January 27, 2023 • 24 mins
Shocking, scary or dangerous events can leave you on edge, depressed, sleepless and unfocused. PTSD can happen to anyone, of any age and circumstance. Dr. Saltz advises a listener who thinks she may have the disorder—and tells how to recover from a traumatic event, whether or not the diagnosis is actually PTSD.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Bees are challenging times, but you don't have to navigate
them alone. Welcome to how Can I Help? I'm Dr
Gail Saltz. I'm a clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at
the New York Presbyterian Hospital, a psychoanalyst, and best selling author,
and I'm here every week to answer your most pressing questions,
(00:26):
hopefully with understanding, insight and advice. Post traumatic stress disorder
is a disorder that can develop in some people who
have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is
normal to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation.
(00:49):
Fear can trigger what's called the fight or flight response
via the sympathetic nervous system, and this is the body's
way actually protecting itself because, of course, in a traumatic situation,
you may need to flee or fight the situation. Nearly
(01:11):
everyone will experience a range of reactions after a trauma,
which is called the acute stress response, but most people,
over time do recover from these initial symptoms. Those who
continue to experience problems long after may then be diagnosed
(01:33):
with what's called post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. People
with PTSD often feel stressed or frightened even when they
are no longer in danger. While most but not all
traumatized people experience short term symptoms, the majority do not
(01:55):
develop PTSD, and not everyone with PTSD has been through
a dangerous event. Some experiences, for example, the sudden, unexpected
death of someone you love, can also cause PTSD. Symptoms
often begin within three months of the traumatic event, but
(02:20):
sometimes they can begin as late as a year afterwards.
The symptoms must last for more than a month long
and be severe enough to interfere with either relationships or work,
or both to be considered PTSD. The course of it varies.
(02:42):
Some people recover within about six months, but other people
can have symptoms last longer years. In some people the
condition becomes chronic. So today I'm answering a question from
someone who is concerned they might have PTSD. To be
(03:04):
diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of these
symptoms for at least one month, at least one what's
called re experiencing symptom, one avoidance symptom, at least two
arousal and reactivity symptoms, and at least two cognition and
(03:25):
mood symptoms. So let me break those down. At least
one re experiencing symptom. Those symptoms include flashbacks, which is
the reliving of the trauma over and over, including having
physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating. Nightmares can
(03:46):
also be considered a re experiencing symptom or just recurrent
frightening thoughts. Any one of those one of them counts
towards PTSD. Re experiencing symptoms can cause problems in your
everyday life. They can start from your own thoughts and
(04:07):
feelings and then become those frightening thoughts that interrupt Words, objects,
or situations that remind you of the event can trigger
these re experiencing symptoms. Next on the list was avoidance symptoms,
(04:28):
and those include staying away from places, events, or objects
that remind you of the traumatic experience, or avoiding thoughts
or feelings that are related to the traumatic event. Anything
that reminds the person of the event can trigger avoidance symptoms.
(04:51):
These symptoms can cause a person to change their personal
life their personal routine. For example, if the traumatic event
was a bad car accident, a person who usually drives
might avoid driving or even getting into a car. Then
next I mentioned arousal and reactivity symptoms. These can include
(05:17):
being very easily startled, feeling tense or on edge much
of the day, having difficulty sleeping, or having angry outbursts.
