Intro
What is PTSD?
Can you get treatment for PTSD?
Yes
Reliving the event
Unwelcome memories about the trauma can come up at any time. They can feel very real and scary, as if the event is happening again. This is called a flashback. You may also have nightmares.
Memories of the trauma can happen because of a trigger — something that reminds you of the event. For example, seeing a news report about a disaster may trigger someone who lived through a hurricane. Or hearing a car backfire might bring back memories of gunfire for a combat Veteran.
Can a therapist really understand what I’ve been through?
Therapists can treat your PTSD whether or not they have been through trauma themselves. What’s important is that your therapist understands how you think about your experience, so they can teach you the skills you need to manage your symptoms.
Trauma-focused Psychotherapies
Trauma-focused psychotherapies are the most highly recommended treatment for PTSD. “Trauma-focused” means that the treatment focuses on the memory of the traumatic event or its meaning. In this booklet, we’ll tell you about 3 of the most effective traumafocused psychotherapies for PTSD. In each of these psychotherapies, you’ll meet with a therapist once or twice a week, for 50 to 90 minutes. You and your therapist will have specific goals and topics to cover during each session. Treatment usually lasts for 3 to 4 months. Then, if you still have symptoms, you and your therapist can talk about other ways to manage them.
What are normal things you can experience?
What is having upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months
different talk therapies and medications
Avoiding things that remind you of the event
You may try to avoid certain people or situations that remind you of the event. For example, someone who was assaulted on the bus might avoid taking public transportation. Or a combat Veteran may avoid crowded places like shopping malls because it feels dangerous to be around so many people.
You may also try to stay busy all the time so you don’t have to talk or think about the event.
Is it ever too late to get treatment for PTSD?
It’s never too late. Treatment can help even if your trauma happened years ago. And treatment for PTSD has gotten much better over the years. If you tried treatment before and you’re still having symptoms, it’s a good idea to try again.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
What happens during PE? Your therapist will ask you to talk about your trauma over and over. This will help you get more control of your thoughts and feelings about the trauma so you don’t need to be afraid of your memories.
They will also help you work up to doing the things you’ve been avoiding. For example, let’s say you avoid driving because it reminds you of an accident. At first, you might just sit in the car and practice staying calm with breathing exercises. Gradually, you’ll work towards driving without being upset by memories of your trauma
What symptoms can determine if you have PTSD?
-Last Longer than a month
Are very upsetting
Disrupt your daily life
It’s common to think that your PTSD symptoms will just go away over time. But this is very unlikely, especially if you’ve had symptoms for longer than a year. Even if you feel like you can handle your symptoms now, they may get worse over time.
Getting treatment can help keep PTSD from causing problems in your relationships, your career, or your education — so you can live the way you want to.
Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before
You may feel more negative than you did before the trauma. You might be sad or numb — and lose interest in things you used to enjoy, like spending time with friends. You may feel that the world is dangerous and you can’t trust anyone. It may be hard for you to feel or express happiness, or other positive emotions.
You might also feel guilt or shame about the traumatic event itself. For example, you may wish you had done more to keep it from happening.
What if I don’t feel ready for treatment?
It’s normal to feel like you’re not ready for treatment, or to come up with reasons why now isn’t the right time — like you can’t afford it or you’re too busy. But not wanting to talk or think about the trauma can actually be a symptom of PTSD.
You may never feel truly ready to get help for PTSD — but if you’re having symptoms, it’s better to get treatment now than to wait. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you can start to feel better.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
What happens during CPT? You’ll talk with your therapist and fill out worksheets about the negative thoughts and beliefs that are upsetting you. Then your therapist will help you challenge those thoughts and think about your trauma in a way that’s less upsetting
What causes PTSD?
Any event that threatens your life or someone else's can cause PTSD.
Combat and other military experiences; Sexual Assault, Learning about the violent or accidental death or injury of a loved one, child sexual or physical abuse, serious accidents, like a car wreck, natural disasters, terrorist attacks.
Feeling on edge
It’s common to feel jittery or “keyed up” — like it’s hard to relax. This is called hyperarousal. You might have trouble sleeping or concentrating, or feel like you’re always on the lookout for danger. You may suddenly get angry and irritable — and if someone surprises you, you might startle easily.
You may also act in unhealthy ways, like smoking, abusing drugs and alcohol, or driving aggressively.
Medication
Medications can treat PTSD symptoms alone or with therapy — but only therapy treats the underlying cause of your symptoms. If you treat your PTSD symptoms only with medication, you’ll need to keep taking it for it to keep working
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Your therapist will ask you to choose a memory from the trauma and identify the negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings in your body that go with it.
You’ll think about this memory while you pay attention to a sound (like a beeping tone) or a movement (like your therapist’s finger moving back and forth). Once the memory becomes less upsetting, you’ll work on adding a positive thought.
For some people symptoms may disappear for others symptoms reduce significantly with treatment
What other problems do people with PTSD have?
depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, or thinking about harming themselves or others. It’s also common to have problems at work, in relationships, or with your physical health.
Sometimes, these problems happen because of your PTSD symptoms. For example, feeling numb and avoiding places can make it hard to have good relationships with your friends and family.
Getting treatment for PTSD can help with these other problems, too.
How can I know if I have PTSD?
Take the PTSD screening tool
What about benzodiazepines?
Some doctors may prescribe a type of anxiety medication called benzodiazepines (or benzos) — but benzodiazepines aren’t a good treatment for PTSD. They can be addictive, cause other mental health problems, and make PTSD therapy less effective.
Do Support groups treat PTSD?
In a support group, you talk about your day-to-day problems with other people who have had similar experiences. They can be a good addition to PTSD treatment, or something you can do after you’ve gotten treatment — but they won’t treat your PTSD.