Post traumatic stress disorder is a real and serious mental health condition. If you or a loved one is struggling, please know that Pathways Real Life Recovery offers treatment for PTSD in Utah. https://pathwaysreallife.com/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-treatment-in-utah/

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment in
Utah
pathwaysreallife.com/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-treatment-in-utah
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD statistics according to The National Center for
PTSD show, "about 6 of every 10 men (or 60%) and 5 of every 10 women (or 50%)
experience at least one trauma in their lives. In other words, PTSD is not unique to those
enlisted in the military. Even an intense life experience, such as a debilitating addiction to
drugs or alcohol (or during the detoxification process) can result in stress and anxiety that
is severe enough to be treated as post-traumatic stress.
Often, patients that enter rehab may discover they have a dual diagnosis or a co-occurring
mental illness that must be treated along with the symptoms of addiction. Continue
reading to learn more about PTSD causes and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms,
to determine if treatment for negative life experience should be a part of your or your
loved one's treatment in Utah.
Is Your Loved One Suffering From PTSD? Pathways Can Help
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What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health disorder that occurs after a person has
experienced a traumatic event or life experience. In the past, PTSD has been referred to as
"combat fatigue", but we know today that this issue is not exclusive to the military.

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Anyone can develop this condition while recovering from the shock of something seen,
heard, or experienced. Some situations that can result in PTSD are:
The unexpected death of a child or loved one
Persons involved in a severe car accident or fire
Victims of a violent crime such as sexual or physical assault
Childhood abuse, usually physical and/or sexual
Witnessing death, especially in combat
These post-traumatic stress disorder causes can result in extreme emotions and physical
reactions such as re-living the incident through nightmares or flashbacks; bouts of
extreme fear, anger, or sadness; and strong negative reactions to ordinary situations that
may bring a rush of memories - such as a loud noise, a child crying, or crowds of people.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Types
Stress is the common response to upsetting circumstances. Stress affects people both
physically and mentally. When a person is experiencing stress, the body releases stress
hormones, like adrenaline, for example. This causes changes in the body that help the
individual cope with the situation. PTSD is a mental health disorder caused by stressful
events. It can lead to numerous emotional and psychological effects that require different
types of treatment.
The types of PTSD responses that people may have include these common kinds:

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Normal Stress Response
This is the common stress reaction that happens before PTSD occurs. It does not lead to
PTSD in all cases. But, in about six percent of the U.S. population, it does become a
disorder requiring treatment. Traumatic occurrences such as surgery, a serious accident
or illness, the death of a spouse, or another source of extreme stress can cause PTSD.
In cases of normal stress response, people can usually manage the effects with support
from family, friends, peers, group and/or individual therapy, and other resources for help
with coping. People experiencing normal stress responses can typically expect to recover
within several weeks.
Acute Stress Disorder
This stress response is not PTSD. It is common in individuals who have experienced a life-
threatening situation or an event that seemed life-threatening to them. For example,
surviving a natural disaster or an extreme accident. A job loss or death of a close family
member and similarly extreme circumstances can also cause acute stress disorder.
Without effective treatment, acute stress disorder can become PTSD. For acute stress
disorder, group and perhaps individual therapy are usually recommended. For more
severe cases, anxiety medication and intensive individual psychotherapy (talk therapy)
with a psychiatrist may be suggested.
Uncomplicated PTSD

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Uncomplicated PTSD is caused by a single extremely traumatic event. It’s not due to the
collective traumas of multiple events. It’s the most straightforward kind of PTSD for
therapists to treat. Some common uncomplicated PTSD symptoms are avoidance of
reminders of the trauma, flashbacks to the event, nightmares, mood changes, irritability,
and impacts on relationships.
Treatment for uncomplicated PTSD can include talk therapy, medication, or both.
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD is linked to more than one traumatic event. It is common in cases of
domestic abuse and domestic violence. Prolonged exposure to war, violence in a
community, or multiple sudden losses. Complex PTSD symptoms are the same as
uncomplicated PTSD but can be somewhat more severe. Treatment for complex PTSD can
include CBT and other talk therapy programs and medication in some cases.
People suffering from complex PTSD may display extreme emotional problems like
depression, panic episodes, rage, and others. They may also demonstrate behavioral
abnormalities, like aggression, impulsive actions, substance abuse, sexual impulsiveness,
and others. These signs may seem to indicate antisocial or borderline personality disorder
or other mental disorders and can lead to misdiagnosis.
Comorbid PTSD
Comorbid PTSD refers to dual disorders. People with co-occurring mental health
conditions often have substance abuse problems as well. There are as many occurrences
of Comorbid PTSD (combined disorders) as the totals of PTSD and substance use disorder
(SUD) cases added together.
Comorbid PTSD symptoms can include avoidance, intrusive thoughts, nightmares,
flashbacks, trouble focusing, changed sleep patterns, anger, irritability, destructive
behavior, and others. The most effective treatment for comorbid PTSD is to combine
therapies for both conditions, PTSD and SUD, together.
People afflicted with PTSD often attempt to treat the condition themselves. They may self-
medicate and resort to other self-destructive actions. For example, they often use alcohol
or drugs in an effort to relieve the mental, emotional, and even physical pain they may
experience from the sustained stress condition. These measures ultimately make their
situation worse and lead to the need for longer periods of treatment.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health disorder that occurs after a person has
experienced a traumatic event or life experience. In the past, PTSD has been referred to as
"combat fatigue", but we know today that this issue is not exclusive to the military.

