Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many veterans, but it’s not limited to those with military experience. Anyone at any age can end up with the condition after experiencing a traumatic event. At Advent Family Psychology, our therapists specialize in unique therapies that help you work through the trauma and emotions caused by PTSD. With your therapist’s compassionate support, you can overcome PTSD and find relief from your anxiety and flashbacks. To get the help you need, call the office in Lehi, Utah, or book an appointment online today.

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What is PTSD?

PTSD is a mental health condition you develop after going through a dangerous or stressful event or a prolonged traumatic experience. You may be directly involved in the trauma or witness it.

Traumatic events that cause PTSD include:

  • Military duty
  • Physical assault
  • Sexual assault
  • Emotional or physical abuse
  • Automobile, plane, and train accidents
  • Earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes
  • Death of a loved one
  • Gun violence
  • Robberies
  • Fires

These events naturally cause anxiety and distress, but those feelings should improve over a few weeks. You may have PTSD when your symptoms persist longer than a month.

What symptoms develop due to PTSD?

PTSD causes many different recurring symptoms. In addition to ongoing anxiety, you may:

  • Have uncontrollable memories
  • Have ongoing nightmares
  • Experience flashbacks
  • Feel irritable or angry
  • Have uncharacteristic outbursts
  • Have difficulty sleeping
  • Become depressed
  • Be unable to concentrate
  • Feel responsible for the trauma
  • Stay away from family and friends
  • Avoid people, places, and events that remind you of the trauma

You may have such a strong urge to avoid PTSD triggers that you change your daily routine and stay away from important activities or responsibilities.

Why do PTSD symptoms suddenly flare up?

When you experience a traumatic event, your brain automatically records all of the details, such as the sights, smells, and sounds. Then those details go into your subconscious, so you’re not aware of them.

As you go about your day, you may suddenly encounter one of those details in your current environment. That detail connects with your subconscious and triggers a surge of intense emotions and memories from your trauma.

How is PTSD treated?

PTSD treatment primarily involves evidence-based psychotherapies that help you safely process the trauma. As your therapist helps you remember and deal with the event, your PTSD improves.

We use several therapies for PTSD trauma, with a few of the most successful being eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and emotion- or trauma-focused therapies.

Our therapists always customize your therapy based on your emotional and behavioral needs. To that end, you may need other therapeutic approaches to improve anxiety, change negative emotions, and overcome depression or guilt.

There currently aren’t medications for PTSD, but your therapist may recommend them for specific problems like depression or anger. If you need psychopharmaceuticals, your therapist can refer you to an experienced physician.

You can overcome PTSD symptoms with compassionate care at Advent Family Psychology. Call or book an appointment online today.