Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can arise in the aftermath of certain kinds of distressing events. By definition, the disorder significantly affects your ability to function and feel good. Unless you seek help for the symptoms it produces, you may continue to suffer indefinitely. A PTSD treatment program can help ease your posttraumatic symptoms. As a result, it can help you restore a sense of wellness and improve the quality of your everyday life.
For excellence in PTSD treatment, turn to the professionals at The Right Step. We feature services that support effective recovery from the disorder. We also feature specialized help for the substance problems common in people affected by PTSD.
Do You Need PTSD Treatment?
Certain short-term reactions are expected when you go through a highly distressing life event. For example, you may feel shocked and unable to process what’s happened to you. You may also feel fearful or jumpy, get angry, or have trouble sleeping.
In most cases, the impact of these traumatic reactions fades as time passes. But significant numbers of adults and children don’t experience this kind of decrease. Instead, their responses linger or increase in magnitude. If trauma continues to affect you in life-disrupting ways after a period of 30 days, you may have PTSD. You may also have a delayed trauma reaction that qualifies you for a PTSD diagnosis.
PTSD has a range of effects on any given person. In fact, its symptoms fall into four distinct groups or categories:
- Intrusive and unwanted thoughts or images of a distressing event
- Compulsive avoidance of these things, as well as any other trauma reminders
- Changes in your typical mood and thinking that decrease your well-being
- Jumpiness and other signs of an overactive fight-or-flight response
Everyone diagnosed with the disorder has at least one problem in each category. They also lose significant aspects of their ability to function.
PTSD and the Risks for Dual Diagnosis
PTSD can make you more susceptible to other serious mental health issues. High on the list of these issues is substance use disorder (SUD), i.e., substance abuse and addiction. In turn, an existing SUD can make you more susceptible to a future case of PTSD.
PTSD combined with substance problems is a classic example of a dual diagnosis. This term applies to any mixture of SUD with other diagnosable mental health conditions. Dual diagnosis can increase the severity of PTSD. It can also increase the severity of your specific drug or alcohol problem.
Effective Treatments for PTSD
How does a PTSD treatment program provide relief for symptoms of the disorder? Psychotherapy options with known short- and long-term benefits include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- A specialized CBT technique called prolonged exposure therapy
- Targeted trauma therapy
You may also receive an antidepressant or other medication that helps ease some of your PTSD symptoms. If you’re affected by dual diagnosis, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may be part of your treatment plan. DBT has demonstrated benefits in dual diagnosis treatment.
Take Advantage of The Right Step’s Top-Tier PTSD Treatment Program
PTSD has life-altering effects on your ability to function from day to day. But with help, you can overcome these effects and reclaim your sense of well-being. To learn more about recovering from PTSD, talk to the specialists at The Right Step.
The Right Step is a respected provider of PTSD treatment services. In all cases, we rely on modern methods to promote lasting recovery. We meet the same standard of excellence for effective dual diagnosis treatment. Call us today at 17135283709 to begin your return to wellness. You can also contact us through our online form.