Origins of PTSD

Origins of PTSD

When people think about the origins of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), their minds often go to individuals that have served in the military. However, PTSD can come from a variety of places and numerous situations.

What Is PTSD?

A person develops PTSD, due to the fact that they suffered a traumatic event. People with these experiences may find themselves unable to cope with overwhelming thoughts and emotions. PTSD develops from this inability and may lead to adverse reactions and behaviors.

Where Does PTSD Start?

PTSD can arise from a variety of different places. For many people, its origins lie in their childhood but may come from other sources throughout a person’s life.

Childhood Trauma

People who have experienced childhood trauma may find that they not only remember it but their minds force them to revisit those memories on a regular basis. Childhood trauma can come in a variety of forms:

  • Sexual
  • Physical
  • Emotional

It can also be a combination of these three. Often, there are a number of instances that have taken place over the course of time. However, this does not need to be true, as one traumatic childhood experience can set the stage for prolonged PTSD no matter what.

One of the most invasive parts of trauma experienced in childhood is that, if not dealt with, it can have an effect on people and the way they live for decades. Younger individuals who have experienced trauma at the hands of a parental figure may even be told that they are beyond help and that they need to keep their issues to themselves. This effectively stunts their ability to share their problems with a trained professional looking to assist them in overcoming their PTSD.

Military Service

When the general public thinks of PTSD, their minds will focus on those in the armed services. Military service has a history of creating individuals with PTSD simply by the nature of the job. These people are placed in harm’s way, often forced to watch others die and, in some cases, carry out the deaths themselves.

While this would be hard on anyone, the overwhelming feeling is that the job requires the tamping down of emotions. Someone who sees a therapist may be shunned or have their abilities questioned by their fellow soldiers.

In these cases, a person may experience even more issues as they continually place themselves in triggering situations that may worsen the problem. Many people leave military service with exponentially worse PTSD than the general public simply because of their inability to admit to their issues.

Witnessing Violence

Much like those who serve in the armed services, PTSD is often found in regular people who witness extreme violence or traumatic situations. The difference is that they do not need to be directly involved for PTSD to exist.

One of the most well-known cases of this type of PTSD was the tragedy of September 11th, 2001. With the 24-hour news cycle and the increase in camera use, millions of people watched a traumatic event unfold in real time. Witnessing this level of tragedy, even though they were not even in the same city or, in some cases, the same country, left mental scars on hundreds of thousands of people.

In these cases, individuals may feel that they cannot possibly have PTSD. They feel there must be something else wrong with them as they were not physically involved in the event that they witnessed. However, this is far from the truth.

This type of PTSD is very real and should be discussed with a mental health professional. It may turn out that it is not as severe a case as experienced by those who witnessed the events firsthand, but it is important to address it regardless.

General PTSD

The fact is that there is any number of situations that can cause a person to experience PTSD. Not everyone has childhood trauma or a history of military service. However, over the course of people’s lives, there can be moments and incidents that are traumatic enough that their mention sends someone into a tailspin. It is important not to ignore these thoughts and feelings, regardless of how insignificant we may be told they are.

PTSD and Dual Diagnosis

People with PTSD will often do whatever they can to avoid it. This includes avoiding treatment due to the fact that they also do not wish to confront their issues with a medical professional.

When this happens, individuals may find themselves attempting to self-medicate using drugs or alcohol. Regardless of the substance people choose, their inability to cope will often send them further into their substance abuse. This coexistence of mental health and substance abuse issues is called a dual diagnosis. One cannot be addressed without addressing the other.

Twilight Recovery Center and Treatment Options

At Twilight Recovery Center, the concept of PTSD and dual diagnosis are quite common. We offer a variety of treatment options, including:

  • Detox
  • Individual therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Medication-assisted therapy (MAT)

These different therapies work in tandem to provide a one-of-a-kind individualized experience for those who are ready to deal with their PTSD and their substance abuse issues.

Twilight Recovery Center gives a plan of action when a person enters. The knowledge that they are safe, and the backing of years of staff experience. All of this is put in place to make sure the individual finds the treatment they need. They need to overcome their issues and move forward with their lives.

PTSD has no particular origin. It could be everything from childhood trauma to the effects of military service. For those who have PTSD, the concept of seeking help may feel frightening and unnecessary. They may believe that they can and should be able to cope with their own issues without relying on outside means. This cannot be further from the truth. Twilight Recovery Center will show you that living with PTSD is unnecessary. There are ways to confront and deal with this condition. Our medical professionals are ready to show you the right path. For more information, call us today at (888) 414-8183.

PTSD and Its Effects on Families

PTSD and Its Effects on Families

For those on the outside, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may appear to be a condition that only affects the individual. However, the truth is that the people most affected are often those around the one with the disorder.

What Is PTSD?

When a person witnesses or experiences a traumatic experience, they may be able to process it immediately. However, most people are unable to do this, and their minds will do whatever it takes to block out the scenario on their own. While this may seem like a solution, the fact is that without the opportunity to confront these feelings and emotions, they will reveal themselves in other ways.

