Summarization of events written by the Veteran X Team.
The National Center for PTSD is the world’s largest and is the leading researcher and education center for excellence in Post-traumatic stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health problem that some Veterans will develop after seeing or witnessing a life-threatening event, It is 100% normal to have disturbing memories, nervous feels, or even lack of sleep after such events. If symptoms last for more than a few months, it could be Post-traumatic stress disorder. The best news is that there are more than enough effective treatments to help with PTSD.
PTSD Treatment Basics
PTSD is currently being treated. With treatment, trauma survivors can feel safe and comfortable, leading happy and proactive lives again. Treatments for post-traumatic stress include different types of psychotherapy and speaking with someone near you (talk therapy) or medications.
Recommended treatments:
- treatments with the most research and support are Trauma-focused psychotherapy and is the most recommended type of treatment for PTSD. “Trauma Focused” means the treatments are focuses on the memory of the traumatic event. These treatments utilize numerous techniques to help the Veteran get through their traumatic experiences. Involving visualizing, talking, or thinking about the traumatic memory.
Focus on changing your beliefs about the trauma and leading a positive future.
What trauma-focused psychotherapies have the strongest evidence?
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
is known for teaching you how to gain control. When facing your negative feelings, talking about your trauma with a provider, or friend and doing some of the things you have avoided since the trauma.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Teaches you to disregard and avoid negative thoughts of the trauma. It involves talking with your provider about your negative thoughts and doing short writing assignments, or another task to work through the issues.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Helping your process and make sense of the trauma. Involving calling the trauma to mind, and paying close attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound (like a watch moving side to side, or a tone/sound).
Sourced from: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
Information vetted by the Veteran X Team.
