“PTSD: It’s not the person refusing to let go of the past, but the past refusing to let go of the person.” — Unknown
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health condition that develops in some people after they have experienced or witnessed a shocking, terrifying, or dangerous event. Most people who experience a traumatic event will have difficulty coping; however, if symptoms last for over a month or interfere with daily functioning, then it is most likely PTSD.
It’s been estimated that around 70% of all Americans will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime and that around 20% of those people will develop PTSD.
Symptoms can include intrusive stressful recurrent memories, flashbacks or nightmares, adverse changes in thought and mood, avoidance, detachment, disassociation, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. PTSD also has a high comorbidity of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
As long as human beings have existed, so has trauma and PTSD. However, PTSD didn’t become an official diagnosis until the 1980s. The mental health field and the general population are beginning to understand the overarching and damaging effects of trauma and, more importantly, how to heal and recover.
Do I have trauma?
In my clinical practice, I find that most symptoms and conditions have a trauma root. Not all traumas are considered life-threatening. Instead, most people suffer from daily threats against their personal self-concepts. That’s because, as human beings, we need a lot more than just air and food to survive. We need to feel connected, loved, successful, and good enough to feel happy, whole, and healthy.
When we have been abused, neglected, or abandoned, then it can send our brains into a freeze, flight, or fight response. If we have been bullied, ghosted, fired, or attacked on social media, this, too, can send our brains and bodies into the same response. If we have had chronic trauma, like experiencing racism, sexism, or had childhood trauma, we can get stuck in the freeze, flight, or fight response.
Many people who come into my practice don’t even realize that they are suffering from trauma. They’re often confused about why they’re so angry or anxious or dating the same person again and again. However, once we begin to treat the trauma, they begin to feel much better, even after they have tried many other types of therapy.
What does trauma treatment look like?
Many different therapeutic modalities have promising results for treating PTSD, but in my professional experience, I believe that EMDR is the most effective. EMDR stands for Eye-Movement-Desensitization-Reprocessing, and it is an evidence-based eight-phase treatment.
During memory reprocessing, the client recalls a disturbing event for a short period while simultaneously undergoing bilateral stimulation. This bilateral stimulation consists of moving the eyes from side to side, vibrations from left to right, or tones alternating from ear to ear via headphones. The theory is that EMDR works by interfering with working memory and linking into the same processes that occur during R.E.M. sleep. EMDR has been shown to decrease the emotional charge and vividness of memories, create a feeling of relaxation that leads to an ability to access rational and accurate information about an event.
Another way of saying this is when we experience particularly distressing events, our minds, and neural networks permanently freeze. The trauma locks us into an irrational view, belief, and paradigm. EMDR brings different parts of the brain back online and helps us have a whole-brained perspective. New information can come forth, and clients can create a more cohesive narrative. It is a retelling rather than a reliving.
Clients that have been in therapy for years using other modalities are often surprised at how quickly they can drop their emotional baggage. In my private practice, I am constantly in awe and amazed by the transformative effect that EMDR can have on a person’s ability to heal and create a new self-concept and worldview.
If you or someone you love is suffering from PTSD, then you should look for a therapist that specializes in treating trauma in your area. Also, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK is toll-free and available 24/7 to provide crisis intervention, give information and referrals to people with PTSD and their loved ones. If you prefer to text, there is the Crisis Text Line that provides free information and crisis support. Just text HOME to 741741.
Here at East West Holistic Psychotherapy, we specialize in the treatment of trauma. If you or someone you love is suffering from symptoms after trauma, please book a free consultation today.