According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , about 60% of men and 50% of women in the U.S. experience at least one traumatic event in their lives, and about 6% of the population develops post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – a distressing and disruptive condition that can impede one’s ability to function and find fulfillment in life.

PTSD is a mental health condition that a person can develop after direct or indirect exposure to a traumatic event. Exposure can include: 

Anyone can develop PTSD, however, not everyone who experiences trauma develops the condition. Researchers are still unclear on why some individuals develop PTSD and others don’t despite experiencing similar traumatic events. 

Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence are some of the most common types of trauma. Traumatic experiences can include numerous different events such as:

PTSD involves four different categories of symptoms, which are: 

To be diagnosed with PTSD, an individual must have symptoms in each of these categories that have lasted for more than one month since the traumatic event.

Types of intrusion symptoms include:

Types of avoidance symptoms include:

Types of negative changes in mood and cognition include:

Types of alterations in arousal and reactivity include:

Certain sensory information can remind a person with PTSD of the traumatic event and cause them to react with one of the body’s instinctive survival modes – a “fight,” “flight,” “freeze,” or “fawn” (abandoning one’s needs to please others and avoid backlash) response, while also cuing their PTSD symptoms. Triggers are unique to every individual with PTSD, as are the traumatic events which led to the PTSD. They may include but are not limited to smells, tastes, sounds, sights, physical sensations, thoughts, emotions, and interactions. 

Examples of possible triggers include:

PTSD in children can look very different than it does in adults. Younger children may lack the vocabulary or cognitive ability to verbalize their experience and therefore may act out themes or aspects of the traumatic event as well as directly reenact the trauma in play. This behavior is usually linked to an intrusive symptom. Children may also have recurrent nightmares but be unable to recall or express the exact content of the dreams which may be connected to the trauma.

Trauma treatment may implement a variety of modalities, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and sensorimotor psychotherapy . However, trauma-informed care should involve the following elements: 

Related: Nine Tips For Finding a Mental or Behavioral Health Professional That’s a Fit

While treatment for PTSD varies from one individual to another, it may include therapy, medication, primary care, and any other health care services that may be warranted based upon the individual’s unique needs. Ideally, all providers working to treat an individual for PTSD are connected and in communication with one another as integrated care can help to ensure holistic healing.

There are several evidence-based modalities that are well known as being effective for  treating PTSD in therapy. Some methods take a narrative approach in which an individual works with their therapist to process each aspect of the event. Clients may even write their trauma narrative to discuss in session. 

Other approaches address more of the somatic, or bodily, experience. These interventions embrace the idea that trauma can become trapped in the body. Somatic therapies don’t typically require an individual to relive their trauma experience by sharing a detailed narrative. Instead, they address the internal experience, associated symptoms, and impacts of the event. 

Types of PTSD treatment modalities include:

Every approach to treating PTSD will likely involve:

Just as with any other mental or behavioral condition, recovery from PTSD looks different for everyone. Some individuals may live with remnants of their PTSD for long periods, experiencing complete relief from many symptoms while other symptoms dull over time. They may also have ebbs and flows in their symptoms which can be frustrating at times. 

With that in mind, recovery from PTSD is entirely possible and with the right support, individuals can learn to process their traumatic experiences, manage their symptoms, and begin to move forward in their lives while acknowledging the impact of the past. 

If you’re a family member or friend of a loved one with PTSD, below are some ways you can help them as they heal:

Many of our clinicians are experienced in treating PTSD through a variety of evidence-based methods. If you think you may be struggling with PTSD, Thrive Wellness specialists want to help you process your trauma, find the healing that you deserve, and lead a fulfilling life. Reach out to learn more about our outpatient services . 

Sarah is passionate about providing holistic care to survivors of interpersonal trauma, as well as individuals struggling with eating and body image concerns.

A registered yoga instructor, she enjoys integrating her counselor education and yoga training to holistically approach mental health treatment. She is skilled at facilitating trauma-informed yoga therapeutic groups for survivors of interpersonal trauma.

As a counseling intern at Baylor University’s Counseling Center, Sarah has provided mental health support to clients facing crisis situations, trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, substance use, and anger concerns.

Sarah holds a master of arts degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. She also holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Baylor University.

In her free time, Sarah loves reading, spending time with friends and family, taking long walks outdoors, enjoying a good cup of coffee, and doing puzzles. She recently developed an interest in keeping plants alive. Wish her (and her plants) all the luck!

Supervised by Erin McGinty Fort, LPC-Supervisor (76628) | Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors

The post Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Symptoms, Triggers, and Treatment first appeared on Thrive Wellness.