Characteristics

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (often referred to as PTSD) can occur when individuals experience a traumatic event that threatened death or serious injury to themselves or others (such as rape, physical abuse, or a severe accident). Common symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder include:

• Re-experiencing the traumatic event through flashback images, strange feelings that the event is recurring, or dreams.
• Intense discomfort or anxiety when reminded of the traumatic event by cues in everyday life.
• Avoidance of things that are reminders of the traumatic event. This may even include an inability to remember details of the event or feeling detached or numb.

• Symptoms of increased arousal that may lead to difficulty sleeping, irritability, poor concentration, hypervigilance, and increased startle response.

Effective Solutions

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is treated by teaching individuals effective cognitive tools and coping strategies that help them overcome their fears and take back control of their lives.

• Clients are taught about PTSD and gain an understanding of the psychological and physiological causes of their symptoms.
• Clients are taught how to better manage their symptoms through mindfulness, relaxation, and breathing techniques.
• Clients learn how their beliefs about themselves and the world have changed since the traumatic event. Cognitive therapy techniques are used to help them become more confident and self-assured.
• Different types of exposure therapy are used to lessen the fear and avoidance associated with the traumatic event. As clients are guided through carefully-structured behavioral challenges, they acquire new coping skills and become able to reengage in important aspects of their lives.

Contact Behavior Therapy of New York to learn more about treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.