Do you have PTSD?

The answer might be yes, even if you don't know it.

If you've ever felt on edge or off balance, like you're in a constant state of anxiety, or if you feel profoundly alone and isolated from others, that could be PTSD. Or maybe you've had nightmares about things that happened in the past— it does not always have to be something “typically” traumatic like sexual assault or experiencing war. It could be from a car crash or arduous labor and birth—and those nightmares keep returning repeatedly. Maybe you feel like no one understands what you've been through, even though it's real. Perhaps these feelings keep you from your goals—like having deeper connections in your relationships or taking your career and dreams to the next level—or from enjoying life like everyone else seems to be doing.

If any of these sound familiar, we'd encourage you to talk with someone about it ASAP. We know how heavy it can be to talk about your trauma and how scary it can feel not knowing what's happening with your body or mind. But we also know how important it is for people who have experienced trauma to come forward to get help and start healing the underlying issues that are causing them distress.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can happen to millions of people after they have been through a traumatic experience. It can be caused by military combat, rape, or other violent events. Traditional ptsd will affect nearly 7% of people in the United States (1). It includes people who have been through car accidents, domestic violence incidents, or other traumatic events that the person experienced or witnessed something horrifying happen to someone else. Yes, vicarious trauma can cause PTSD. People who have PTSD often feel like they're not safe in their bodies or the world around them. They may have trouble sleeping or concentrating and feel like they're always on guard. They can have difficulty trusting those around them and feel like the world, and other people are unsafe.

PTSD can happen to anyone who has experienced trauma. It is a mental health condition that can develop after exposure to an event that is so terrifying, life-threatening, and violent that it causes you to relive the experience repeatedly.

People with PTSD may also feel angry or irritable and avoid things that remind them of the traumatic event. Those with PTSD often feel detached from others and neglect essential relationships because they focus on their feelings or dissociate.

You may find additional information on NIMH Health Topics on PTSD.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

The symptoms of PTSD can be subtle and hard to spot, but they're still there (2):

• Flashbacks: involuntary memories that feel like they happened again;

• Re-experiencing the original traumatic event through dreams or nightmares or repetitive thoughts, images, feeling, and sensations;

• Avoiding situations or people that remind them of the event;

• Feeling detached from others and showing decreased interest in relationships;

• Feeling irritable or angry without any reason.

If you've been experiencing these symptoms, chances are you've also been diagnosed with PTSD.

Finding the right therapy

The good news is: PTSD does not have to be permanent and can be treated.

There are many types of PTSD therapy in addition to medication and psychotherapy:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a robust and evidenced-based treatment that helps reprocess trauma.

• Accelerated Experimental Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) is a relational kind of psychotherapy that focuses on the connection between the therapist and the client, so the client can gain a sense of safety and trust and utilizes a psychodynamic and mirroring kind of approach that is highly effective for healing trauma.

• Exposure Therapy (ET) is another one that sounds scary but can be super helpful in getting past our fear, which can become debilitating the more we avoid them.

• Somatic Psychotherapy can help gain reconnection and awareness of what is happening in the body and where we are holding and storing the trauma and finding safe and healthy ways to release it.

• Other modalities which have been proven to be helpful are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Stress Inoculation Training (SIT), psycho-educational groups, and mindfulness-based practices such as meditation and yoga.

How to Find the Right Therapist

Knowing what to look for can be challenging when looking for a therapist. But here are some questions to consider when looking for PTSD therapy:

1. What do you want out of your treatment? Would you like to learn how to manage your symptoms, or are you looking for ways to cope with them? Do you want to undo the trauma of what happened and find peace and insight? Maybe all three!

2. How much time and money do you have available? Therapy can be expensive. If you have insurance, sometimes there is still a copay or coinsurance. If you don't have insurance or aren't able to pay out of pocket, there are other options, such as ours at the Phoenix Rising Centers, where we take insurance and do our best to offer sliding scale and probono spots for those who need it the most. There are other free online resources or low-cost clinics as well a simple Google search could yield some results. You could also ask your Primary Care Physician (PCP) for some referrals and suggestions local to you.

3. Do you have any preferences regarding location? For example, some people prefer in-person therapy sessions over video/telehealth sessions, while others prefer video/telehealth sessions because they're more convenient.

Finding the right PTSD therapy near you can feel daunting, but Phoenix Rising Centers therapists are here to help! They will walk you through what to look for in a therapist and how to find one that's right for you.

First things first: feel free to ask questions. Your therapist should be willing to answer any questions or concerns during or before your sessions even start.

Your therapist should also be able to offer suggestions and resources if you are having trouble finding information on your own or if you need help with something outside of your scope of expertise (like finding an appropriate medication).

Finally, remember that everyone's healing process is different! You might need someone who specializes in PTSD treatment, but another client might need someone who specializes in treating depression or anxiety disorders instead. Make sure that whoever is helping you has experience working with people who have similar issues as yours.

If you're experiencing symptoms of PTSD, it's essential to talk to someone about them—

If not, do you think it's time for that? You can speak to mental health providers near you from Phoenix Rising Centers, who will provide the best therapy.

References:

1. NIMH » Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). [online] nimh.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd [Accessed 1 Jan. 1970].

2. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. [online] mayoclinic.org. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967 [Accessed 1 Jan. 1970].