What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or “PTSD”?
PTSD is a disorder that develops after someone goes through a serious life-threatening, dangerous or painful experience involving serious injuries or threat of harm. PTSD can stem from a variety of situations including the actual life-threatening events like being robbed at gunpoint, raped or sexually assaulted, in a war, and can also occur from witnessing painful or violent experiences of those around you or in your community. Although it is true that the bulk of individuals who experience traumatic events do not go on to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), some individuals are more inclined to develop PTSD based on a variety of factors including genetics, environmental upbringing, and past trauma.
There are a variety of combinations of symptoms that people may suffer from when they experience PTSD. The main three areas people deal with are 1) re-experiencing the trauma, 2) avoidance of trauma-related issues, and 3) physical manifestations of distress essentially. With regards to re-experiencing, people who develop PTSD involuntarily re-experience the trauma in their minds in the form of memories, thoughts, images, fantastical creations, or horrific rewinding and replaying of events. This could also include having relevant or unrelated nightmares, and flashbacks that make it seem as if the events are recurring in the present moment.
Additionally, in response to the automatic re-experiencing of the events, the individual may engage in a variety of avoidance behaviors. They may avoid thinking about the memory, feeling any feelings related to the memories, and avoid people, places, and things that remind them of the event. Individuals with PTSD may also have signs of physical distress, such as trouble sleeping, feeling irritable or angry and being quick to lash out at others, trouble concentrating, and feeling tense or on guard or keeping any eye over your shoulder.
Most people begin to experience symptoms of PTSD about one month post-trauma, while some don’t have symptoms until many years after the event. This could be random, or it could be triggered by another stressful or similar-in-nature event. If the symptoms arise within one month of the event and persist for less than 3 months, it is said to be a “single incident trauma” or acute stress disorder (ASD). However, if the symptoms persist for more than 3 months, the diagnosis of PTSD is given. Women are twice as likely to develop (or at least report) symptoms of PTSD than men, and children can also fall victim to developing PTSD.
We Effectively Treat PTSD, Complex PTSD & Other Stress-Related Disorders
At Denver Emotional Health, we focus on utilizing the most effective trauma-informed treatments that surpass traditional “talk therapies” like CBT, and which are significantly more effective than EMDR. We utilize science and research-backed methods such as Internal Family Systems Therapy, Exposure Therapies, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to treat complex trauma and other stress-related disorders. Trauma disorders also often co-occur with other anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and depression. At Denver Emotional Health, our therapists are trained to treat those who meet the criteria for PTSD or CPTSD, and those who may only suffer from several symptoms but nonetheless need professional support for their healing from traumatic or painful events. If you are in or around the Denver area and feel that you would benefit from treating your trauma, contact us today for a free consultation.
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