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Anyone can develop this condition while recovering from the shock of something seen,
heard, or experienced. Some situations that can result in PTSD are:
The unexpected death of a child or loved one
Persons involved in a severe car accident or fire
Victims of a violent crime such as sexual or physical assault
Childhood abuse, usually physical and/or sexual
Witnessing death, especially in combat
Additionally, once the patient has been properly diagnosed with PTSD, there are a variety
of medications to reduce symptoms and enable persons with PTSD to live productive
lives. These medications may help improve sleep, treat depression, and reduce anxiety.
Why Choose Pathways?
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Financing and Insurance Options available
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Free Assessment
Medications for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
People suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are afflicted with a profound
dread of and a sense of compulsion to react to insignificant triggers by activating the fight
or flight response normally engaged in response to threats. They may also have
nightmares and even flashbacks associated with the causal experience. This condition is
due in part to an imbalance of neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain.
Medications may be used to help PTSD patients avoid dwelling on the experience that
afflicted them with PTSD and stop reacting to it and help them feel happier and back to
normal.
Various drug types impact the brain chemistry that reacts to triggers of anxiety and fear.
Often, physicians treating PTSD patients begin by prescribing medications that engage
norepinephrine or serotonin neurotransmitters. Such medications may include:
Sertraline (in Zoloft)
Paroxetine (in Paxil)
Fluoxetine (in Prozac)
Venlafaxine (in Effexor)

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NOTE: Paroxetine and sertraline are FDA approved for post traumatic stress disorder
treatment.
Other kinds of medications used for treating some PTSD patients may include:
Antipsychotics
Antidepressants
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
Benzodiazepines
Additional medications might be recommended for particular symptoms, such as
insomnia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance use disorder (SUD), or other
co-occurring disorders.
Medications are not likely to eliminate PTSD symptoms entirely, but they may lessen
those effects and help make them much easier for the patient to manage.
Therapy for PTSD
Therapeutic objectives in post traumatic stress disorder treatments include decreasing
symptoms and helping the patient develop skills for coping with PTSD more calmly and
uneventfully. They also include restoring the individual’s self-esteem which can be
severely damaged by the experience that afflicted them with PTSD. Options in either or
both individual and family sessions are considered by therapists and patients in
determining the best course of treatment.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
The majority of PTSD therapies are versions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). These
therapies are focused on helping patients adjust thought patterns that are disrupting their
lives. The sessions can take the form of talking to work through traumas or exploring
where the inordinate fears are originating and how they are impacting the patient’s life.
Ultimately the treatment is directed at helping the patient find ways to live with the
knowledge of the traumatic experience without reacting to the triggers that repeatedly
cause them to be mentally disrupted.
Other possible options for additional therapies may include these, among others:
Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and
Stress Inoculation Training, therapies for co-occurring disorders.
Beyond PTSD

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If you are struggling with PTSD, it may seem as if you will never be able to regain control
of your life. But the good news is that the condition is treatable. With appropriate
psychotherapy and/or medications, patients tend to get very good results at post
traumatic stress disorder treatment centers here in Utah and throughout the United
States.
Get Help Today!
Frequently Asked Questions on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
Who is at risk for PTSD?
All people of any age are at risk of a PTSD attack if subjected to conditions that make
them vulnerable to developing this mental health disorder. This condition is not limited to
people in the military. It can also impact victims of assault or abuse, individuals in
devastating accidents, people exposed to disastrous events, the death of a loved one,
emotional abuse, or other trauma-inducing occurrences.
What is the difference between Acute Stress Disorder and PTSD?
Is PTSD treatment effective?
What are the long-term effects of PTSD?
How to help someone with PTSD?
Can you get PTSD from emotional abuse?
Is anger related to PTSD?
How long does it take PTSD to develop?
Pathways Offers PTSD Treatment Services in Utah
Consider a therapist in Utah at Pathways for PTSD treatment as part of your medical team
to help you or your loved one recover from post-traumatic stress disorder by learning to
detach from the trauma and live each moment and each day free from the past.