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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder triggered by a traumatic event. The event could be anything from being in a car accident, being held hostage, seeing another person suffer a violent death, and more. If you have experienced a traumatic event, it’s normal to feel afraid, confused, disoriented, or angry. These feelings are called “normal stress responses” and they tend to go away after some time. When these feelings don’t go away but get worse instead and become disruptive and disabling for at least one month afterwards – that’s when you can say that you have PTSD. Such conditions are extremely difficult to deal with on your own. If you feel like you cannot control your reactions or manage the triggers anymore, it might be time to seek professional help.
What Does PTSD Feel Like?
People who have PTSD usually suffer from three types of symptoms:
– Intrusive memories – These are disturbing flashbacks that make you feel like you are reliving the trauma all over again. They can happen at any time and disrupt your ability to go on with your life.
– Hyperarousal – This is a state of high alertness that makes you feel like you need to be ready to defend yourself or flee from danger at any time. Such feelings are commonly accompanied by anxiety, irritability, insomnia, and restlessness.
– Avoidance – This means that you try to avoid anything that reminds you of the trauma. For example, if you were in a car accident, you might avoid driving or going near cars at all.
Why Seek Help for PTSD?
PTSD affects everyone differently, but it is a very common condition and chances are that you know someone with it. The good news is that there are lots of different treatments available, and most of them are very effective. So don’t hesitate – just reach out and ask for help! You may be reluctant to seek help because you’re worried that you’re not “trauma-worthy”, that is, that you don’t deserve the treatment. But there’s no list of qualifications to get help. Everyone is entitled to therapy because PTSD impacts people in different ways. It can be caused by many factors, like depression, anxiety, or a traumatic event that occurred in your past.
EMDR Therapy
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy that doesn’t require you to talk about the traumatic experience. Instead, you focus on your feelings and thoughts about the trauma and then you follow the therapist’s hand or a small object with your eyes. If you think about it, this is a very natural way for humans to cope with stressful situations. When someone is in danger, the body goes into a certain mode to either fight or run from the situation. The eye movement interrupts the highly focused state you’re in while remembering a stressful event and brings you back to the present. As a result, the memories are not as easily triggered as they used to be.
Ketamine for PTSD
Ketamine is a commonly used anesthetic in medical facilities because of its rapid action and short duration of effect. Ketamine has also been found to be very effective in treating PTSD. Ketamine can be injected, applied as a cream, or even sprinkled on a lozenge. It is taken just once a week, in a controlled environment where you can relax. Side effects can include feeling a little drowsy or groggy, feeling numb in the mouth, or feeling like you want to be sick.
Individual Therapy for PTSD
Individual therapy is a form of psychotherapy where you meet with a trained therapist on a regular basis to discuss your thoughts and feelings regarding the traumatic experience. During such sessions, you can process the event, unload your emotions, and receive support and guidance from the therapist. You can also learn how to recognize and deal with the triggers and warning signs of anxiety attacks, as well as how to deal with them in a healthy manner. In this way, you can learn to prevent PTSD from affecting your daily life.
Group Therapy for PTSD
Group therapy makes you feel more comfortable when you’re opening up to people and sharing your fears and insecurities. It can be a very powerful experience. In a group setting, you have the opportunity to talk about your feelings with people who have undergone a similar experience and are going through the same things as you. This can help you feel less alone and experience a sense of connection with others.
Hypnotherapy for PTSD
Hypnotherapy is another technique for PTSD treatment that’s becoming increasingly popular. It is a form of therapy in which you are placed in a relaxed state and encouraged to visualize the traumatic event happening over and over again until you’re able to cope with it. It is recommended that you seek professional help from a qualified hypnotherapist when considering this treatment.
Conclusion
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder triggered by a traumatic event. It can be caused by many factors like depression, anxiety, or a traumatic event that occurred in your past. There are many treatments available for PTSD, and most of them are very effective. You may be reluctant to seek help because you don’t think you’re “trauma-worthy” enough for treatment. But there’s no list of qualifications to get help. Everyone is entitled to therapy because PTSD impacts people in different ways.
