At Evolve Wellness Inc, we understand that seeking therapy for PTSD can be a difficult decision. However, with the rise of technology and virtual services, online therapy is becoming an increasingly popular and accessible option for those struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
With our online PTSD therapy program, our highly trained therapists provide personalized care and support to help you manage your symptoms and heal from past traumas. Through our evidence-based methods and years of experience, we have seen the powerful impact that therapy can have on individuals suffering from PTSD. We strive to make therapy accessible and affordable for all who need it.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health disorder. It often develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. The event can be life-threatening, such as combat, sexual assault, a car accident, or a natural disaster. However, the sudden death of a loved one can also cause PTSD.
Feeling afraid during and after traumatic events is normal. Fear triggers the “fight-or-flight” response, which helps protect you from possible harm. It causes changes within the body, such as releasing certain hormones and increasing alertness, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
Most people recover from this naturally over time. But other people don’t recover and develop PTSD. The stress and fear last long after the traumatic event is over. In some people, PTSD doesn’t develop till months or years after the event.
Types of Trauma that Cause PTSD
PTSD can develop after a distressing, frightening, highly stressful event or prolonged trauma. The following are examples of events that can cause PTSD.
- Combat
- Witnessing people be killed
- Rape or sexual assault
- Kidnapping
- Car crashes
- Physical and mental abuse
- Trauma at work
- Surviving a natural disaster
- The sudden death of a loved one
- Traumatic childbirth
- A terminal diagnosis
- Witnessing a terrorist attack or mass shooting
About 1 in 3 people who experience any of the above events develop PTSD. While it’s not fully understood why some people develop PTSD, and others don’t, certain factors increase the likelihood of developing PTSD.
Risk Factors for Developing PTSD
While not everyone develops PTSD after a traumatic event, certain risk factors increase the likelihood PTSD symptoms will occur. These risk factors include the following.
Experiencing Previous Trauma
Experiencing a previous trauma such as rape, an act of violence, or a car accident increases the chances of developing PTSD. The stress of traumatic events can have cumulative effects, and new events can exacerbate the effects of previous traumas. This is especially true in those with early childhood trauma.
Family History of PTSD or Depression
History of Substance Abuse
Poor Coping Skills
Lack of Social Support
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD Diagnosis
PTSD symptoms are categorized into the following four categories.
Avoidance Symptoms
- Engaging in reckless behaviors
- Self-medicating with drugs or alcohol
- Trouble expressing affection
- Feelings of detachment
- Inability to recall specifics of the event
- Emotional numbness
- Avoiding things related to the event
Intrusion Symptoms
Cognition and Mood-related Symptoms
Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms
Other Effects of PTSD
Besides the above symptoms of PTSD, this disorder can cause problems in the following areas:
- Enjoying yourself
- Coping with change
- Remembering things
- Making decisions
- Maintaining friendships
- Maintaining relationships
- Holding down a job
- Libido
PTSD may also co-occur with depression disorders, anxiety, dissociative disorders, suicidal ideations, and self-harm.
PTSD Statistics
There are many reasons we don’t have exact numbers of people struggling with PTSD. For instance, there isn’t a single study that asks everyone about PTSD. Furthermore, if a study did ask, people may have forgotten or never talked to a doctor and received a diagnosis.
For these reasons, we only have the best estimates on people with PTSD.
- Most people who experience a traumatic event do not develop PTSD.
- About 6 in 100 people will have PTSD sometime in their life.
- Around 5 in 100 adults has PTSD in any given year.
- Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. Close to 8% of women and 4% of men will struggle with PTSD in their life.
What Causes PTSD?
During traumatic events, the body goes into flight-or-fight mode. It releases stress hormones. The heart beats faster. The brain puts normal tasks on pause.
PTSD causes the brain to get stuck in danger mode. After the danger has ended, the brain stays on high alert and continues sending the body stress signals leading to PTSD. The amygdala, the part of the brain that handles fear and emotion, is more active in people struggling with PTSD.
Over time, PTSD causes changes in the brain. The hippocampus, which controls your memory, for example, becomes smaller. This is one reason seeking PTSD therapy online early is recommended.
How is PTSD Diagnosed?
A diagnosis of PTSD doesn’t happen until at least one month has passed since the event. If PTSD symptoms are present, your doctor will complete a medical history and physical exam. While there aren’t any blood tests to diagnose PTSD, blood work will be done to rule out any physical cause for the symptoms.
If there aren’t any physical reasons for the symptoms, you will be referred to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or any other mental health professional. These professionals use specialized tools and interviews to evaluate you for PTSD and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Their diagnosis of PTSD is based on the following:
- Reported symptoms
- Problems with functioning
- The degree of dysfunction
- How long since the symptoms appeared
Once you receive a PTSD diagnosis, it is crucial to seek help from a mental health treatment center. PTSD therapy online allows you to get help from the privacy and safety of your own home and learn healthy coping skills to improve your future.
Treatment Options for PTSD
If you experience or witness a traumatic event and have symptoms like crying anxiety, or trouble focusing, it is normal and doesn’t automatically mean you have PTSD. If you believe you are struggling with PTSD, getting treatment right away can minimize symptoms and increase lifelong recovery.
PTSD treatment is strongly recommended if the following apply to you:
- Symptoms last for a month or more
- Symptoms are affecting your daily living
- You are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Because PTSD affects every person differently, it’s crucial to find a treatment facility that focuses on PTSD. PTSD therapy online can help your specific trauma while also considering your situation.
Medication-assisted treatment and psychotherapy are the most effective forms of PTSD treatment. However, not everyone needs medication-assisted treatment.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Antidepressants are commonly used due to their effectiveness on PTSD symptoms. They can help manage the most stressful symptoms, such as worry, numbness, depression, and anger. If you struggle with nightmares and trouble sleeping, you may also be prescribed other medications.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is often called talk therapy or individual therapy. It is very effective in treating symptoms of PTSD. Many different forms of psychotherapy are beneficial in treating PTSD. Some forms of therapy focus on the symptoms of PTSD, while others focus on social issues or work-related problems.
For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps manage PTSD symptoms. It helps people learn to identify triggers that bring back memories of the event. It also teaches people to use healthy coping skills to minimize distress.
Exposure therapy gradually and gently exposes people to their trauma. Therapists may have people write about their trauma or even have them visualize the event while in a safe space. With time, therapy may even involve visiting the scene of the event.
By using cognitive restructuring, a person can reframe the trauma and lessen its hold on them.
Goals for PTSD Treatment
While PTSD affects each person differently, the goals of PTSD therapy online are technically the same. The first goal of therapy is removing any ongoing trauma in your life, such as an abusive relationship. Other ongoing problems include:
- Substance abuse
- Depression
- Panic disorder
- Suicidal thoughts
Besides addressing ongoing issues, the broad goals of PTSD therapy include the following goals.
Increasing the Understanding of Your PTSD
- Learning the vocabulary to describe the feelings of PTSD
- Identifying your PTSD triggers
- Develop short-term action plans
- Accept and acknowledge the issues caused by PTSD
- Connect your triggers to your symptoms
Identify, Resolve, and Release Past PTSD Issues
Correct Irrational and Flawed Thinking
Manage Stress and Anxiety More Efficiently
Choose Evolve Wellness Inc for Your Online PTSD Therapy Needs
Are you or a loved one struggling with recent or past traumatic events? If so, PTSD therapy online at Evolve Wellness Inc in California can help. Our telehealth PTSD therapy and all of our treatment programs are personalized to meet your personal and mental health needs.
Don’t live in fear of something triggering your PTSD any longer. Contact us today and start taking back control of your life.