June is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. In this month, we shine a light on this disorder that impacts 6% of the population in the United States1 and share resources for healing and symptom management.
PTSD is a stress disorder that occurs after a traumatic event, or a series of traumatic events. It can come in many forms and symptoms manifest for each person, though they often include visceral flashbacks, irritability, nightmares, and difficulty regulating emotions. With PTSD, the mind remains in survival mode long after the danger has passed, making it difficult to cope with everyday events without disruption.
But there is hope. With treatments like psychiatry and medication management, you can heal from your trauma and pursue your life worth living. Your symptoms may not ever disappear completely, but you will better be able to manage them so that they don’t disrupt you.
How Long Does PTSD Last?
The length of time that PTSD lasts can vary depending on the type of PTSD you experience. Acute stress disorder, for instance, often begins to fade within a month of the trauma. PTSD often lasts for six months, but can last for a year or longer. Complex PTSD (CPTSD), which occurs when someone experiences repeated trauma such as an abusive relationship, can last for years and may even be a lifelong condition.
But it may not always be so intense. PTSD symptoms can be managed through learned coping strategies and prescription medication. They tend to be higher in moments of stress or conflict, but fluctuate over time.
Does Every Trauma Result In PTSD?
Trauma — from car accidents to abuse to intergenerational trauma — can be devastating, but it does not always result in PTSD. It’s understandable to be disturbed in the aftermath of a trauma. Many people face acute stress disorder for about a month after the traumatic event. If you continue to experience symptoms after that, it’s a good idea to reach out to a psychiatrist for an evaluation.
What’s more is that not everyone who has PTSD has themselves experienced a dangerous, traumatic event. Sometimes witnessing a traumatic event or learning of a traumatic event that a close loved one experienced can have such a profound impact that it leads to PTSD.2 The important thing is to understand how it impacts your mental state. Everyone is different, so what’s traumatic to one person might not be to someone else. Too often people suffering from PTSD don’t recognize it or reach out for help because they assume they’re just “being dramatic,” but there’s never anything wrong with listening to your feelings and scheduling an evaluation.
How Psychiatry Can Support PTSD Recovery
The first step after you recognize that you have PTSD is to reach out for support. Scheduling an appointment with a psychiatrist can help you take control back of your life. Here are the ways that psychiatry can support your PTSD recovery:
Diagnosis and Validation
Sometimes you have a feeling that something is wrong, but it’s hard to know what it is with just that feeling. If those in your life aren’t validating or understanding, it can be even harder. That’s why a diagnosis can be so validating. A PTSD diagnosis from a psychiatrist reminds you objectively that you’re not just “making things up for attention” and that you are deserving of attention. All of this is true without a diagnosis; but sometimes having the diagnosis gives you a peace of mind, knowing there is a name for what you’re experiencing — and something to do about it.
Coping Skills Through Therapy
In therapy with a psychiatrist, you can work out coping mechanisms to manage your PTSD symptoms. You may not be able to avoid being triggered, but you can make plans to deal with those triggers in the healthiest way possible. Much of the process of learning coping skills is accepting yourself and your PTSD, as well as understanding yourself. These coping skills might not make you no longer have PTSD, but they can keep it from disrupting your life.
Goal Planning
What would you want to do with your life if you weren’t inhibited by PTSD? With the help of your psychiatrist you can make a plan to meet those goals even with your PTSD. Part of the purpose of therapy is to help you live your life worth living. You’ll work with your psychiatrist to set goals for yourself. You might start small and work your way up. Therapy will offer you a way to check in each week and assess your progress towards your goals, keeping you on track.
Medication Prescription
A psychiatrist can also prescribe medication, setting them apart from other therapists. They may prescribe medication along with therapy or you may simply choose to go with medication alone. A psychiatrist will discuss symptoms with you and then prescribe medication to help reduce those symptoms. They can also provide check-ins to make sure the medication is still effective.
How Can Medication Management Support PTSD Recovery?
Medication management is the use of prescription drugs to treat your symptoms of PTSD. Typically, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) are prescribed for PTSD. These medications work by increasing the levels of serotonin and/or norepinephrine in your brain. Serotonin can help you feel more calm and focused, as well as elevating mood. Norepinephrine addresses stress responses, attention, and cognitive function.
By addressing the chemical imbalance in the brain that exacerbates PTSD symptoms, medication can help to reduce symptoms and lessen their intensity in some cases. Medication may help to make PTSD more manageable, so that you can go about your day with less disruptions. It can also give you the support you need to bounce back when you face a trigger.
Struggling with PTSD? Don’t go through it alone. Visit our provider page to schedule an appointment or contact us today to learn more. The medication team at Rivia Mind is here to help. Visit our medication management page to learn more about this treatment plan and our philosophy care.
Resources:
- How Common is PTSD in Adults? – PTSD: National Center for PTSD
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – National Institute of Mental Health
