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PTSD

It’s normal to feel anxious or vulnerable after a traumatic event, but if you’re experiencing flashbacks and uncontrollable thoughts for more than a few months, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition that can develop after you experience or witness a traumatizing event. While most people associate PTSD with military personnel, many individuals are triggered by violent attacks, childhood abuse, sexual abuse, witnessing the death of a loved one, and more.

Most people have trouble coping after a traumatic event, but time, self-care, and therapy can help them adjust and find a new sense of normal. If you’re still experiencing nightmares, suicidal thoughts, or flashbacks several months after the event, then you may have PTSD.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

 

If you experience one or more of the following PTSD symptoms for longer than a few months, call KMG Psychiatry to speak with a board-certified psychiatrist:

  • Flashbacks or reliving the event
  • Intrusive thoughts and memories
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Avoiding places that remind you of the event
  • Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Difficulty feeling positive
  • Memory loss
  • General hopelessness
  • Insomnia
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Angry outbursts
  • Guilt or shame

PTSD symptoms typically begin within a month or two after the event, but can also develop years after. Over time, untreated PTSD can affect your ability to perform well at work and form meaningful relationships.

 

How is PTSD diagnosed?

 

A PTSD diagnosis requires witnessing or experiencing an event that involves a threat of death, extreme violence, or serious injury. This means you must:

  • Experience a traumatic, life-changing event
  • Witness death or extreme violence
  • Learn a close loved one was involved in a violent event
  • Be involved in the event, such as being a first responder or victim

Joline Brotzman, PMHNP-BC, may recommend a full physical exam to rule out any other conditions before he performs a comprehensive psychological evaluation. This information, along with your medical and family history, can help determine the right diagnosis for you.

 

How is PTSD treated?

Psychotherapy

 

Also called talk therapy, psychotherapy aims to help you cope with and manage PTSD. Regular therapy can help you work through fear and anxiety related to the traumatic event so you can lead a productive, fulfilling life. The most common type of therapy used to treat PTSD is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which changes unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors into positive ones.

 

Another common type of therapy is prolonged exposure therapy, which involves having the patient relive the traumatic event or exposing them to anxiety-inducing situations in a safe, controlled environment. Over time, this can help you feel more comfortable about situations that make you uncomfortable or frightened.

 

Medication

 

Providers typically prescribe antidepressants to treat PTSD, but certain blood pressure medications can also reduce PTSD symptoms like nightmares and flashbacks.

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