Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition that is caused by experiencing trauma. While not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD, every person who is diagnosed with PTSD has experienced trauma. PTSD is characterized by symptoms including isolation, suicidal ideation, mood swings, sleep issues, anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and more that can debilitate a person’s life negatively.
PTSD is commonly associated with war and combat as many veterans struggle with this mental health condition after they come home from battle. However, while it is true that veterans can struggle with PTSD, it’s not a mental health condition that is solely diagnosed by military personnel. Anyone who has experienced severe trauma can develop PTSD. According to statistics, 5% of all adult-aged individuals living in the USA are living with PTSD. And, of these adults, more women than men are diagnosed with PTSD. Knowing that PTSD is not rare can help people who believe they may be living with PTSD reach out and get the help they need through mental health treatment that is proven effective in reducing symptoms of this condition.
Being able to identify the symptoms of PTSD can help people who have lived through trauma and think they may be living with PTSD be able to identify whether or not they may need to reach out for care to address symptoms of PTSD in their own lives. Some of the most common symptoms of PTSD include:
If you have lived through a traumatic event or series of events and are struggling with some or even all of the symptoms listed above, it can be helpful to reach out and talk to a mental health specialist about a PTSD diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is made, you have the option of looking to utilize available treatments that can help greatly reduce the symptoms of PTSD and improve your overall value of life.
There are a number of available treatments that address PTSD and help to improve PTSD symptoms for people who are diagnosed with this disorder. Here at Delray Brain Science, we offer treatments that are brain-based, meaning they work by addressing the functioning of the brain in relation to how people experience symptoms of mental health issues, including PTSD. Some of the alternative therapies we offer to help people living with PTSD include:
TMS: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) works by using a machine that sends electromagnetic pulses into the brain in order to stimulate the areas of the brain that have been affected by trauma. Stimulation of these brain cells can help to improve functioning responsible for mood management, cognition, memory, and more. Thus, helping to reduce debilitating symptoms of PTSD.
Ketamine Therapies: Ketamine therapies are administered intravenously or by nasal inhaler. They utilize a medication called ketamine that, when used in proper doses, can help to stimulate areas of the brain responsible for mood and depression. This can greatly help people living with PTSD better manage the symptoms of their disorder and improve their overall quality of life.