Arousal symptoms are usually constant if you have PTSD. Instead
of being triggered by things that remind you of the event,
(05:38):
they're just sort of present all the time. These symptoms
can make you feel stressed and angry, and therefore make
it hard to do daily tasks like sleeping, eating, or
just concentrating on something. And last I mentioned cognition and
mood symptoms. Those can include trouble remembering key features of
(06:03):
the traumatic event, negative thoughts about yourself or the world
around you, distorted feelings like guilt or blame related to
the event, and loss of interest in other enjoyable activities
that you used to enjoy before the event. These are
(06:26):
symptoms that you might have had before but can worsen
after the traumatic event, or they may start for the
first time after the event. They can make you feel
alienated or detached from friends or family members, so it's
normal to have some symptoms for a few weeks after
a traumatic event any one of these that I've mentioned,
(06:49):
but when the symptoms last for more than a month
and seriously affect your ability to function and are not
due and this is important to substance you or medical illness,
or frankly, anything except the event itself. Then this might
be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don't actually have any
(07:14):
symptoms for weeks or months, but them later develop some
PTSD is often accompanied by depression and substance abuse, and
even possibly an anxiety disorder. Children and teenagers can also
have extreme reactions to trauma, but some of their symptoms
(07:37):
might not be the same as adults. Symptoms can vary
in very young children, particularly those less than six years old,
so they are more likely to have symptoms like wetting
the bed after having learned to use the toilet, or
forgetting how to or being unable to speak in the
(07:58):
way that they were speaking we're acting out the scary
event during their playtimes, being particularly clingy with a parent.
Older children and teams are more likely to show symptoms
that are like adults, but they may also develop disruptive, disrespectful,
(08:19):
or destructive behaviors. Older children and teens can feel guilty
for not preventing injury or death, even if that's illogical
to the adult around them, and they may also have
thoughts of revenge. So basically anyone can develop PTSD at
(08:41):
any age. So typical people that do develop PTSD are
war veterans and children, and people who have been through
a physical or sexual assault, particularly abuse, a terrible accident,
a disaster there like a natural disaster, or something like
(09:04):
gun violence. According to the National Center for PTSD, seven
or eight out of every one hundred people will experience
PTSD at some point in their lives. Women are more
likely to develop it than men, and there is a
genetic component, meaning that it can run in families. Who
(09:28):
is more likely to develop PTSD after a trauma? Not
everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Some
people can develop it after, for example, someone very close
to them has died, or someone very close to them
has experienced terrible danger or harm. Many factors play a
(09:50):
role in whether a person will develop PTSD. Risk factors
make a person more likely to develop it, but other factors,
would we often call resilience factors, can help reduce the
risk that even if you've had a trauma, you do
not develop PTSD. So what does increase your risk? Well,
(10:13):
living obviously through the trauma itself increases the risk but
so does actually getting hurt, seeing another person get hurt,
or seeing a dead body, having yourself been a victim
of childhood trauma before the event, feeling horror or feeling
(10:35):
helpless or intense fear during the event, having little or
no social support after the event, dealing with extra stress
after the event, like you've lived through this event and
now something else happens. You lose a loved one, you
(10:56):
lose a job, you lose a home, having a history
of mental illness or of substance abuse. But some things
can actually help you recover from a trauma without getting PTSD.
In other words, they help you to be more resilient,
(11:17):
and those are seeking out support from other people like
friends or family, finding a support group after this traumatic event.
Learning to feel good about what you did in the
face of danger. So people often criticize themselves, but someone
(11:38):
who can help you or you can help yourself to
think about what you did and find the good in it.
Having a positive coping strategy or of a way that
you get through difficult things, whatever that might be. And
being able to act and respond effectively despite feeling fear
(12:01):
in the situation. So with that, right after the break
we'll get to my listeners question. Welcome back. Let's get
(12:22):
to my listeners question and see how can I help,
Dear doctor Songs. Two weeks ago, I was robbed at gunpoint.
It was completely terrifying, though I was not actually physically injured,
but I believed in that moment that this robber would
(12:42):
shoot me and I would die. I've had trouble sleeping.
I feel scared a lot of the time, and I
keep thinking about and picturing the moment this man held
a gun to my face and demanded my bag. My
family and friends have been really supported it, and I
know that I'm actually okay, but I still feel scared,
(13:06):
and I'm looking over my shoulder walking anywhere I go,
nervous that someone could be following me or robbed me.
Now I'm starting to worry that maybe I have PTSD.
I've heard this can happen after something really scary. How
can I tell if this is and what can I
do to feel better. It's bad enough this man robbed me.
(13:30):
I don't want him to rob me of my sanity too.
