Experiencing severe trauma can be life-altering, and the side effects can create challenges and roadblocks every day. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that affects 24.4 million Americans. It can be debilitating and often goes undiagnosed. It’s important to understand the side effects and ways that PTSD counseling can help. Below, you’ll find answers to common questions about the condition.

Common PTSD Questions, Answered

What is PTSD?

It’s a mental health condition that manifests from an extremely frightening and traumatic experience. It usually appears several days or weeks following the event. It can be temporary or chronic, and have extended periods of remission. Symptoms can also be mild or severe, depending on the person, and are usually triggered by reminders of the event.

What causes it?

U.S. military soldiers experience this condition, as their bodies experience shock after a traumatic event. The shock turns to PTSD when their nervous system is unable to stabilize after the danger has passed. Those exposed to sexual abuse and extreme violence also show symptoms of PTSD. General stress, however, can also cause it, such as an embarrassing moment from public speaking. Some people may inherit anxiety or depression—contributors of PTSD—or inherit personality traits and hormonal release tendencies that generate a PTSD-like response to stress.

What are its symptoms?

This condition can go unnoticed for years, but common symptoms include recurring, stressful memories of the traumatic event, reliving the event through flashbacks, troubling dreams or nightmares related to the event, avoiding people, places, and activities that remind you of the event, hopelessness or negative feelings, depression, trouble maintaining relationships, defensiveness or chronic fear, and irritability and violence.

What treatments are available?

Psychotherapy has several treatment approaches for this condition. PTSD counseling aims to teach a person skills to manage their symptoms, cope with the traumatic experience, and improve their outlook. Talk therapy and exposure therapy are common, and medications such as antidepressants are often prescribed. PTSD counseling takes time, but with dedication, you’ll overcome the condition and live a fulfilling life.

If you or a loved one is struggling with PTSD, the mental health team at White Spruce Counseling can help. Serving Rochester, NY, they offer PTSD counseling, anger management help, drug and alcohol counseling, and general mental health services. They take a personalized approach to therapy with each patient. Browse their offerings online and call (585) 424-2436 to schedule a consultation.