Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is both fairly well known, as well as fairly common. Roughly one in eleven individuals will experience it within their lifetimes, and women are twice as likely as men. Put another way, about 15 million adults in the U.S. have PTSD during a given year. PTSD amongst combat veterans is incredibly high.

Yet knowing that many suffer under the crushing weight of this condition does not lessen the burden of coping. It is a hard road to walk and is often very isolating. The image of the wounded animal slinking off to nurse its wounds in solitude often comes to mind while considering the maladies that plague us. Yet that solution does very little to move one toward growth and healing.

Signs of PTSD

PTSD is a disorder that occurs after experiencing great trauma. It is important to keep in mind that all of us perceive and experience the world differently. What may have been highly traumatic for one person might not be for another, and vice versa. Our experiences are subjective, and the healing that is required will differ from person to person. There are common symptoms that tend to go hand in hand with PTSD. Be on the lookout for signs if you or a loved one have undergone trauma.

The good news is that there is so much room to heal and recover from PTSD. Several different treatment modalities have been shown to be effective in the treatment of this disorder.

Some people recover from their experiences within 6 months, but that is not the case for everyone. There are those whose symptoms persist much longer, and for some, the condition becomes chronic. Every journey is different. What works for one, may not be a sure bet with another. It is important to keep in mind that like the differences in how we each perceive events, so too are we diverse in what can help to heal the effects of the traumas we have undergone. Recovery in any scenario isn’t easy, but alone, it can seem entirely unmanageable – and you don’t have to do it alone.

Reach out today and find out how Denver Therapy can help.

Common Types of Treatment for PTSD

• Cognitive Processing Therapy

This is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that aims at addressing the negative thinking and self-blame symptoms that often present with PTSD.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Specifically designed to treat trauma, this therapy gets a lot of positive mentions in its effectiveness for treating PTSD. It uses measured exposure to traumatic memories with alternating stimuli (eye movements are one of several options and is where it derives its name) in structured sessions.

• Exposure Therapy

This is a type of psychotherapy that works to help people safely face what they find traumatizing so they can learn to cope effectively. One technique involves virtual reality programs that allow a person to experience the situation in which they experienced trauma to help process it.

• Group Therapy

Participating in a therapy setting with others who have had similar experiences can help build resilience when feeling alone and isolated. Group therapy helps lessen the shame and provide support, as well as reduce feelings of helplessness.

• Neurofeedback

Also called EEG biofeedback or Neurotherapy, Neurofeedback is an all-natural, non-invasive way to improve brain functionality. It uses audio and visual feedback to retrain and rebalance the brain.