Having a frightening experience out of the normal range of
typical human experiences and thinking that you were going to
die is certainly the kind of traumatic event that can
be a cause for developing PTSD. That being said, you've
(13:54):
only been symptomatic for two weeks, and that really is
not long enough for this to be considered PTSD. At
this early stage. This is still what would be called
an acute stress reaction, which most people have after an
event like you experienced, and over time this often does
(14:16):
resolve and never become PTSD. Now, if this were more
like six weeks, I might be more concerned. But the
other thing is that you are not describing any avoidance behaviors,
and this is important as it is a key aspect
(14:36):
of PTSD. So if you said you weren't going out
or you were avoiding walking anywhere in the area where
this happened, I would be more concerned. You are having
sleep issues, anxiety and fear and re experiencing, and these
are all symptoms of acute stress reaction and they can
(14:59):
be symptoms of PTSD if they continue. So while this
would not yet be called PTSD, it is important to
take care of yourself now and try to get help
with your current symptoms, because in building resilience now, you
may be able to stave off ever developing PTSD, so
(15:22):
talking to supportive people in your life who can be
understanding about your fear and allow you to lean on
them a little for now would be helpful. Make sure
that you do not start avoiding anything because of this event.
Avoidance will make you feel relieved in the moment, but
(15:43):
make you feel worse overall in the long run. Not
avoiding helps you to desensitize yourself, and this in turn
will help your anxiety diminish. Do try to keep a
regular sleep schedule for now, with working to do only
(16:04):
relaxing things in the hour before sleep to set yourself
up for the best night possible. Do avoid increasing any
alcohol or drug intake right now as a coping mechanism,
as it is not unusual to develop a problem as
a result of trying to manage your symptoms. Increase your
(16:29):
exercise to reduce your anxiety, preferably thirty minutes three to
four times a week to really help with stress and
with mood. It's also very reasonable to speak to a
therapist for a few sessions to process your feelings about
this event. If another three or four weeks go by
(16:53):
and you are still the same or worse, then you
definitely should see a psychiatrist to evaluate whether in fact
this could be now PTSD and to get some treatment.
The earlier one treats, the faster it tends to respond.
(17:15):
I hope that was helpful. The main treatments for people
with PTSD are medications and psychotherapy or both. Everyone is
different and PTSD affects people differently, so a treatment that
works for one person may not work as well for another.
(17:35):
It's important for anyone with PTSD to be treated by
a mental health provider who is experienced specifically with treating PTSD.
The most study type of medication are antidepressants, which may
help control the symptoms such as sadness, worry, anger, and
(17:55):
even feeling known. Other medications can be helpful too, for
things like sleep problems and nightmares. Doctors and patients need
to work together to find the best medication or combination
of medications, as well as the right dose. Psychotherapy involves
(18:16):
talking with a mental health professional, and it can occur
one on one, or it can be helpful to go
to group therapy. Talk therapy usually lasts anywhere from ten
to twelve weeks, but depending on the symptoms, can need
to last longer. Research has shown that support from family
(18:39):
and friends is an important part of recovery, and there
are different types of psychotherapy they can help people with PTSD.
Some types target the symptoms directly, others focus more on
the social, family, or job related issues that have come up,
(18:59):
and the therapist combine different therapies depending on each person's need.
Psychotherapies tend to emphasize a few important areas, including education
about your symptoms, teaching you skills to identify the triggers
of your symptoms, which usually have to do with the
original trauma, skills to manage those symptoms when they happen.
