Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
We offer compassionate, scientifically-proven PTSD treatment through telehealth in Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, or you can come to one of our psychiatric clinics in person.
Overview
What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental illness that some people get after going through a traumatic event or set of events that involved death, serious injury, sexual violence, or the threat of death. It is marked by reliving the trauma over and over again without choosing to, avoiding things that remind them of the trauma, having negative mood and thought changes, and being physically more alert. All of these things cause a lot of grief and make it hard to go about daily life.
PTSD is not a sign of weakness and it is not always how people react to tragedy. It is a real medical condition that has to do with how the brain and nervous system handle and store stressful events. People who have been through trauma do not always develop PTSD, and those who do are not to blame for their symptoms. The brain’s reaction to trauma is biological and automatic; it’s not something that can be chosen.
An estimated 3.5% of people in the United States deal with PTSD every year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It can happen to anyone at any age and because of any kind of trauma. With the right psychiatric and therapeutic support, it is very easy to treat.
Our experienced psychiatrists at My Psychiatry Care can evaluate and treat PTSD patients in Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania through telehealth.
Symptoms
PTSD Signs and Symptoms You Might Know
PTSD signs usually show up three months after a traumatic event, but sometimes they don’t show up until months or even years later. Symptoms must last for more than one month and make it hard to do things in social, work, or other areas of life in order to get a clinical diagnosis.
Memories that come back to bother you
A flashback is a PTSD symptom where sensory triggers cause one to involuntarily re-experience past trauma as if it's happening right now.
Severe Emotional Distress
When reminded of the traumatic event, strong mental or physical responses, such as panic, racing heart, sweating, or emotional flooding.
Stay away from people, places, and situations
Choosing to stay away from people, places, things, talks, or situations that remind them of the traumatic event, even if it makes daily life very hard.
Negative emotions that don't go away
People who have this condition often feel fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame that is hard to get rid of and can't be fully explained by other things going on in their life.
Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
Taking part in activities, hobbies, or relationships that used to be meaningful and enjoyable much less often.
Bad dreams
Trauma nightmares are recurrent, distressing dreams about a traumatic event that disrupt sleep, leaving one scared, exhausted, and overwhelmed upon waking.
Avoidance of Trauma-Related Thoughts and Feelings
Trying to hide thoughts, feelings, or memories that are connected to the trauma, often along with feeling emotionally numb or disconnected from one's own life.
Thoughts that are bad about yourself or the world
These are negative cognitive distortions, a core PTSD symptom involving persistent, distorted beliefs about oneself and the world following trauma.
Feeling separate or detached from other people
A constant lack of emotion, a break from loved ones, or the sensation of being cut off from one's own feelings and the people around them.
Extra alertness
A state of being on high alert for danger all the time, even in places that seem safe, with a strong startle response and trouble resting.
Types
Types of PTSD We Treat
PTSD shows up in different ways based on the type of trauma, when the symptoms start, and whether or not there are other conditions going on at the same time. Our psychiatrists have a lot of experience identifying and treating all kinds of mental illnesses in kids, teens, and adults.
PTSD in its early stages
Signs that have been there for less than three months after the stressful event. Early intervention during this time has a much higher chance of leading to better long-term outcomes and can keep the disease from becoming chronic.
Long-term PTSD
Signs and symptoms that last for three months or more. When treated properly, chronic PTSD is the most common type of PTSD seen in clinical settings. It responds well to evidence-based therapies and medication management.
PTSD with a tardy onset
A sign of PTSD that doesn't fully meet the standards for diagnosis until at least six months after the event. Delayed-onset PTSD can happen years after the traumatic event and can be brought on by big changes in life, more stress, or the loss of protective factors.
C-PTSD, or complex PTSD
Develops after long-term, repeated trauma, like being abused as a kid, being a victim of domestic violence, being a victim of human trafficking, or being a captive for a long time.
PTSD in children
After going through a stressful event, kids and teens can develop PTSD, though their symptoms may look different from adults'. Children may act out the traumatic event through play, go back to behaviors that were more common when they were younger, have physical problems that aren't related to a medical condition.
PTSD with other conditions at the same time
PTSD often happens along with anxiety disorders, depression, drug abuse disorders, borderline personality disorder, and conditions that cause chronic pain. Integrated psychiatric frameworks treat all conditions at the same time, which leads to more complete and long-lasting healing.
Causes & Risk Factors
Why does PTSD happen?
PTSD happens when the brain’s normal ways of dealing with trauma are overpowered by the severity, length, or meaning of a traumatic event. Biological, psychological, and environmental factors all play a role in how likely a person is to develop PTSD after being exposed to trauma.
Type of Trauma and How Bad It Was
Direct exposure to trauma, especially events involving violence against others, sexual assault, war, or being held captive for a long time, increases the risk of developing PTSD more than indirect or witnessed trauma. The level of helplessness felt during the event and how dangerous it was thought to be are important factors.
History of past trauma
People who have had traumatic experiences in the past, especially bad experiences as a child, are much more likely to develop PTSD after a new traumatic event. Over time, cumulative trauma exposure makes neurons more vulnerable.
Genetics and Brain Science
Research suggests that a genetic factor makes people more likely to develop PTSD. The amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are all controlled in different ways. These differences affect how the brain processes and stores traumatic memories and how it controls the fear reaction.
