4 Ways to Treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after experiencing a stressful or threatening event or situation. The condition can trigger insomnia, flashbacks, low self-esteem, negative thoughts and beliefs, intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, emotional numbing, and other symptoms. In addition, treating PTSD can help patients regain control over their emotions and environment, address and manage symptoms, and deal with other related issues that may arise.

Treatment Options for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

One of the main forms of treatment for PTSD in children and adults is therapy, which helps relieve symptoms, learn new coping mechanisms, and restore self-esteem.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This is a type of talk therapy that aims to change the way you think and behave. Trauma-focused CBT helps people develop coping skills using a variety of techniques. It usually takes place 8-12 times a week, with each session lasting about 60-90 minutes. Cognitive behavioral therapy sessions begin with the patient describing the traumatic event in detail. This process brings difficult emotions and pain to the surface, and the therapist helps gradually identify and manage them.

As the course progresses, you will learn to better control your situation and face difficult situations. In addition, any conclusions previously drawn (such as blaming or victimhood) are reviewed. Finally, the therapist motivates the patient to engage in activities that they may have avoided since the traumatic event. Cognitive behavioral therapy can include one or more techniques.

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

With CPT, participants learn how to change and challenge any unhelpful thoughts they face as a result of PTSD. Generally, this treatment lasts more than 12 weeks, with weekly sessions with a therapist lasting 60 to 90 minutes. These sessions begin with the person talking about their trauma and the impact it has had on their life. She may also be asked to write about her experiences to help process them. This path opens up a new understanding and perspective on the traumatic event, helping to reduce the negative emotions associated with it.

• Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy

With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), people often begin to avoid certain things, events, or situations that cause negative or difficult emotions. Physical therapy helps change this by teaching the patient to gradually approach memories, feelings, and situations associated with the trauma. Over time, this can help them realize that reminders and cues are not completely harmful and do not need to be avoided. The therapy typically requires 8-15 sessions with a therapist, each lasting about 90 minutes.

In the early stages of treatment, the focus is on learning breathing and calming techniques to manage anxiety and stress. As treatment progresses, the focus shifts to things you have been avoiding and learning how to deal with them. The therapist may also assign homework and require you to listen to recordings at home to manage your symptoms.

• Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)

SIT is another form of cognitive behavioral therapy that can be done individually or in a group. Here the focus is not on what happened, but how to deal with the stress caused during the event. This may include learning massage and breathing techniques to calm and relax the body and mind. Affected people usually acquire these stress management skills after three months of weekly routine training.

2. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)

The goal of NET is to develop a narrative that helps put one's trauma into context. This form of therapy is particularly helpful for people who have experienced complex or multiple traumas and extreme emotions (also known as Complex PTSD). The main focus of this type of PTSD treatment remains talking about and experiencing the events in chronological order, and correcting any negative reactions. In each exploration of the narrative, the therapist encourages the patient to understand and take control of their reactions and memories. This not only helps to process the traumatic events in an orderly manner, but also helps to understand the impact they have on one's identity. NET sessions can be done individually or in a group setting.

3. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

This is a method of treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in which the focus shifts away from talking. During these structured therapy sessions, the patient is encouraged to focus on their disturbing experience while experiencing some form of bilateral stimulation, such as: moving hands, flashing lights, or noises. Over time, this helps to reduce the vividness and emotions associated with the traumatic memory and help you cope better. Typically, the therapist will meet one or two times a week for 6 to 12 weeks.

4. Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy (BEP)

This form of treatment combines cognitive behavioral therapy with a psychodynamic approach, focusing on changing the feelings of guilt or shame that are often associated with stressful experiences. It is designed for people who are experiencing stress as a result of a single traumatic event. The treatment consists of approximately 16 sessions, each lasting 45 minutes to an hour. In addition, this PTSD remedy can be divided into several short-term phases.

• Session 1 – Psychoeducation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Sessions 2-6 – Imaginative Exposure (Talk about the event in as much detail as possible)
• Sessions 7-14 – Restructuring (Understanding how the event affected the individual and how they can learn from it)
• Sessions 15/16 – Ritual Goodbye (Developing a Relapse Prevention Plan)

Conclusion

Healing from trauma is not a linear process and can take quite some time. In addition to therapy and other PTSD treatments, it is also important to take care of yourself (nutritious diet, exercise, focus on rest and relaxation) and stay connected with others, such as: With friends, family, or even self-help groups.