(19:25):
So for example, one helpful form is cognitive behavioral therapy
and that uses two components. One is exposure therapy, which
will help you face and control the fear by exposing
you to a little bit of the trauma in a
safe way by imagining, writing, or maybe even visiting the
(19:48):
place where the thing happened. The therapists will then use
tools to help the person with PTSD cope with their
feelings of being exposed. And then there is something called
cognitive restructuring, which helps you to make sense of the
bad memories. Sometimes people remember the event differently than it
(20:11):
actually happened. You might feel guilt or shame about something
that's not your fault, and the therapists can help you
look at what happened in a realistic way. Talk therapies
teach people helpful ways to react to the frightening events
that trigger their PTSD symptoms. So teaching you about trauma
(20:37):
and its effects, using relaxation and anger control skills, giving
you suggestions how to improve your sleep, your diet, and
even your exercise habits. Help you to identify and deal
with guilt, shame, and other feelings about the event, and
(21:00):
to focus on how you react to your symptoms when
they happen, because often the way people react actually makes
it worse. Remember that even if you're in treatment, other
things can help you outside of treatment, like engaging, as
I said in exercise to reduce stress. Setting realistic goals
(21:20):
for yourself if you feel overwhelmed, breaking up large tasks
into small ones, setting priorities of what has to get
done versus what can wait, Trying to spend time with
people and build your trusted relationships with friends or with
families so that you can confide in them about how
(21:42):
you're doing. Expect your symptoms to improve. Gradually, not instantly,
and seek out comfort in people and places and situations
that you can be involved in. In the last decade,
prog us in research on the mental and biological foundations
(22:03):
of PTSD has led scientists to focus on better understanding
the underlying causes of why some people get PTSD and
some people don't even after they've had the same trauma.
The National Institute of Mental Health has funded researchers who
are looking at trauma and patients in acute care settings
(22:25):
to understand why they get the symptoms they do and
what actually is helping them to really improve. Researchers looking
at how fear memories are affected by learning and by
changes in the body and even by sleep. Research on
preventing the development of PTSD in the first place after
(22:48):
a trauma has occurred is something that is ongoing and will,
I think in the future be very important. And other
research is attempting to identify what factors determine who's going
to get it and maybe if they get it, which
type of intervention would most help them, which typeotherapy, or
(23:11):
which type of medication. And actually gene research and brain
imaging technologies are allowing scientists to be more likely to
pinpoint even when and where essentially in the brain PTSD exists.
The hope is that with better understanding, we can have
(23:34):
more targeted treatments for both prevention and treatment in the
case of post traumatic stress disorder. Do you have a
problem I can help with? If so, email me yet
How can I help? At Seneca women dot com, All
centers remain anonymous and listen every Friday too. How can
(23:56):
I help with me? Doctor Gale Salts
Bees are challenging times, but you don't have to navigate
them alone. Welcome to how Can I Help? I'm Dr
Gail Saltz. I'm a clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at
the New York Presbyterian Hospital, a psychoanalyst, and best selling author,
and I'm here every week to answer your most pressing questions,
(00:26):
hopefully with understanding, insight and advice. Post traumatic stress disorder
is a disorder that can develop in some people who
have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is
normal to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation.
(00:49):
Fear can trigger what's called the fight or flight response
via the sympathetic nervous system, and this is the body's
way actually protecting itself because, of course, in a traumatic situation,
you may need to flee or fight the situation. Nearly
(01:11):
everyone will experience a range of reactions after a trauma,
which is called the acute stress response, but most people,
over time do recover from these initial symptoms. Those who
continue to experience problems long after may then be diagnosed
(01:33):
with what's called post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. People
with PTSD often feel stressed or frightened even when they
are no longer in danger. While most but not all
traumatized people experience short term symptoms, the majority do not
(01:55):
develop PTSD, and not everyone with PTSD has been through
a dangerous event. Some experiences, for example, the sudden, unexpected
death of someone you love, can also cause PTSD. Symptoms
often begin within three months of the traumatic event, but
(02:20):
sometimes they can begin as late as a year afterwards.
The symptoms must last for more than a month long
and be severe enough to interfere with either relationships or work,
or both to be considered PTSD. The course of it varies.
