Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD Treatment in Denver
What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that stems from an individual’s personal experience with a traumatic event. This may include people who have experienced the threat of death or injury to oneself or others such as assault, combat, accident, natural disaster, terrorism, or abuse.
Although certain reactions to overwhelming experiences are expected, these reactions – if persistent over time – may interfere significantly with an individual’s functioning, relationships, and sense of self.
PTSD may also develop after experiencing medical treatments and surgery during which a person experienced prolonged worry and fear.
It is important to look into ways of treating PTSD or the symptoms can persist and intensify over time. This can significantly impact an individual’s quality of (day-to-day) life.
PTSD Symptoms
Indicators of PTSD may not emerge for months or even years after the event. Symptoms range from vague physical signs to intrusive memories and dramatic changes in mood, and include but are not limited to:
Recurring, distressing memories of the event
Flashbacks or feelings of reliving the event
Chronic, upsetting dreams about the event
Severe anxiety or physical reactions to reminders of the event
Avoidance of thinking about or discussing the event
Avoidance of people, places or activities that serve as reminders of the event
Increased irritability or angry outbursts
Difficulty sleeping
Negative feelings about oneself or others
Memory problems
Loss of life enjoyment or sense of hopelessness about life
Sense of guilt or shame
Jumpiness
People with PTSD can have different symptoms that vary in intensity. Symptoms may change depending on the circumstances that serve as reminders of the traumatic experience. These symptoms are not always detectable to others; therefore, it is even more important to seek the right help and not go through this alone.
PTSD Complications
Certain reactions to an overwhelming experience are natural and to be expected. With PTSD, however, those reactions persist and may eventually interfere with your sense of self and impair your ability to function in school, the workplace or social settings.
Without treatment, the symptoms of PTSD can grow worse and lead to increasingly negative feelings and social isolation. PTSD can also increase your risk for developing major depression, other anxiety disorders, substance abuse problems, or suicidal thoughts.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health – they rely on each other. You wouldn’t leave a physical wound that will not close and heal unattended and we feel it is important to treat your mental health in the same way.
Seeking Help for PTSD
Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder should be sought if disturbing thoughts about a traumatic event occur for longer than a month, if feelings about the event are so strong they impact your ability to function, or if PTSD symptoms are accompanied by suicidal thoughts.
Though there are medications for PTSD available, these should always be accompanied by evidence-based therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR or Cognitive Processing Therapy, a CBT-based therapy specifically designed to effectively treat PTSD. Here is an overview of the therapies we offer at CBT Denver for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy is a CBT-based therapy approach that was developed to help individuals dealing with severe stress responses to traumatic events, typically throughout a course of 12 – 15 sessions. These sessions are focused on:
Recognizing recurring, triggering thought patterns
Putting memories into context
Shifting negative beliefs into a more realistic place
Using techniques to progressively reduce and eliminate anxiety and other PTSD symptoms
The idea behind CPT is for people experiencing PTSD to get a good understanding of their emotional (thought) patterns and triggers. Applying the cognitive skills they focus on during these sessions can help them through momentary or continuous crises in a helpful way. Ultimately, individuals are taught to become their “own therapist”.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Another therapy option is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a trauma-focused, exposure-based approach aimed at reducing the negative emotions and thought patterns that come with PTSD. This is done by “targeting” the experiences that have become stuck in the trauma memory network of the brain, using Dual Attention Stimulation (DAS).
Through eye movements, sounds, alternating tapping on the left and right side of the body, or hand-held tactile pulsars, bilateral stimulation is activated in the brain. During the course of these actions, the individual is asked to recall the traumatic event and the emotions associated with it.
Essentially, this association – between the trigger and the repetitive stimulation – allows the traumatic memory to move to a more adaptive, resolved framework in the memory system, rather than the charged position within the trauma memory network of the brain.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Prolonged Exposure Therapy is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that focuses on helping individuals confront and, eventually, overcome fears. It is a common and effective choice for treating PTSD.
There are typically two parts to this style of therapy. During sessions, patients are asked to describe the traumatic event and the fears they now associate with it, in detail. The therapist guides these sessions, letting the individual go at their own pace and confronting the emotions that arise.
Outside of the sessions, patients are asked to seek out confrontational stimuli in real life situations. This is referred to as "in vivo exposure". This type of exposure therapy helps to rewire the associations made with a traumatic event, and accept them for what they are - everyday situations, with no danger or threat.
Other Therapies
Group therapy settings can also highlight the importance of self-reflection and identifying emotions and thought patterns. Additionally, group settings often help to reduce a sense of isolation and showing individuals suffering from PTSD that they are not alone in/with their journey and symptoms.
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) – is another type of exposure-based therapy. VRET is an active way of working through triggering situations in a safe and controlled environment using the technology of VR to simulate triggers and contexts the individual may be avoiding.
Contact us
Learn More About PTSD Treatment at CBT Denver
If you’re interested in learning more about our approach to treating PTSD, including CPT and EMDR therapy, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help you explore what might be best for your needs through an initial phone consultation and answer any questions you have.