PTSD

There are several myths surrounding trauma and PTSD. Trauma is more common than society leads us to believe.  Anyone can experience emotional or psychological trauma.  No one can define whether you’ve had a traumatic event.  Trauma is defined by whether you’ve experienced emotional or psychological stress after an extraordinary event. 

MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS

  • Only military veterans or those severely abused as children have trauma

  • You can only have trauma after a life-threatening event (like combat veterans or assault)

  • If you’ve experienced a traumatic event, you must have PTSD (conversely, not having a diagnosis of PTSD does not mean you have not experienced trauma)

  • I’m married/have a job/have great friends and family…I must be “healed” from my trauma

  • If I have experienced trauma, I’ll suffer for the rest of my life
    If I were just strong enough, I could “get over” my trauma (or maybe wouldn’t have been traumatized in the first place)

  • All trauma is bad

  • If I don’t experience the effects of trauma right away, I probably won’t ever

TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES CAN BE…

Trauma occurs when there is an event that a person experiences that has an effect or impact in some way on their ability to thrive in their day-to-day lives.  These events can be, but are not limited to:

  • Threats to life or safety

  • Life-changing injury, illness, or medical treatment

  • Loss of a significant relationship

  • Childhood experiences like abuse, neglect, bullying, separation from caregivers, instability

  • Natural disasters

  • Combat experience

  • Terrorist attacks

  • Assault

  • Witnessing assault or abuse of others

WHAT TRAUMA LOOKS LIKE

The effects of traumatic experiences look different for each person. Again, only your own emotional or psychological experience determines whether an event has been traumatizing. 

Seeking treatment for your traumatic experience can greatly improve your quality of life and the relationships you form.  The effects of trauma can impact a person’s physical, emotional, and/or psychological well-being both immediately after the traumatic event and potentially longer term. 

If you’ve experienced trauma, you may or may not also experience PTSD.Only about a third of people who experience trauma will develop or become diagnosed with PTSD.Not having PTSD does not mean you have not been traumatized.

EFFECTS OF TRAUMA

It’s normal to need time to recover when something bad happens.  It may take a while to feel safe again and to no longer feel the pain.  But how do you know if you need help?

If it’s been months between the traumatic event but you still experience any of the following, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional.  We are here to help you {schedule appointment}

  • Difficulty functioning day-to-day at home or work

  • Ongoing fear, anxiety, depression

  • Unable to connect with others in satisfying relationships

  • Avoiding things or places that remind you of the trauma

  • Using drugs or alcohol to feel better*

*If you are in active addiction, please seek appropriate recovery treatment.  Our practice does not provide drug and alcohol treatment.

WHAT ABOUT PTSD?

Only a qualified mental health practitioner can diagnose someone with PTSD.  If you think you may be experiencing PTSD after a traumatic event, it’s important to seek out treatment.  PTSD often presents across three categories:

Hyperarousal (anger, mood swings, racing heartbeat, edginess, irritability, sleep issues, difficulty concentrating)

Intrusions (anxiety, fear, nightmares, flashbacks)

Avoidance (withdrawing from relationships, disconnecting, feeling numb, self-blame, shame, hopelessness, denial)

HOW WE CAN HELP

We provide talk therapy and EMDR in working with patients dealing with the effects of trauma.

Talk therapy can provide coping skills to address the ways in which the effects of trauma develop in your life.  Our therapists can provide tools to help ground yourself, train your breathing, or relax when you are experiencing trauma-related stress.  Sometimes talk therapy can simply help you to better understand and normalize your experiences so that you can rid yourself of shame, blame, and self-doubt.  Your therapist will work with you to determine the course of your talk therapy sessions.

Our therapists are also trained and certified as EMDR practitioners through the industry-leading EMDR International Association.  EMDR, sometimes referred to it by its full name, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, is based in science and is one of only a handful of treatments with evidence of proven effectiveness in treating PTSD.  

 Make an appointment today for a consultation to see if your needs may be met by one of our therapists.

*If you are in active addiction, please seek appropriate recovery treatment.  Our practice does not provide drug and alcohol treatment.