Treatment for PTSD

Do You or Someone You Love Need Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment?

The stresses of living with post traumatic stress disorder can be quite debilitating. Individuals struggling with PTSD have sadly experienced some sort of horrific trauma and may be reliving it on a consistent basis. People living with PTSD live a life where the traumatic occurrence never goes away, and it becomes incapacitating. This in turn affects the man or woman’s life in such a way that normalcy cannot be achieved.

Is post traumatic stress disorder ruining your life? Is it affecting how you live and relate to others? Are you waking in the middle of the night to nightmares, or are you reacting harshly to a loud noise? Healing is available, it can come from many different sources, and you do not have to do it alone. Take the most important step to getting better, and to living life. Acknowledge that you are struggling with PTSD, and ask for help. Is your loved one fighting with post traumatic stress disorder? Are you able to speak with them about how it is affecting their life and yours? Help them see that they can learn how to manage the disorder with the assistance of a PTSD rehabilitation facility. Let them know that the nightmares can be stilled, and they can live life again.

Treatment Plan for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Suffering with PTSD is extremely stressful. Post traumatic stress disorder can affect anyone at any age. Unfortunately, those with PTSD have undergone a severe trauma or experienced a major ordeal. In order to treat post traumatic stress disorder, the assistance of loved ones, a licensed therapist, a PTSD treatment center, and a support group is needed. The role of each component is important.

  • Ask for help – The role in healing that your friends and family can participate in is significant. They will provide support and help when therapy and treatment becomes challenging.
  • See a licensed therapist – A licensed counselor will be able to create a personalized PTSD treatment program. They will also aid in the admission to a post traumatic stress disorder facility.
  • PTSD therapy program – A post traumatic stress disorder psychotherapy program will help increase the odds for successfully dealing with PTSD. Additional co-occurring addictions or disorders that may exist will also be evaluated.
  • Join a support group – Joining a support group will help contribute to the success of dealing with post traumatic stress disorder. They will provide assistance when facing the trials of stopping therapy and taking medications.

Treatment Levels for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

As with many other mental disorders, the more intensive treatment levels such as inpatient programs, intensive outpatient programs (IOP), partial hospitalization programs (PHP), and PTSD rehab facilities are not required. The more commonly used levels of care include:

  • Outpatient Care – Outpatient programs are similar to IOPs but not as concentrated. There are fewer individual limits placed on the patient, but personal treatment and group sessions are still applied.
  • Groups of Support – Support groups provide supervision and direction to prevent setbacks. The group can supply much needed care and compassion on the road to healing.

Types of Pharmacological Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment

Fortunately, there are multiple medicines that can help treat PTSD. Some of these drugs can help alleviate nightmares or help stabilize the individual so as not to overreact to sudden noises. Some of these pharmacological treatments include alpha-adrenergic antagonists, antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta blockers, mood stabilizers and serotonin antagonists. A post traumatic stress disorder treatment center can help decide the best medicinal approach to put into practice. Examples of these medications include:

  • Antidepressants
    • Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
    • Fluoxetine (Prozac)
    • Sertraline (Zoloft)
    • Paroxetine (Paxil)
  • Mood Stabilizers
    • Valproic acid
    • Topiramate (Topamax)
    • Divalproex sodium (Depakote)
    • Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
    • Lithium
    • Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
    • Gabapentin (Neurontin)
  • Antipsychotics
    • Aripiprazole (Abilify)
    • Quetiapine (Seroquel)
    • Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
    • Ziprasidone (Geodon)
    • Risperidone (Risperdal)
  • Alpha-Adrenergic Antagonists
    • Prazosin (Minipress)
    • Clonidine (Catapres)
  • Serotonin Antagonists
    • Cyproheptadine (Periactin)
  • Beta Blockers
    • Propranolol (Inderal)

Types of Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment

There are many types of therapy, but in dealing with PTSD, a combination of several types needs to be employed. There is no one single treatment that will cure the post traumatic stress disorder. One primary goal is to learn how to manage the disorder with professional assistance. A reputable post traumatic stress disorder treatment center will incorporate multiple behavioral therapy treatments so as to create a personalized behavior therapy. Some of the rehabilitation types include:

  • Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) – IPT concentrates on the interpersonal relations and social roles using a short-term supportive psychotherapy, and it tries to help patients find better ways to handle and deal with existing issues or problems. IPT identifies role disputes, unresolved grief, relationship shortcomings, and role changes as the four basic areas.
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – This type of therapy deals with maladaptive patterns of thought in an effort to influence the patient’s conduct with a more constructive approach. This also assists the patient in developing coping skills that replace negative skills with positive ones.
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – This level of rehab integrates the common behavioral therapy components of IBT and CBT for the regulation of emotions. Mindful awareness and stress management elements are merged into this treatment.
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – ACT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that implements commitment and behavior-change strategies by combining acceptance and mindfulness strategies in several different ways. This is to increase mental and emotional flexibility.
  • Supportive Programs – These are programs like support groups, group therapy, family therapy, etc. The support these programs offer to those suffering with PTSD is invaluable.
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – This type of program has the patient follow the therapist’s hand movements while imaging the traumatic events. It is intended to help the sufferer process the traumatic memories and diminish their enduring influence thus allowing the patient to develop better adaptive coping skills.

PTSD is a disorder that no one should have to live with, but unfortunately, it is something that too many people must overcome. Adults and children both can be affected with post traumatic stress disorder. The traumatic events are often relived in nightmares, or sometimes a loud noise will take them back to the moment of a traumatic event. You or a loved one do not have to live with this. Help can be found through a PTSD treatment center. This will allow you to regain control of your life.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on April 15th, 2013
Published on AddictionHope.com, Help for Addictions