Psychologist Questions Psychologist

How do you get rid of post traumatic stress?

I am a 40 year old male. I want to know how do you get rid of post traumatic stress?

12 Answers

I would highly recommend that you work this through with a therapist. In general, what often happens with PTSD is the person gets stuck with the traumatic part of the story and never gets past that part to the safe part. What we do in therapy is have the person talk in detail about the trauma but we don't stop at the traumatic part, we keep going... to the part that the person got away to safety, or the part when the ambulance came and got them to the hospital to take care of them, or the part when the perpetrator was arrested or found guilty in court etc. The idea is to un-taboo the story and keep talking about it repeatedly to normalize the experience, and part two, is to get past the trauma part and begin adding to the story telling the safety part that you lived to tell the story. There is of course so much more work to PTSD but this is a huge component.
Counseling, talking to a professional to help you through the process.
Some of the best ways to begin your healing process from posttraumatic stress is either Nuro feedback music therapy, traditional psychotherapy focused on trauma, or EMDR.
Hi,

Thank you for your question. Post-traumatic stress can be resolved through different therapeutic approaches, including Somatic Experiencing (SE), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Within CBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) are recommended. Medications have also been found to be helpful in relieving symptoms of PTSD, particularly antidepressants with the strongest evidence supporting Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Some of the most common symptoms of trauma targeted by psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions include: reliving the traumatic experience through flashbacks, avoidance of people and places that trigger the trauma, intrusive memories or nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, numbness, loss of interest, and depression.
I hope this information has been helpful!

Best,

Jenna Torres, PsyD
For most people traumatic stress usually resolves with time. However, for some people, symptoms persist and symptoms meet criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is diagnosed by a licensed mental health professional. This condition is best treated in psychotherapy with a professional who has been trained in approaches shown to be helpful with
PTSD (like Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). It is up to you and the therapist to determine what will work best for your needs.

Teresa Y. Chapa-Cantu, Ph.D.
Hello and thank you for reaching out. Without knowing much of the history behind the PTSD and the current symptoms the individual is experiencing a combination of psychotherapy (EMDR, CPT, CBT) and medication has been found to help. Reaching out to a therapist that has experience working with individuals tha struggle with PTSD and trauma would be a good place to start.
I believe it isn't a healthy thought to have the expectations of "getting rid" of PTSD. In fact, it's always better to cope with a hardship versus thinking/wishing it will disappear or it has to change completely. Every attempted change should be made in small chunks or increments. PTSD can definitely be managed, but curing it is a whole another issue. I hope this helps. Plus, sometimes managing a mental health issue is a wonderful goal.

Zanyae G. Allen, M.E.d., QMHP, LCPC
Hello,

Thank you for reaching out. I recommend, depending on the level of PTSD you are experiencing, I would do talk therapy or find a provider that can do EMDR for PTSD.

Sara Cole, MS, LPC, CAC III, NCC, CFRC
Hello and thank you for your question,

There are a few different treatments for people diagnosed with posttraumatic stress. Treatments like EMDR have resulted in zero remaining symptoms; however, there is no one treatment that will work for every person diagnosed. What works for you may not work for others, but a few interventions that result in no symptoms are EMDR, progressive exposure therapy, and ACT. These therapies have shown evidence of successful treatment.

Thank you,

Patricia Harris | MA, LPC
Unfortunately, there is no cure for PTSD. I would recommend a qualified licensed professional counselor to help you manage the symptoms. I wish there was a quick and easy resolution for you, but there isn't.
Talk about the stress a lot to different people. There are also medications to help if you see a psychiatrist.
Go to this link for some reflection on the question you asked:
https://www.verywellmind.com/ptsd-treatment-2797659