Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment – How does it work?

 First of all, what is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

After a traumatic event, our brains sometimes change. This can cause symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Most people will experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for up to 4 weeks after a traumatic event. However, some may experience symptoms for longer. This is when medical/psychiatric intervention is required to help relieve symptoms. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatments

What counts as a ‘traumatic’ event?

A traumatic event could be anything – the most obvious being on a battlefield. However, it could also be losing a parent from a young age, caring for someone when they’re extremely ill until death, being in a car crash, losing somebody to suicide, or abuse at any age. There are many potential causes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is why Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment should be tailored to individuals.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment to continue to improve, there has to be an understanding of the symptoms. Symptoms of PTSD include emotional dysregulation, mood swings, trembling, palpitations, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance behaviours, dissociation and more. These symptoms can be extremely difficult to live with for the sufferer, but also for those close to the person suffering.

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment?

Post traumatic stress disorder treatment comes in a few forms. When diagnosed with PTSD symptoms, it is likely talking therapies may be offered. One example would be cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This can be helpful to those who might avoid certain situations because of the trauma that they experienced. It can help them to change their way of thinking in those situations and rationalise them more easily. For some, CBT might not be enough. EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) can be another option for sufferers of PTSD. Although this is a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment that is still being explored, it has proven to be very effective so far. It has been extensively researched, and what makes it different to other more conventional therapies is that the main focus of it is to help heal the brain. This is because trauma actually alters the brain.

How does EMDR work?

After a traumatic experience, the brain starts a recovery process. The hippocampus, which deals with memory and learning, communicates with the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala (these deal with behaviour and stress signals). Sometimes the recovery process takes longer, especially if a person is still distressed by the event that occurred. EMDR helps this recovery process to continue so that it can eventually be resolved. Although I’m referring to EMDR as a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment, it can also be used for phobias, eating disorders, sleep disturbance, depression, and many other mental health problems.

How long does EMDR take?

Most people need fewer EMDR sessions for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment than other forms of psychotherapy.  This means it can be quite a popular choice.

What about medication for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment?

Sometimes, medication is prescribed as a form of treatment. Usually the medicine would be a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor – this is a modern anti-depressant, also known as an SSRI. These are known to have fewer side effects than older anti-depressants.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – What Causes It?

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was referred to as, ‘combat fatigue’, after World War One, and, ‘shell-shock’, after World War Two. However, post-traumatic stress disorder is not something only suffered by soldiers. PTSD can happen to anyone who experiences something traumatic in their life. Most people will experience some of the symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic experience, however, usually, the symptoms will reduce after 4-6 weeks on their own. If the symptoms continue after this point, further treatment is required. PTSD is treatable.

What can be classed as trauma?

There are loads of different types of trauma. The most obvious kind would be disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, railway or plane crashes. However, bullying can also be considered a traumatic event, along with the death of a parent, medical trauma, and sexual abuse. The sudden death of a loved one can cause PTSD. Trauma can change the way that the brain responds to situations in future.

Symptoms of PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder can cause the physical symptoms of anxiety (for example, sweating, shakiness, clamminess, palpitations), as well as irritability, mood swings, flash-backs, nightmares, difficulty sleeping, being hyper-vigilant (tense and jumpy, ready to escape). Somebody with PTSD may attempt to avoid their feelings altogether, which can lead to avoiding anything that may trigger even the slightest memory of their trauma. 

What is the treatment?

Someone with PTSD may be referred to counselling or other forms of psychotherapy. Usually, medications aren’t prescribed unless the PTSD is very severe. Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing is also a form of treatment that seems to have a good effect on those suffering from PTSD. According to the Center for Anxiety Disorders (https://centerforanxietydisorders.com/ptsdsudden-death-loved-one/),“...a study funded by the Kaiser Permanente HMO found that 100% of single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims were no longer diagnosed with PTSD after just six 50-minute sessions.”  

What is EMDR?

EMDR is a form of therapy. The therapist will make side to side movements (usually hand tapping, or lights). Then they will ask the patient to recall the traumatic event. Usually, there will be at least 6 sessions of this. It is thought to help the brain process the traumatic event properly. 

Conclusion

PTSD can happen to anybody, after any event that a person finds traumatic, whether it be war, abuse, a bereavement, or bullying. If you have symptoms of PTSD, then it is worth going to your GP to see if you can be referred for some kind of therapy.