(02:42):
Some people recover within about six months, but other people
can have symptoms last longer years. In some people the
condition becomes chronic. So today I'm answering a question from
someone who is concerned they might have PTSD. To be
(03:04):
diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of these
symptoms for at least one month, at least one what's
called re experiencing symptom, one avoidance symptom, at least two
arousal and reactivity symptoms, and at least two cognition and
(03:25):
mood symptoms. So let me break those down. At least
one re experiencing symptom. Those symptoms include flashbacks, which is
the reliving of the trauma over and over, including having
physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating. Nightmares can
(03:46):
also be considered a re experiencing symptom or just recurrent
frightening thoughts. Any one of those one of them counts
towards PTSD. Re experiencing symptoms can cause problems in your
everyday life. They can start from your own thoughts and
(04:07):
feelings and then become those frightening thoughts that interrupt Words, objects,
or situations that remind you of the event can trigger
these re experiencing symptoms. Next on the list was avoidance symptoms,
(04:28):
and those include staying away from places, events, or objects
that remind you of the traumatic experience, or avoiding thoughts
or feelings that are related to the traumatic event. Anything
that reminds the person of the event can trigger avoidance symptoms.
(04:51):
These symptoms can cause a person to change their personal
life their personal routine. For example, if the traumatic event
was a bad car accident, a person who usually drives
might avoid driving or even getting into a car. Then
next I mentioned arousal and reactivity symptoms. These can include
(05:17):
being very easily startled, feeling tense or on edge much
of the day, having difficulty sleeping, or having angry outbursts.
Arousal symptoms are usually constant if you have PTSD. Instead
of being triggered by things that remind you of the event,
(05:38):
they're just sort of present all the time. These symptoms
can make you feel stressed and angry, and therefore make
it hard to do daily tasks like sleeping, eating, or
just concentrating on something. And last I mentioned cognition and
mood symptoms. Those can include trouble remembering key features of
(06:03):
the traumatic event, negative thoughts about yourself or the world
around you, distorted feelings like guilt or blame related to
the event, and loss of interest in other enjoyable activities
that you used to enjoy before the event. These are
(06:26):
symptoms that you might have had before but can worsen
after the traumatic event, or they may start for the
first time after the event. They can make you feel
alienated or detached from friends or family members, so it's
normal to have some symptoms for a few weeks after
a traumatic event any one of these that I've mentioned,
(06:49):
but when the symptoms last for more than a month
and seriously affect your ability to function and are not
due and this is important to substance you or medical illness,
or frankly, anything except the event itself. Then this might
be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don't actually have any
(07:14):
symptoms for weeks or months, but them later develop some
PTSD is often accompanied by depression and substance abuse, and
even possibly an anxiety disorder. Children and teenagers can also
have extreme reactions to trauma, but some of their symptoms
(07:37):
might not be the same as adults. Symptoms can vary
in very young children, particularly those less than six years old,
so they are more likely to have symptoms like wetting
the bed after having learned to use the toilet, or
forgetting how to or being unable to speak in the
(07:58):
way that they were speaking we're acting out the scary
event during their playtimes, being particularly clingy with a parent.
Older children and teams are more likely to show symptoms
that are like adults, but they may also develop disruptive, disrespectful,
(08:19):
or destructive behaviors. Older children and teens can feel guilty
for not preventing injury or death, even if that's illogical
to the adult around them, and they may also have
thoughts of revenge. So basically anyone can develop PTSD at
(08:41):
any age. So typical people that do develop PTSD are
war veterans and children, and people who have been through
a physical or sexual assault, particularly abuse, a terrible accident,
a disaster there like a natural disaster, or something like
(09:04):
gun violence. According to the National Center for PTSD, seven
or eight out of every one hundred people will experience
PTSD at some point in their lives. Women are more
likely to develop it than men, and there is a
genetic component, meaning that it can run in families. Who
(09:28):
is more likely to develop PTSD after a trauma? Not
everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Some
people can develop it after, for example, someone very close
to them has died, or someone very close to them
has experienced terrible danger or harm. Many factors play a
(09:50):
role in whether a person will develop PTSD. Risk factors
make a person more likely to develop it, but other factors,
would we often call resilience factors, can help reduce the
risk that even if you've had a trauma, you do
not develop PTSD. So what does increase your risk? Well,
(10:13):
living obviously through the trauma itself increases the risk but
so does actually getting hurt, seeing another person get hurt,
or seeing a dead body, having yourself been a victim
of childhood trauma before the event, feeling horror or feeling
(10:35):
helpless or intense fear during the event, having little or
no social support after the event, dealing with extra stress
after the event, like you've lived through this event and
now something else happens. You lose a loved one, you
(10:56):
lose a job, you lose a home, having a history
of mental illness or of substance abuse. But some things
can actually help you recover from a trauma without getting PTSD.
