It’s estimated that 3.6% of adults in the United States experienced some form of post-traumatic stress disorder in the previous year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. If you’re facing this or another type of trauma, getting help is an option. Treatment for trauma, after identifying its presence, is a critical step in reclaiming your life.
What is Psychological Trauma Treatment?
Trauma treatment is specific to the needs of the individual. A group of therapies may be used on their own or together to help a person overcome the most impactful elements of trauma.
There’s no way to forget or to erase what the trauma has done to you. However, with therapy, it may be possible to rebuild your life. Most people benefit from a combination of trauma treatments offered by licensed and accredited providers. You shouldn’t try to deal with trauma on your own.
Trauma Treatment Through Counseling
Treating emotional trauma requires talking. Counseling, in both one-on-one sessions and group therapy, can help people get to what’s causing their pain.
Generally, your therapist works to uncover the true cause of your symptoms, which may include the actual traumatic event. In a safe setting, a therapist works with you to talk about that event, what it did to you, why you think it happened, and what the presence of it in your life today means. Key components of therapy for trauma may include:
Cognitive Processing Therapy: In this approach, a person works through a number of therapy sessions where they discuss the event, write it down in detail and examine what feelings it creates. The goal is to figure out a new way to manage those feelings or thoughts surrounding this event. The benefit is that you can start to retrain your brain’s reaction to the trauma.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy: Some people benefit from short instances of exposure to the trauma they are suffering. This is generally done for situations that bring on anxiety. You learn how to breathe through them, slow down your mind and face the recounting of these events in your life.
Trauma Treatment Through Medical Integration
While most people think psychological trauma therapy is simply talking through the events, there’s an important physiological connection too. Sometimes, the trauma symptoms a person has are directly related to physical ailments.
Some diseases or medications can create sensations of anxiety, fear and the powerful emotional reliving of events in your life. Illegal substances can also create these types of experiences.
For that reason, it’s essential for a person to receive a full medical workup. This component ensures physical needs are being met properly in the course of providing care. Appropriate treatment for trauma for any underlying medical condition is important as well.
What Are The Medication Trauma Treatment Options?
Some people benefit from prescription medications that can help to minimize their negative experiences and thoughts. The only time this is done is when a person’s condition warrants it. It’s not easy to make this decision since most medications have some side effects. Common medications used to treat trauma include:
Antidepressants: The most common option includes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications — drugs such as sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil). These drugs can help with depression and anxiety related to trauma. They can improve concentration and alleviate sleep disturbances.
Antianxiety Medications: Many people with trauma experience chronic anxiety. Some medications may be prescribed to help minimize its impact. Most of the time, these medications are used for a short period until a person can learn how to control anxiety more effectively.
What Are The Natural Trauma Treatment Options?
You and your therapist can develop treatments outside of counseling and medication to treat your trauma. This may include natural solutions designed to help improve your mental health, such as:
Lifestyle Changes: Improving circumstances, no longer using drugs or alcohol and getting assistance for relationship problems can help you. You may also find that removing some of the triggers that cause traumatic episodes or PTSD can help.
Diet Changes: Improving the quality of nutrients in a diet can help some people. This can improve hormone balance and overall health.