For many people with PTSD, the symptoms may include:

  • Anxiety/depression
  • Nightmares
  • Persistent phobias
  • Flashbacks
  • Unexplained emotional outbursts
  • Panic attacks
  • Avoidance

These are only a handful of the many symptoms a person can experience with PTSD. Often, these symptoms will not exist on their own and will display in tandem and at different times in various scenarios.

The Prevalence of Substance Abuse

People with PTSD may not seek professional medical assistance as they fear the possibility of confronting their condition. Their reticence at the thought of sharing what they have gone through can be a block to treatment for months or years.

These individuals may find that the only thing allowing them to function is substance use. The idea that drugs and alcohol can silence the pain quickly may seem like a viable solution, even to those who would never before have considered this as an option.

How Does PTSD Affect Families?

There are multiple ways that PTSD can affect the families of those who find themselves unable to deal with their experiences.

Inability to Connect

For people suffering from PTSD, their inability to explain their situation may lead to the severing of relationships and issues forming new ones. In the cases of close, long-term relationships such as marriage, a person may feel like their partner no longer understands them. When relationships are built on love and trust, they may experience hurdles when one partner attempts to fix the other when they are not ready to confront their trauma.

Unexplained Emotions

The idea of relationships being a shared life experience can fall apart due to an individual’s inability to control their emotions. People with PTSD may be prone to outbursts when backed into a corner or when their anxieties get the best of them.

Generational Trauma

The effects of PTSD may be compounded by the way it affects children. When a parent or close authority figure cannot cope with their trauma, it may present in a way that lashes out at the innocent. Parents may not even realize that their actions are tangentially hurting their kids. By the time they realize it, there may now be a form of generational trauma wherein their own children now have a version of PTSD relating to how their parents hurt them.

Without proper treatment, PTSD will simply continue to affect families in different ways down through the generations. This is why it is essential to deal with it as soon as possible.

What Treatments Exist for Families?

If a family can convince their loved one to seek treatment, it will help everyone involved begin to heal.

Recovery and Individual Treatment

The first step in any PTSD healing process is to admit to the issue and enter treatment. For those with a dual diagnosis of substance abuse, there are recovery programs that will assist with PTSD and any related issues. If substance abuse does play a role, the first step will be detox, followed by an inpatient rehab program.

During this process, the individual will begin to explore their issues and may even begin cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other beneficial therapies in an effort to start the recovery process.

Family Therapy

Even before the individual has completed treatment, it may behoove family members to begin their own therapy journey. This will involve a qualified mental health specialist who will create a plan of care for everyone involved. In many cases, this type of therapy may also include individual therapy for children and partners.

Once the individual leaves a rehab facility, they will begin their recovery process. A central aspect of this phase of treatment is family therapy. They will join their family members in a safe environment where they can discuss what they have been through, acknowledge how their behavior has affected their loved ones, and work with them to move on as a group.

Continued Care

Recovery from PTSD can be a long process. If there is an added substance abuse issue, it may take longer for healing to occur and can have persistent repercussions throughout the life of the individual. The goal of any treatment or recovery program is to put people on a better path going forward.

This is true when a family is affected. Though initial therapy may be difficult, it will eventually become a place where family members can speak freely and develop their broken bonds in a safe environment. Therapy will allow each individual to know they are being heard and that nobody is more important than the others.

This equal footing is central to the family unit and will continue to serve as a baseline for emotions, decisions, and the support that each person gives to the group.

The Twilight Recovery Center Approach

Twilight Recovery Center is prepared to assist those with PTSD and related substance abuse issues. Our medical staff is well-versed in treatment options. When a person comes to us, they are treated as an individual with their own specific needs. We aim to put our residents on the right path so that they can reenter the world as more whole individuals.

People often believe that PTSD and related traumas have their most significant impact on the individual. However, those around them may feel traumatized by the behavior of that person. When we rely heavily on family and friends without seeking treatment, the repercussions can be widespread. At Twilight Recovery Center, we are well-equipped to deal with any level of PTSD that enters our facility. If you have spent your life avoiding your trauma, it has probably begun to catch up with you in ways that have affected you and your family. At Twilight Recovery Center, we are confident that we can help you find a better path. Call us today at (888) 414-8183.

ARE YOU READY TO

DISCOVER

Recovery?

Twilight Recovery Center

Receive the highest level of care at our upscale recovery center. We offer world class treatments to ensure the finest road to recovery.

Treatments

AREAS WE SERVE

Contact

Address

Farallon #9751, San Antonio del Mar, Baja California Mexico CP 22560

Phone:

(1)888-414 81 83
+52 664 80 58 882 

Email

info@twilightrecoverycenter.com

Receive the highest level of care at our upscale recovery center. We offer world class treatments to ensure the finest road to recovery.

Contact

Address

Farallon #9751, San Antonio del Mar, Baja California Mexico CP 22560

Phone:

(1)888-414 81 83
+52 664 80 58 882 

Email

info@twilightrecoverycenter.com

©  Twilight Recovery. All rights reserved.
Call Now Button