Trauma & Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Trauma of any kind can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a severely distressing mental health condition. The compassionate professionals at the Rein Center in Iowa City, Iowa, specialize in using an integrative approach to PTSD treatment, combining medication, talk therapy, and methods like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Call the Rein Center or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today to benefit from the practice’s comprehensive approach to trauma and PTSD.

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, affects some people after a traumatic event. It was first identified in military personnel returning from war but could affect anyone. Other traumas that can result in PTSD include:

• Natural disasters like floods and tornadoes
• Severe traffic accidents
• Violent personal assaults
• Air or rail crashes
• Burning and collapsing buildings
• Abductions
• Terrorist incidents
• Mass shootings

Experiences leading to PTSD usually only last a short time — between a few minutes and a few days. However, complex PTSD can develop following sustained trauma lasting for years, such as sexual or domestic abuse.

What symptoms can trauma and PTSD cause?

Trauma and PTSD symptoms have four broad themes:

Negative thoughts

Fear, guilt, and anger are common emotions in people with PTSD. You might feel furious with whoever you think is responsible for the trauma or even believe you’re to blame. You may imagine you could have done more to prevent the event or help as it unfolded. Some people suffer from survivor’s guilt because they’re alive when others have died.

Intrusive thoughts 

Flashbacks are the most dramatic examples of intrusive thinking. They occur when something triggers your mind’s return to the trauma, and you suddenly feel as though you’re living it over again. Intrusive thoughts make it hard to focus on anything else and often cause vivid nightmares that disrupt your sleep.

Arousal and reactive responses 

Being in a heightened state of arousal means you’re always expecting danger, startling easily, and flinching at loud noises or when touched. You might often feel short-tempered and impatient, and some people adopt reckless or self-destructive behaviors. Self-medicating with alcohol and drugs isn’t uncommon in people with PTSD.

Avoidance

PTSD symptoms are so disturbing that you might go to great lengths to reduce the likelihood of experiencing intrusive thoughts and flashbacks. This typically involves isolating yourself from people and places that remind you of the trauma.

It’s often tough for PTSD patients to discuss their experiences, so they tend to avoid talking to their friends and family about what happened.

How are trauma and PTSD treated?

The Rein Center mental health experts create personalized, integrative treatment plans for patients with trauma or PTSD after a comprehensive psychological assessment. Treatments that might form part of your program include:

• Integrative psychology
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications
• EMDR
• Ketamine treatment
• Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy
• Mind-body wellness
• Medication management
• Yoga and meditation

Your Rein Center therapist understands trauma’s effects and offers compassionate care in a safe, secure environment.

Call Rein Center or book an appointment online to benefit from expert trauma and PTSD treatment today.