Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, is a type of anxiety disorder. Its onset typically follows an intense trauma experience. A few common causes of PTSD are major accidents or injuries, abuse or violence, prolonged exposure to high stress levels, and combat experience.
PTSD disrupts normal functioning in a variety of ways. It is known to result in negative mood, insomnia, flashbacks, and low self-esteem. Post-traumatic stress disorder therapy can deliver short- and long-term improvement through psychotherapy and medications. Find out more about AssuraSource’s behavioral health therapy programs by calling 972.233.1010 or filling out our online form.
PTSD Therapy Goals and Therapeutic Techniques
- PTSD therapy programs are built around three goals for patients which are to reduce symptoms, improve self-esteem, and teach coping mechanisms and skills to enable long-term management. Most of the methods used in post traumatic stress disorder therapy are behavioral in nature. Some of the most common PTSD therapies are:Â Â
- Exposure therapy
- Eye movement and desensitization therapy
- Stress inoculation training
- Â Cognitive processing therapy
Most often delivered over twelve weeks, cognitive processing therapy is a form of talk therapy deliberately focused on the traumatic event that caused PTSD. Patients spend time discussing the trauma with a therapist and are often prompted to journal about what happened to them and how it affected them. Often, underlying self-beliefs continue to drive a person’s relationship to PTSD. Therapy unearths negative or self-defeating beliefs and works to alter them.
Three Therapies Used in PTSD Therapy Programs
Three other primary interventions used in PTSD therapy are exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and stress inoculation training. Exposure therapy works much like it sounds. Over time, a person is exposed to a more and more tangible reminder of their trauma. They are also equipped with stress reduction techniques and asked to reflect and analyze their response during exposure sessions. Eventually, repeated exposure should decrease the intensity of their response to past trauma.
Next, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a technique that involves guided eye movements and repetitive sounds while a person is asked to recall their trauma. This allows the brain to fully process past trauma. And finally, stress inoculation training is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that targets modifying a person’s response to stress and triggers. Stress inoculation training helps people recognize and stop a rising cycle of negative emotions and stress. This could look like learning breathing techniques, meditating, or certain types of exercise.
How PTSD Therapy Programs Use Medications
Extreme stress and trauma sometimes cause the brain to get stuck. It essentially becomes overwhelmed and is unable to process what happened. Therapy is one way to support the brain in overcoming these hurdles. Many times, PTSD therapy programs also use medication to bolster treatment. Medications target a proper balancing of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. These can reduce anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares related to trauma. PTSD therapy in Dallas, Texas, often prescribes things like Prozac, Zoloft, or Effexor as a means of reducing symptoms.
Medications alone are unlikely to fully address the needs of someone with PTSD. Instead, their role is primarily to reduce the worst symptoms and make it easier for someone to engage in ongoing therapy to fully address their mental and emotional needs.
Discover Excellent PTSD Therapy in Dallas, Texas
AssuraSource offers a premier PTSD therapy program that patients can access in-home or through telehealth visits. People with anxiety and trauma may find attending therapy intimidating. Moreover, we understand that not everyone has the same ability to access a medical facility that may or may not be conveniently located for them. In-home and telehealth care mean our clients can tackle stressful topics from the comfort of their own homes. Learn more about PTSD therapy options by reaching out online or at 972.233.1010.