How to Identify and Heal Your Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Jan 07, 2021
Has
there ever been a moment in your life where you experienced an event
that promoted feelings of fear, unbearable sadness, or intense guilt?
Did you continue to feel
those same emotions when you thought of that moment a week later? Six
months later? Years later? An experience that promotes such reactions
often results in post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). This is a disorder that is typically characterized by three main symptoms:
- Flashbacks. When flashbacks occur, an individual is brought back to the very moment that caused them distress. These flashbacks can happen at any time of day or night, and they can even present themselves as nightmares.
- Avoidance. An individual who suffers from PTSD will often do what they can to avoid any situation, any person, any thought, or any activity that may prompt a memory of the traumatic event that took place.
- Increased emotional instability. The trauma that an individual experiences, if not dealt with properly, is shown through the way they respond to emotional triggers. Those who suffer from PTSD are easily angered, have trouble concentrating, and often feel on edge or extreme tension.
To come to terms with the trauma an individual has endured, therapy has proven to be beneficial in that healing process. Specifically, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that allows patients to name their trauma, accept the emotions that come with it, and then they are able to begin to reshape their thoughts about the trauma. The first step to healing is to recognize the trauma and embrace it. CBT helps patients to cope with the emotions that come with recognizing their own trauma. Once a patient can feel those emotions, CBT then allows patients suffering from PTSD the opportunity to sit with their trauma, to view it for what it is, so they can begin healing that trauma.
If you find yourself living in your traumatic past, or if you are interested in learning more about PTSD and how CBT could benefit you, please contact us anytime.