Not enough help from others
One of the best ways to tell if someone will develop PTSD is if they don’t have any supportive relationships after a traumatic event. The neurobiological effects of stress can be lessened by social support, which also speeds up the healing process.
Mental Health Conditions That Occur Together
People who already have depression, anxiety disorders, or other psychiatric conditions are more likely to develop PTSD after being exposed to stress. These things can lower the point at which the brain’s stress response system stops working right.
Occupational Risks
People who work in first responders, the military, healthcare, journalism, or other jobs where they are exposed to traumatic events on a regular basis are more likely to develop PTSD over the course of their careers.
PTSD and Peritraumatic Dissociation
It’s more likely that someone will develop PTSD after going through dissociation, mental numbing, or a feeling of not being in this world during or right after a traumatic event.
Gender
Women are about twice as likely as men to develop PTSD over the course of their lifetime. This is because women are more likely to have experienced sexual trauma and violence, and their bodies may react differently to stress.
Treatment
PTSD Treatment at My Psychiatry Care
PTSD is very easy to treat. With a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan, most people see real improvements in their bothersome symptoms, ability to control their emotions, sleep, and general quality of life. Our psychiatrists make psychiatric care plans for each patient that may include the following:
Full evaluation and diagnosis of mental health issues
A full, trauma-informed look at your past symptoms, your traumatic history, how you’re functioning now, and your personal goals. A lot of people who have PTSD have been given the wrong diagnosis or have gone years without getting help for their symptoms. A careful and caring assessment is the most important part of providing good care.
Management of Medication
Several types of medications have been shown to help ease the symptoms of PTSD. The FDA has approved SSRIs like sertraline and paroxetine for the treatment of PTSD. SNRIs, prazosin for nightmares, and mood stabilizers are some of the other medicines that may be used depending on your specific set of symptoms. Our doctors carefully prescribe and keep an eye on all medications, making changes as needed to make sure they work best for your needs and way of life.
Therapy Help Lines
Psychotherapy works best for treating PTSD and should be the first thing that people try. Many of the trauma-focused therapies we offer are evidence-based and used by qualified therapists. These include Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which helps people process and reframe trauma-related thoughts and beliefs; Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, which involves gradually and structured engagement with trauma memories and avoided situations; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which uses bilateral stimulation to help people process traumatic memories; and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), which is especially helpful for kids and teens.
Taking care of co-occurring disorders
A lot of people who have PTSD also have problems with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or their personality. Our doctors handle all of the patient’s problems at the same time because focusing on just one will make the others less effective and leave the patient open to more problems and relapse.
Follow-up and support all the time
Regular visits to check on your progress, make any necessary changes to your medications, work with your therapy team, and give you ongoing mental health support while you recover. Getting help for PTSD is a process, not a single event. Our team is with you along the whole way.
Getting Help
When to Get Professional Help for PTSD
You don’t have to wait until your symptoms are too bad to handle before getting help. You might want to talk to one of our medical providers if:
Consider reaching out if:
- You’ve been having trouble with disturbing memories, dreams, or flashbacks since a traumatic event.
- You try to stay away from people, places, or things that remind you of a traumatic event.
- You don’t care about other people’s feelings or your own. You feel emotionally numb.
- You are always on edge, get scared easily, or can’t calm down even in safe places.
- After a traumatic event, you have had a lot of trouble sleeping.
- You are using drugs or alcohol to deal with the stress of trauma.
- Symptoms of trauma are making it hard for you to work, keep relationships, or take care of yourself.
- You have been diagnosed with PTSD before, but you aren’t getting regular or good care.
- You went through tragedy as a child, and you can see how it’s still affecting your relationships and sense of self as an adult.
You can get PTSD treatment through telehealth in Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. We take most major insurance plans and treat people aged 6 and up.
Psychiatric Mental Health & Family Nurse Practitioner
Meet Faith Agho, PMHNP-BC
- ANCC board certified
- Licensed in 5 states
My name is Faith Agho. I am a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with 16 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I am passionate about mental health and committed to providing individualized care that recognizes each person’s unique story and needs. My approach is centered on creating a safe, welcoming, and judgment-free environment where you can feel comfortable being honest about what you’re experiencing. At Faith Bridge Behavioral, I believe that seeking help is a sign of strength.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania can get a PTSD evaluation and treatment through My Psychiatry Care. You can make appointments online from the safety of your own home. Telehealth is consistently shown to be an effective way to provide trauma-focused psychiatric care, such as managing medications and coordinating therapy.
In the days and weeks after a traumatic event, it is normal and expected to feel upset, sad, have trouble sleeping, and be emotionally sensitive. This is a normal part of the brain’s way of getting better. PTSD can be identified by symptoms that last longer than one month and get worse, by the presence of certain symptom clusters like intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts, and hyperarousal, and by how much these symptoms get in the way of daily functioning. If your distress doesn’t get better over time and is having a big effect on your life, you should see a psychiatrist.
Yes. In some states, we take a number of insurance plans, such as BlueCross Blue Shield, Optum, United Healthcare, Aetna, and Cigna. In Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, you can get Medicaid and Medicare. You can also get paid in cash. Before your appointment, please call our office to make sure that your coverage is correct.
Ready to Get Support?
Our compassionate psychiatric team is here to help. Book a new patient appointment today.
