Dallas Counseling & Psychotherapy

STEVE B. REED, LPC, LMSW, LMFT

PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

By Steve B. Reed, LPC, LMSW, LMFT

What is (PTSD) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? 

Causes of post traumatic stress disorder: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder results when a person has been exposed to an overwhelmingly stressful event that is experienced as traumatic by the individual.

Characteristics of PTSD include:

1.  Exposure to an event in which the person experienced, witnessed or was confronted with the threat of death, serious injury or a threat to their physical well-being.

2.  The person’s response would also involve intense fear, helplessness or horror.

3.  The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced (flashbacks, intrusive memories, nightmares, etc.)

4.  The person persistently avoiding anything that they associate with the trauma.

5.  Persistent hyper-vigilance, sleep difficulties, irritability, difficulty concentrating or        other signs of increased arousal.

6.  The disturbance causes impairment or distress in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning. (Source: Diagnostic Criteria from the DSM IV)  

Although this is the formal definition of PTSD, it is my experience that individuals can and do develop symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder from events of a lesser magnitude.  Anything that sufficiently overwhelms an individual to the extent that the intensity does not fade would be considered traumatic.  If we used a scale of 0 to 10 where 0 equals no distress and 10 equals the worst distress, anything that bothers you in the 7 to 10 range would be traumatic.  That level of intensity does not typically dissipate without an effective therapeutic intervention.  (See the “Highly Useful” therapies below.) 

(PTSD) Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:

If several of the following symptoms are present more than once per month after a trauma, the Anxiety Disorder Association of America recommends that you seek professional help by consulting a mental health professional.  Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could include:

• Recurrent and uncontrollable thoughts, memories or dreams about the trauma
• Acting or feeling as if the trauma is happening in the present
• Intense emotional or physiological reactions to reminders of the trauma
• Going to extreme lengths to avoid reminders of the trauma
•  Inability to feel emotionally close to others
• Inability to remember important details about the trauma
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Greater irritability than before the trauma
• Extreme wariness (e.g., avoiding crowded places)
• Being easily startled

Other symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can include—Headache, fatigue, heart pounding, sweats (especially at night), diarrhea, abdominal pain, muscular aches and pains, easy startle, and frequent urination. (Source: Brian B. Doyle, M.D., Georgetown Medical School) 

PTSD is a treatable anxiety disorder.  Although many people have post traumatic stress syndrome, there is no need to suffer from post traumatic stress in silence. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment (PTSD): 

Psychotherapy:

1.      Quick REMAP & The REMAP process—Highly Useful
    See REMAP Research with Trauma Survivors

2.      Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)—Highly Useful

3.      Thought Field Therapy (TFT)—Highly Useful

4.      EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)—Highly Useful

5.      NLP (Trauma & Phobia Technique)—Sometimes Useful

6.      Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR)—Sometimes Useful

7.      Cognitive Therapy—Most useful after treatment with the therapies above 

Exercise—Research shows that exercise is useful in lowering general stress levels
                 and accompanying feelings of Depression—e.g. walking 3 miles in 45
                 minutes, 6 days per week.  Some studies show exercise as effective
                 as antidepressants for mild to moderate depression.

 Nutritional Supplements:

1.      SAM-e (S-Adenosyl-L-methionine)—useful in alleviating accompanying depression symptoms.

2.      GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)—useful in easing anxiety symptoms and improving sleep.

3.      Inositol—useful in easing symptoms of depression, anxiety and improving sleep.

Prescription Pharmaceuticals (consult a psychiatrist)

EEG Neurofeedback (Brainwave Biofeedback)—Sometimes useful

Scheduling an appointment:  For evaluation and treatment 

Other Useful Resources: 

Books:  Quick REMAP Self-Help Book, Quick REMAP Professional Handbook,
              Also Books On EFT, Energy Psychology, TFT, EMDR, TIR 

Videos:  Quick REMAP Self-Help Seminar on DVD & Lectures   Also see these listings 

Seminars:

1.      Quick REMAP Self-Help Seminar  (open to the public) or
   Quick REMAP Professional Seminar (open to professionals)    

2.      EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Level 1 and 2 (open to the public)

3.      Professional Training in the REMAP process 

4.      Treating PTSD, Everyday Traumas and High Stress Events (professionals)

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