In other words, they help you to be more resilient,
(11:17):
and those are seeking out support from other people like
friends or family, finding a support group after this traumatic event.
Learning to feel good about what you did in the
face of danger. So people often criticize themselves, but someone
(11:38):
who can help you or you can help yourself to
think about what you did and find the good in it.
Having a positive coping strategy or of a way that
you get through difficult things, whatever that might be. And
being able to act and respond effectively despite feeling fear
(12:01):
in the situation. So with that, right after the break
we'll get to my listeners question. Welcome back. Let's get
(12:22):
to my listeners question and see how can I help,
Dear doctor Songs. Two weeks ago, I was robbed at gunpoint.
It was completely terrifying, though I was not actually physically injured,
but I believed in that moment that this robber would
(12:42):
shoot me and I would die. I've had trouble sleeping.
I feel scared a lot of the time, and I
keep thinking about and picturing the moment this man held
a gun to my face and demanded my bag. My
family and friends have been really supported it, and I
know that I'm actually okay, but I still feel scared,
(13:06):
and I'm looking over my shoulder walking anywhere I go,
nervous that someone could be following me or robbed me.
Now I'm starting to worry that maybe I have PTSD.
I've heard this can happen after something really scary. How
can I tell if this is and what can I
do to feel better. It's bad enough this man robbed me.
(13:30):
I don't want him to rob me of my sanity too.
Having a frightening experience out of the normal range of
typical human experiences and thinking that you were going to
die is certainly the kind of traumatic event that can
be a cause for developing PTSD. That being said, you've
(13:54):
only been symptomatic for two weeks, and that really is
not long enough for this to be considered PTSD. At
this early stage. This is still what would be called
an acute stress reaction, which most people have after an
event like you experienced, and over time this often does
(14:16):
resolve and never become PTSD. Now, if this were more
like six weeks, I might be more concerned. But the
other thing is that you are not describing any avoidance behaviors,
and this is important as it is a key aspect
(14:36):
of PTSD. So if you said you weren't going out
or you were avoiding walking anywhere in the area where
this happened, I would be more concerned. You are having
sleep issues, anxiety and fear and re experiencing, and these
are all symptoms of acute stress reaction and they can
(14:59):
be symptoms of PTSD if they continue. So while this
would not yet be called PTSD, it is important to
take care of yourself now and try to get help
with your current symptoms, because in building resilience now, you
may be able to stave off ever developing PTSD, so
(15:22):
talking to supportive people in your life who can be
understanding about your fear and allow you to lean on
them a little for now would be helpful. Make sure
that you do not start avoiding anything because of this event.
Avoidance will make you feel relieved in the moment, but
(15:43):
make you feel worse overall in the long run. Not
avoiding helps you to desensitize yourself, and this in turn
will help your anxiety diminish. Do try to keep a
regular sleep schedule for now, with working to do only
(16:04):
relaxing things in the hour before sleep to set yourself
up for the best night possible. Do avoid increasing any
alcohol or drug intake right now as a coping mechanism,
as it is not unusual to develop a problem as
a result of trying to manage your symptoms. Increase your
(16:29):
exercise to reduce your anxiety, preferably thirty minutes three to
four times a week to really help with stress and
with mood. It's also very reasonable to speak to a
therapist for a few sessions to process your feelings about
this event. If another three or four weeks go by
(16:53):
and you are still the same or worse, then you
definitely should see a psychiatrist to evaluate whether in fact
this could be now PTSD and to get some treatment.
The earlier one treats, the faster it tends to respond.
