high alert as you watch for anything that may trigger a flashback. You may feel on edge or find that you easily lose your temper or get angry. Some people have difficulty concentrating or sleeping.

How is PTSD treated?

PTSD treatment is based on talk therapy. Your therapist focuses on easing your anxiety and teaching new coping mechanisms for dealing with your symptoms. Many people with PTSD need help identifying the things that trigger their flashbacks or anger outbursts and coming up with a plan to avoid their triggers.

Your therapist may also help you better manage the many aspects of your life affected by PTSD. For example, you may need help restoring your social life or overcoming feelings of shame, guilt, or fear.

Though there currently aren’t medications for PTSD, your provider may prescribe drugs for conditions and symptoms caused by the condition. Medications can often help with depression, anger, and difficulty sleeping.

If you have a hard time dealing with the aftershock of a traumatic event, call Ease Psychiatry or book an appointment online today.