Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Los Angeles
Finding Relief After Trauma
Traumatic situations push the body into stress-mode. Your heart rate rises and your muscles tense. You may even become hyper-alert, vigilante, or irritable. Usually, this reaction dissipates after the situation ends, but in some cases, it doesn’t. Instead, for some people, the feelings of helplessness, horror, or fear continue long after the initial traumatic event is over. In others, the feelings resurface when triggered by an event or situation that reminds them of the trauma they faced.
If you’re struggling to function or on edge after a traumatizing event, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder, also called post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
Learn more about PTSD treatment in Los Angeles, CA, by contacting The C.U.B.E. Our organization specializes in helping teens and young adults process difficult situations to help them cope and find relief from the symptoms of PTSD.
What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
PTSD was originally referred to as shell shock or battle fatigue syndrome and was first recognized as a condition affecting soldiers returning from war. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental condition that develops after a traumatic event. It often causes anxiety and negative cognitive effects that can significantly impact one’s quality of life. Recovery can be difficult without proper personal and professional support.
Below are common situations that are known to trigger PTSD.
- Natural disasters
- Sexual assault
- Physical and mental abuse
- Car or plane accidents
- Physical altercations
- The death or loss of a loved one
Everyone responds differently to trauma. What traumatizes one person may not cause the same reaction in another. Even so, witnessing or living through any type of traumatic event can cause one to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. A traumatic event doesn’t have to happen to you directly to experience PTSD. For example, emergency personnel and rescue workers often exhibit PTSD symptoms from performing their jobs. Family members can also develop post-traumatic stress disorder after interacting with or witnessing a loved one experience something traumatic.
The Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD symptoms fall into four broad categories. Everyone’s experience is different, and you may not experience all symptoms or even symptoms from all categories. Over time, your symptoms may change. Click each tab below to learn more.
Avoidance
You avoid places that remind you of the trauma, including the place you were when it occurred. You may also avoid people or things that remind you of the event. This avoidance can be very isolating, making it difficult to maintain relationships with family and friends or to participate in activities you once enjoyed. Some PTSD patients avoid thinking, acknowledging, or talking about the event or their experience.
Reliving
Many people with PTSD relive the traumatic event through flashbacks, nightmares, hallucinations, and vivid memories.
Heightened Sensations & Reactions
With PTSD, little actions can lead to big reactions. You may startle easily or feel exhausted from constantly being on high alert. Many patients with PTSD have difficulty concentrating and trouble sleeping. Physical symptoms, including increased heart rate, high blood pressure, nausea, and rapid breathing, may also occur.
Negative Changes in Thinking & Mood
You may feel down, depressed, or hopeless. Many patients with PTSD experience negative feelings about themselves, others, or the world. You may feel guilty about the situation.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of PTSD, working with a C.U.B.E therapist can be beneficial. Contact us to schedule your first visit.
Do I Have PTSD?
After a traumatic event, most people will experience a change in behavior and feelings. These changes are often temporary, resolving on their own in a few days or weeks. When symptoms start to linger or interfere with your ability to function, the cause may be PTSD.
PTSD is present when symptoms remain for at least a month after a triggering event and when a medical evaluation determines that there isn’t a physical cause for these symptoms.
Do you have PTSD? Should you seek help from a professional therapist?
- Are you struggling to go to work or school?
- Have your symptoms lasted for more than a month?
- Do you have suicidal thoughts?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might benefit from professional help. Regain control of your life by contacting The C.U.B.E. Prompt treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder can keep symptoms from worsening. As you learn tools for dealing with this stress, you can find relief from PTSD symptoms.
Getting Professional Help for Your PTSD
The C.U.B.E. offers treatment for anxiety disorders and other concerns in teens and young adults living in Los Angeles. Our therapists specialize in trauma-focused therapy practices, an evidenced based and highly effective therapy technique.
Connect -Building relationships is the foundation for successful treatment.
Uplift – Many people who have been traumatized feel hopeless and think they cannot move on with their lives. They keep reliving the experience over and over with no end in sight. It is important when recovering from trauma that patients recognize the good within themselves and their options. We work with patients so they can see the good in themselves and their situations so they can once again find hope for the future to move forward and overcome the trauma.
Build – Trauma can be difficult for anyone to process, especially without the right tools. The C.U.B.E. teaches patients the tools they need for success so they can address challenges and make positive changes. These methods last a lifetime, serving patients long after their last therapy session at The C.U.B.E.
Empower – We hope to be a temporary help for patients, not a permanent fixture. The C.U.B.E helps patients become self-sufficient so they can thrive on their own.
PTSD can be challenging to treat, but our therapists have extensive experience. We use trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and medications, when necessary, to help patients find relief from their symptoms and return to a comfortable and productive life.