PTSD Treatments

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault. PTSD is a condition relating to the emotional processing of memories and events; when the brain doesn’t properly process a traumatic event, it can lead to severe emotional distress and interfere with daily life. When a person develops PTSD, they can experience flashbacks or nightmares of the traumatic memory and may avoid places or situations that could remind them of the event.

Feeling stressed is common after experiencing trauma, and it can take weeks to process a traumatic memory. With PTSD, symptoms last for more than a month after the traumatic event. Sometimes, PTSD symptoms don’t arise immediately after the event, but can develop months or years later. Symptoms can cause severe distress and interfere with one’s ability to work or carry out usual daily tasks. Individuals who experience prolonged trauma, such as slavery, concentration camps, or chronic domestic abuse, may develop C-PTSD, or complex PTSD. This type of PTSD has a distinct impact on a person’s core identity and emotional regulation.

The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are typically grouped into four main types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in mood and thinking, and changes in emotional and physical reactions.

Intrusive memories

Individuals with PTSD can re-experience the traumatic event in their mind or emotionally. This includes:

-Flashbacks, or reliving the event as if it were happening again

-Recurrent, distressing memories of the event

-Nightmares or upsetting dreams about the event

-Intense emotional distress or physical reactions to reminders of the event

Avoidance

Individuals often show avoidance symptoms, such as:

-Avoiding talking or thinking about the event

-Avoiding situations, places, or people that could remind them of the event

-Difficulty remembering details or major parts of the event

Negative changes in mood and thinking

Symptoms affecting mood and cognition include:

-Hopelessness about the future

-Negative beliefs about the self, other people, or the world

-Memory problems

-Feeling detached from friends and family or difficulty maintaining close relationships

-Lack of interest in once enjoyed activities

-Feeling emotionally numb or difficulty experiencing positive emotions

Changes in emotional and physical reactions

Also called arousal symptoms, individuals may experience an increased emotional or physical reactivity:

-Being easily frightened or startled

-Feeling constantly on edge or on guard

-Difficulty sleeping or concentrating

-Irritability, angry outbursts, or aggressive behavior

-Self-destructive behavior

-Overwhelming shame or guilt

The intensity of PTSD symptoms can vary person-to-person and over time. Symptoms may be more frequent or intense when stressed or when reminded of the traumatic event. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, get help or contact a doctor or mental health professional immediately.

Not everyone develops PTSD after experiencing a traumatic event. There are a number of risk factors that may indicate the likelihood of developing the disorder after experiencing trauma.

The severity of the traumatic event: The more severe the event, the greater the risk of developing PTSD.

A history of mental health problems: People with a history of mental health problems may be more likely to develop PTSD after a traumatic event

A lack of social support: People with a lack of social support may be more likely to develop PTSD after a traumatic event

Family history of mental health problems: People with a family history of mental health problems may be more likely to develop PTSD

Personal factors like genetics, early childhood experiences, and coping mechanisms can also play a role in one’s susceptibility to developing the disorder.

There is no single cause for depression; individuals can experience depression for a variety of reasons. Depression can be triggered by a physical illness, life event, or occur spontaneously. Oftentimes a multitude of risk factors contribute to an individual’s depression. Some factors that can lead to depression include:

Genetics: A family history of depression can indicate an increased likelihood of developing the disorder.

Trauma: When individuals experience traumatic events early in life, it can alter how they respond to stress and fear throughout life. This can lead to developing depression at some point in life.

Changes in neural activity: Clinical studies show that individuals with depression experience reduced neural activity in certain areas of the brain. Changes in interactions with hormone stimulation, the pituitary gland, and the hypothalamus have also been noted.

Medical conditions: Some medical conditions can increase the risk of developing depression, such as sleep disturbances, chronic pain, ADHD, and anxiety. The use of certain medications can also lead to depressive symptoms.

Environmental factors/life circumstances: Life circumstances such as relationship changes, financial standing, the loss of a loved one, or location can impact whether or not a person develops depression.

Alcohol and drug misuse: Substance use disorder can significantly increase one’s likelihood of experience a depressive episode. Alcohol and other drugs can also worsen depressive symptoms.

Everyone feels down sometimes, but how do you know when to talk to a doctor? Depression often develops slowly, and you might not recognize what your symptoms are or how they’re impacting your life right away. However, if you have depression symptoms and they’re interfering with your life, call Eterne Wellness to make an appointment or to learn more about our alternative treatments for depression.