Do I Have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)?

First it is important to identify: What is PTSD?Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can occur when someone (adult or child) is exposed to something that they considered traumatic. Even people who witnessed a traumatic event can have symptoms of PTSD. Symptoms differ from person to person.

Some of the most common symptoms include (not all symptoms are listed here and not everyone experiences all symptoms): Having trouble sleeping, being irritable, having difficulty concentrating, getting startled easily, having nightmares about the event, having distressing thoughts during the day about the event, becoming stressed out when being exposed to things that remind you of the traumatic event (such as having to go back to the place where the event happened), inability to recall aspects of the trauma, avoiding activities, feeling detached from other people, and unable to have loving feelings.

If you have a few of the symptoms listed above and you want to better determine if you have PTSD, it is best to get evaluated by a therapist, psychiatrist or medical doctor. AGAIN, some people only experience a few of the symptoms and still are considered to have PTSD. It is for a trained professional to determine the proper diagnosis.

What Is the Treatment For PTSD?Treatment for PTSD can be very successful depending on the type of trauma and the level of support the person with PTSD has. There are several different approaches to PTSD. If you would like to read more about two different approaches to treating PTSD, please see the blog entry titled: “How Do I Get Through A Trauma”.

If you are looking for an therapy in Long Beach for PTSD, please give me a call to ask me a question or to set up an appointment.