Trauma doesn't always lead to PTSD but PTSD always comes from unresolved trauma.
Does this sound familiar?
Isolating yourself
Trouble sleeping
Flashbacks
Numbing with alcohol or drugs
Emotional outbursts or complete shutdowns
Risky behaviors (fighting, speeding, reckless actions, or sleeping around)
Self-harm or thoughts of suicide
Avoiding anything that reminds you of the event
Constantly feeling on edge
It’s time to get off the hamster wheel!
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a traumatic event like combat, assault, or a disaster. It’s normal to have stress reactions afterward, but when they persist or disrupt your life, it’s time to consider PTSD assessment.
Let’s be real: the way you’ve been coping isn’t working. Ignoring it, avoiding it, or numbing it only keeps the cycle going. That shit gets old. It’s time to face it and break free.
PTSD avoidance coping at its best!
PTSD Treatment Options
Four interventions are recommended, all of which are variations of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The category of CBT encompasses various types and elements of treatment used by cognitive behavioral therapists, while Cognitive Processing Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure are all more specialized treatments that focus on particular aspects of CBT interventions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; targets current problems and symptoms; and focuses on changing patterns of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that lead to difficulties in functioning.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Cognitive processing therapy is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps people learn how to modify and challenge unhelpful beliefs related to trauma.
Cognitive Therapy (CT)
Derived from cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy entails modifying the pessimistic evaluations and memories of trauma, with the goal of interrupting the disturbing behavioral and/or thought patterns that have been interfering with the person’s daily life.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Prolonged exposure is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that teaches individuals to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations. By facing what has been avoided, a person presumably learns that the trauma-related memories and cues are not dangerous and do not need to be avoided.
I am trained in all of these and can assess to see which would be appropriate for you and from there, we can decide on a plan.
“You've got to make peace with the past if you... if you want hope for the future.”
- Buddy - F9