(17:15):
I hope that was helpful. The main treatments for people
with PTSD are medications and psychotherapy or both. Everyone is
different and PTSD affects people differently, so a treatment that
works for one person may not work as well for another.
(17:35):
It's important for anyone with PTSD to be treated by
a mental health provider who is experienced specifically with treating PTSD.
The most study type of medication are antidepressants, which may
help control the symptoms such as sadness, worry, anger, and
(17:55):
even feeling known. Other medications can be helpful too, for
things like sleep problems and nightmares. Doctors and patients need
to work together to find the best medication or combination
of medications, as well as the right dose. Psychotherapy involves
(18:16):
talking with a mental health professional, and it can occur
one on one, or it can be helpful to go
to group therapy. Talk therapy usually lasts anywhere from ten
to twelve weeks, but depending on the symptoms, can need
to last longer. Research has shown that support from family
(18:39):
and friends is an important part of recovery, and there
are different types of psychotherapy they can help people with PTSD.
Some types target the symptoms directly, others focus more on
the social, family, or job related issues that have come up,
(18:59):
and the therapist combine different therapies depending on each person's need.
Psychotherapies tend to emphasize a few important areas, including education
about your symptoms, teaching you skills to identify the triggers
of your symptoms, which usually have to do with the
original trauma, skills to manage those symptoms when they happen.
(19:25):
So for example, one helpful form is cognitive behavioral therapy
and that uses two components. One is exposure therapy, which
will help you face and control the fear by exposing
you to a little bit of the trauma in a
safe way by imagining, writing, or maybe even visiting the
(19:48):
place where the thing happened. The therapists will then use
tools to help the person with PTSD cope with their
feelings of being exposed. And then there is something called
cognitive restructuring, which helps you to make sense of the
bad memories. Sometimes people remember the event differently than it
(20:11):
actually happened. You might feel guilt or shame about something
that's not your fault, and the therapists can help you
look at what happened in a realistic way. Talk therapies
teach people helpful ways to react to the frightening events
that trigger their PTSD symptoms. So teaching you about trauma
(20:37):
and its effects, using relaxation and anger control skills, giving
you suggestions how to improve your sleep, your diet, and
even your exercise habits. Help you to identify and deal
with guilt, shame, and other feelings about the event, and
(21:00):
to focus on how you react to your symptoms when
they happen, because often the way people react actually makes
it worse. Remember that even if you're in treatment, other
things can help you outside of treatment, like engaging, as
I said in exercise to reduce stress. Setting realistic goals
(21:20):
for yourself if you feel overwhelmed, breaking up large tasks
into small ones, setting priorities of what has to get
done versus what can wait, Trying to spend time with
people and build your trusted relationships with friends or with
families so that you can confide in them about how
(21:42):
you're doing. Expect your symptoms to improve. Gradually, not instantly,
and seek out comfort in people and places and situations
that you can be involved in. In the last decade,
prog us in research on the mental and biological foundations
(22:03):
of PTSD has led scientists to focus on better understanding
the underlying causes of why some people get PTSD and
some people don't even after they've had the same trauma.
The National Institute of Mental Health has funded researchers who
are looking at trauma and patients in acute care settings
(22:25):
to understand why they get the symptoms they do and
what actually is helping them to really improve. Researchers looking
at how fear memories are affected by learning and by
changes in the body and even by sleep. Research on
preventing the development of PTSD in the first place after
(22:48):
a trauma has occurred is something that is ongoing and will,
I think in the future be very important. And other
research is attempting to identify what factors determine who's going
to get it and maybe if they get it, which
type of intervention would most help them, which typeotherapy, or
(23:11):
which type of medication. And actually gene research and brain
imaging technologies are allowing scientists to be more likely to
pinpoint even when and where essentially in the brain PTSD exists.
The hope is that with better understanding, we can have
(23:34):
more targeted treatments for both prevention and treatment in the
case of post traumatic stress disorder. Do you have a
problem I can help with? If so, email me yet
How can I help? At Seneca women dot com, All
centers remain anonymous and listen every Friday too. How can
(23:56):
I help with me? Doctor Gale Salts
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