Trauma has an unfortunate way of tattooing itself deep within our psyche. It can also be caused by many different things and does not necessarily need to be experienced first-hand to affect us. Everyone has a different way of dealing with trauma. Some are able to process the trauma and move forward, while others can get stuck. When this happens, it is known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that develops after an individual experiences or witnesses a disturbing event. Unfortunately, this can cause them to experience flashbacks, low self-esteem, high anxiety levels, and insomnia. In some cases, they may also have no memory of the event itself until they are “triggered” by some type of stimuli that reminds their subconscious of the event.
If you have been diagnosed with PTSD, or if you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of PTSD, it is strongly encouraged to seek treatment with a PTSD psychiatrist. Depending on the type and severity of your symptoms, a PTSD psychiatrist may offer a range of treatment options. Here are three ways a PTSD psychiatrist can help you deal with trauma:
Alleviate Symptoms
With PTSD, some symptoms can occur because the brain has become extremely reactive to any perceived or real threat. This is the result of unbalanced neurotransmitters which keeps the body in an almost constant state of flight or fight. To alleviate your symptoms and balance the neurotransmitters causing them, your PTSD psychiatrist may recommend medication.
PTSD medications can include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and benzodiazepines Additionally, therapies such as cognitive processing and exposure therapy can also help to reduce symptoms.
Teach You Skills
Learning skills that can help you deal with your PTSD is important to allow you to move forward. For this reason, your psychiatrist may work with you through talk therapy or suggest that you work with a psychologist. Talk therapy can offer a variety of approaches, depending on your particular situation.
One approach focuses on processing the event and all your emotions related to it, while another focuses on exposing you to certain stimuli that you may have avoided because it causes severe anxiety. Other approaches focus on teaching you how to identify anxiety and relax your body through breathing, grounding, or massage.
Improve Your Self-Esteem
Another important way your PTSD psychiatrist helps you is by improving your self-esteem. Improved self-esteem can occur as a result of diminishing symptoms, as well as feeling more in control of your situation due to the skills you’ve learned. Furthermore, discussing the traumatic event in more detail can help you to alleviate any guilt or shame related to the event that could be negatively affecting your self-esteem.
As you can see, visiting a PTSD psychiatrist can help you deal with your PTSD by alleviating symptoms, learning new skills, and improving your self-esteem. These three things will make a huge difference in the way you deal with past trauma and will help you to move forward. Although trauma tends to stick with us, it shouldn’t be a part of your daily life. Seeing a PTSD psychiatrist can help you get your life back.
Dr. Miller is trained in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is also trained in Anesthesia and Pain Management. Because of her broad experience, Dr. Miller is uniquely qualified to treat psychological trauma, depression and anxiety that can occur as a result of injury or disability. For more information, schedule a consultation at NJ Family Psychiatry & Therapy.
