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Healing from Trauma: Effective Solutions for Adults with PTSD
At Smile Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, we offer comprehensive treatment plans for depression that can include therapy and medication. We promise to stand beside you as we light a path toward a brighter future together.
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Solutions For Adults
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that can severely damage your relationships, sense of self, and satisfaction with your life. After experiencing a traumatic event, you may feel stuck–unable to move on and crippled by constant hypervigilance, avoidance of anything that could remind you of the event, and harmful habits that give you temporary relief but damage your relationships and your life.
We want to help you heal. Right now, your trauma is controlling your decisions, your relationships, and–most importantly–your happiness. But it doesn’t have to. At Smile Psychiatry, we offer a variety of treatment services to help you process what you’ve been through in small, manageable steps and give you the tools to restore relationships, regulate your stress response, and feel at peace again. Contact Smile Psychiatry today to schedule an appointment and start healing.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition in which a person experiences prolonged and exaggerated stress in response to a traumatic event or series of events. While everyone will likely experience trauma at some point in their life, not everyone develops PTSD. PTSD occurs when an event is severely traumatic or when trauma isn’t processed and treated. Some common causes of PTSD include car accidents, the loss of a loved one, natural disasters, military service, domestic violence, and childhood abuse.
If you are suffering from PTSD, you may feel stuck in the past, stuck in your head, or stuck in fight-or-flight. You may find yourself avoiding things, people, and even words that could remind you of the event, dreaming about it at night, and drowning yourself in distractions to numb the pain and calm your mind, if only for a moment. You don’t have to keep fighting it–you can heal. At Smile Psychiatry, we’re here to help you face your past at your pace, and develop the skills and coping mechanisms to find peace again.
What are the different types of PTSD?
Uncomplicated PTSD
Uncomplicated PTSD is the most commonly diagnosed form of PTSD and is associated with one traumatic event. This type of PTSD may manifest as nightmares, flashbacks to the event, irritability, and trouble with relationships. Uncomplicated PTSD is notable for its high responsiveness to treatment.
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) occurs when a person is exposed to repeated traumatic events over a long period of time. This type of PTSD is commonly associated with childhood abuse, domestic violence, and military service. Because C-PTSD may distort a person’s sense of self and emotional regulation, it can be harder to diagnose and often takes longer to treat.
Comorbid PTSD
Comorbid PTSD refers to cases in which individuals with PTSD experience at least one co-occurring condition, such as anxiety, panic disorder, or depression. Symptoms of comorbid PTSD include those of uncomplicated PTSD as well as those of any comorbid conditions.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD symptoms manifest as intrusive, avoidant, cognitive, and reactive.
Intrusive symptoms:
- Involuntary memories
- Nightmares
- Vivid flashbacks
Avoidant symptoms:
- Avoidance of people, places, or things that remind them of the event
- Avoidance of remembering, thinking, or talking about the event
Cognitive symptoms:
- Distorted view of self or others
- Feelings of guilt, shame, fear, and detachment
- Lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities
Reactive symptoms:
- Angry outbursts
- Reckless or self-destructive behavior
- Hyper-vigilance and paranoia
How do you know if you have PTSD?
Most people experience trauma at some point in their lives, but not everyone develops PTSD. If you witnessed a traumatic event and find yourself avoiding anything that could remind you of it, dreaming about it, or having emotional outbursts, you may benefit from a formal PTSD diagnosis and treatment. You can work toward this diagnosis by asking your doctor for a referral to a psychiatrist for an evaluation. Your psychiatrist will look for patterns of intrusive, avoidant, cognitive, and reactive symptoms, provide a diagnosis (if applicable), and work with you to create a treatment plan.
How does therapy help with PTSD?
Because of its effects on self-image and emotional regulation, PTSD can seriously hinder relationships, motivation, productivity, and overall happiness. PTSD is also commonly associated with substance abuse disorders, anxiety, and depression–mental health conditions that may keep you in a state of constant fear or hopelessness. Therapy is a place of healing–a place where you can process your trauma at a pace that works for you, while also learning the skills to manage symptoms, improve relationships, and feel a little more hopeful every day.
How does medication help with PTSD?
PTSD is associated with an exaggerated stress response and reduced feelings of happiness and motivation–which means that medication can be a powerful tool in treating it. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers interact with imbalanced chemicals and hyperactive neurons to restore balance, improve your mood, and reduce your symptoms. If PTSD has left you feeling hopeless, detached, or constantly on edge, medication can help you regulate your emotions, get out of fight-or-flight, and find peace again.
Looking for help with PTSD? Make an appointment today.
PTSD can be debilitating. You may feel trapped in the past, controlled by fear or avoidance or complete detachment. Maybe you’ve been suppressing these feelings for so long you don’t feel like yourself anymore, and you don’t know if you ever will. Your trauma may be something you will always carry, but PTSD doesn’t have to be. You can heal.
Through therapy, medication, and compassion for yourself, you can face your past and find peace in your future. We can help you develop healthy coping mechanisms to process the unexpected waves of emotion you may face on a daily basis, and we can provide the compassionate and personalized care you need to progress and see lasting change. Because of our unique, holistic treatment plans, you can heal in the way that works best for you–whether that be through therapy, medication, or both–and know that your voice will be heard. Contact Smile Psychiatry today to schedule an appointment and find peace.
See What Our Patients Have To Say...
Bruno was awesome! Good advice on proper treatment. He also connected with me over my faith (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), which is important to me when meeting with mental health professionals.
-Harrison
Bruno Silvia is amazing! He answered any question[s] and concern[s] I had.:)
-Aspen S.
Dr Barrett is so caring an professional, I was in bad shape going into see him and I found him to be compassionate and understanding. I would recommend him to anyone seeking help.
-Ben S
