PTSD Therapy: What is it, and how will it help me?

Sep 07, 2017

PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a condition in which someone who has previously experienced or witnessed a traumatic event suffers from persisting mental and emotional stress. PTSD is a mental health problem that can manifest itself within anyone -- it is important to remember this. By any means, PTSD is not a sign of weakness; in fact, it takes tremendous amounts of courage to battle the condition.

Victims of the condition often suffer from these three types of symptoms:

Re-experiencing the traumatic event. This type of symptom is often presented through intense memories and nightmares.
Feeling afraid of recalling the event. PTSD victims often attempt to avoid situations in which they believe may cause flashbacks to the traumatic event.
Increased arousal. This includes, but is not limited to, having trouble sleeping, concentrating, and controlling oneself from not feeling irritated or agitated.

For PTSD sufferers, there is hope for treatment. Those who struggle with the condition find the best road to recovery is often through psychotherapy.

These are three commonly used methods of psychotherapy for PTSD sufferers:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective therapy there is for those who struggle with PTSD. Its aim is to change the patterns of thinking and behaving by making the patient aware of their negative interpretations and distorted thinking.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): in this method of psychotherapy, the therapist helps the patient learn skills to understand how the traumatic event changed their thoughts and feelings.
Prolonged Exposure (PE): this method of therapy involves the patient repeatedly sharing their trauma with the therapist until the memories of the event have become stabilized and are no longer distressing.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious mental health condition. To recover, it is often crucial to receive help from a professional.

For those seeking PTSD therapy in the Fresno area, whether it be for you or a loved one; click here to get help.

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