Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following a frightening, shocking, or highly stressful event. At the Texas Behavioral Health, a team of psychiatric health and wellness experts diagnoses and treats PTSD to help you feel in control of your life again.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that typically develops after a traumatic, dangerous, scary, or extremely stressful event or situation. Although it’s sometimes thought of as a condition that mainly affects war veterans, PTSD can actually affect anyone at any time in their life.
Some common triggers for PTSD include sexual assault, accidents, physical violence, combat, natural disasters, death of a loved one, and witnessing terrorist acts.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD causes both mental and physical symptoms. Some common symptoms include:
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks that make you feel like you’re reliving the event
- Fear of certain people, places, or things that trigger memories of the trauma
- Deliberate avoidance of anything that may trigger your memories
- Feeling on-edge frequently
- Insomnia
- Irrational anger or angry outbursts
- Lack of interest in things you once enjoyed
- Overwhelming feelings of guilt
- Dark and negative thought patterns
Your doctor at Texas Behavioral Health may diagnose PTSD if you have multiple symptoms lasting one month or more.
How is PTSD treated?
PTSD treatment includes psychotherapy, medication, and long-term support to help you adjust to a healthy and happy life. Individual psychotherapy helps you talk about the trauma so you can learn better coping mechanisms. Your doctor teaches you anger-management tools, relaxation skills, and other ways to take control of the pain and anxiety to emerge stronger than before.
The Texas Behavioral Health team also offers family therapy to help your loved ones understand what you’re going through so they can help you as you move through treatment.
Many people who suffer from PTSD find medication helpful for symptom management. Antidepressants help with persistent sadness, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness. Your doctor may also prescribe other medications to treat specific symptoms like insomnia.
Lifestyle changes help with PTSD symptoms, too. Your Texas Behavioral Health doctor might recommend changes in your sleep schedule, a different diet, more exercise, and other changes to increase your comfort and happiness.
PTSD is frightening, but you don’t have to face it alone any longer. The compassionate Texas Behavioral Health team is ready to help, so click the online scheduler or call the office closest to you today.