The normal response to stress is what happens before PTSD begins. PTSD is often confused with different stress and anxiety disorders because they are related and have similar symptoms. PTSD starts with a normal stress response. When that response isn't treated or if it's severe enough, post-traumatic stress disorder can develop.
For normal stress responses, support from loved ones and individual psychotherapy sessions is often the best treatment. Group therapy can also be beneficial. The support of a wider circle of supporters can sometimes be the most crucial part of recovery. Acute stress disorder is a disorder similar to PTSD that occurs when a person is exposed to a potentially life-threatening event.
Events such as the loss of a loved one, car accidents, natural disasters, and other life-threatening events are associated with acute stress disorder. If left untreated, acute stress disorder can develop into PTSD. Like PTSD, acute stress disorder can be treated with therapy, group support, medications, and even more intensive treatments. Uncomplicated PTSD, like other stress and trauma disorders, is treatable.
The complex symptoms of PTSD include all the symptoms of simple or uncomplicated PTSD. The difference is that complex PTSD requires some additional treatment. Here, we focus on the different types of PTSD and treatments to help you, or anyone you know, who suffers from PTSD. In most cases, PTSD is caused by exposure to a serious accident, combat, sexual violence, or physical abuse.
For some, PTSD is the result of the survivor's guilt. Not only does the survivor have feelings about the experience that left others dead, but he also has mixed emotions about being the only one who survived it. Other traumatic events that can cause different types of post-traumatic stress disorder include natural disasters and other near-death experiences. Overcoming events that are so intense that they will change your life doesn't automatically mean that you're going to develop PTSD.
There are several steps that must be taken before a doctor gives you a diagnosis of PTSD. And there are a few different types of post-traumatic stress disorder that your health professional might consider. Based on the trauma you've experienced and your symptoms, your doctor will develop the best treatment plan for you. The symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder are not explicit in the DSM-5, as they were in the DSM-IV.
The National Center for PTSD offers a clearer understanding. They suggest that complex PTSD is a diagnosis that describes a set of symptoms. This group of symptoms is also known as extreme stress disorders not otherwise specified (DESNOS). If you experience complex post-traumatic stress disorder, you may have trouble regulating your emotions.
That can lead to explosive anger or even suicidal thoughts. You may frequently relive traumatic events or feel detached from your own mental self (dissociation). Your perception of yourself can change, which can cause extreme guilt or shame. Because comorbid PTSD varies so much from person to person, treatment isn't one-size-fits-all.
It will address both disorders and their specific symptoms. People with dissociative post-traumatic stress disorder tend to have a history of trauma in the early years of life. This could explain why you may also have memories of a traumatic event related to your post-traumatic stress disorder or feel that you are briefly losing contact with your environment. The best treatment for dissociative PTSD is to find a therapist who specializes in trauma and dissociation.
You'll learn coping strategies to stay present. These can include basic techniques that teach you to reconnect with your five senses as soon as you feel that you are falling into a flashback or a derealization. It's also important to identify the triggers, the people, places and things that tell you that you have a flashback or a blur. Knowing the triggers will help you and your therapist find ways to cope with them.
Once you're diagnosed, there are different ways to treat PTSD. That's why the types of post-traumatic stress disorder are important information. Understanding the history of your trauma and how you're processing it can help your mental health professional create the right treatment for your needs. Medications for anxiety and depression are common prescriptions for PTSD.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are approved by the FDA for the treatment of different types of PTSD. Like any other medication, antidepressants and anti-anxiety formulas have side effects that you might want to avoid. Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop post-traumatic stress disorder. However, if you experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, it's important to seek help.
For a non-invasive, drug-free treatment option, talk to your doctor about EMT. Because EMT has been approved by the FDA to treat depression, it may be especially beneficial for anyone suffering from PTSD comorbid with MDD. Whatever you do, don't waste time. Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder is always within reach.
People with this type have symptoms similar to those of other types of PTSD, such as re-experiencing trauma and avoiding places or people related to the trauma. Comorbid PTSD is also a common type, as many people have one or more mental health conditions with PTSD. The emotional or behavioral symptoms that a person experiences in response to the stressor are generally more severe or more intense than would reasonably be expected for the type of event that occurred. This type of post-traumatic stress disorder is common in situations of abuse or domestic violence, as well as in situations of repeated exposure to war, community violence, or sudden loss.
The truth is that there are different types of post-traumatic stress disorder and there are different causes and treatments for them. Cognitive processing therapy, long-term exposure therapy, and stress inoculation therapy (described below) are among the types of CBT used to treat PTSD. Treatment for this type usually includes treating the symptoms of PTSD and the other mental health condition. .