Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

There are a wide variety of treatment options available that can be tailored to individual needs. Medication is often prescribed in tandem with talk therapy to provide relief for the physical symptoms. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often used to process the memories and feelings associated with the trauma. Support groups can also provide validation and an understanding community, which can enhance the effects of one-on-one therapy. Several popular options for treating PTSD include the following:

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): This therapy focuses on the connection between thoughts and how they manifest in our behaviors. It can be used to help people with PTSD challenge negative thought patterns and associations (e.g., fear responses to objectively safe people and places).
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): This therapy is geared towards changing negative thoughts and behavioral patterns and substituting them with positive, healthy ones. DBT is especially beneficial for individuals with PTSD who have also been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a trauma processing technique that uses rhythmic eye movements to work through negative emotions and memories.
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): This type of CBT involves focused sessions geared towards changing negative thought patterns related to the trauma. It increases objectivity and makes it easier to evaluate and respond to situations associated with the event.
• Prolonged Exposure (PE): Sometimes, feelings and memories associated with trauma can be so overwhelming that they are avoided entirely. PE therapy is a way of addressing this by slowly working through emotions, memories, and other aspects of the trauma.