Anybody who has been exposed to a traumatic experience in some capacity can develop PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD can vary from person to person, but affected individuals typically experience hypervigilance, mood changes, and loss of concentration. PTSD can improve or worsen, depending on how severe the disorder is and how…
There is plenty of hope for healing after trauma. Trauma treatment can be divided into three levels. The first focuses on emotion regulation and symptom management. The second level is trauma-focused and involves reprocessing the trauma. The third level centers around growth post-trauma. Dr. Darin Bergen is a clinical psychologist…
It’s important we understand and raise awareness for harmful mental illnesses like PTSD. Though the disorder can vary from person-to-person, common symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and hypervigilance. Letting our loved ones with PTSD know we are there for them can go a long way in their recovery journey. We…
Most of us are familiar with the term PTSD (or posttraumatic stress disorder), but our knowledge doesn’t extend much further. We know that it can involve frightening flashbacks and nightmares. We know that war veterans and assault victims are at a heightened risk of developing the illness. But many of…
As with many conversations surrounding mental health, there are a few common misconceptions when it comes to understanding the course and development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental illness that many suffer with after experiencing a traumatic event. Dr. Joe Bates, brain expert and double board certified psychiatrist, has…
When one hears the term “posttraumatic stress disorder,” an image of a wounded veteran often comes to mind. While this can be an accurate depiction, it’s important to recognize this as one of many faces of PTSD. In fact, a lot of us can find another by merely looking in…
Those who develop posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of experiencing trauma often suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, hypervigilance, and/or depressed mood. They may also go through periods of heightened irritability, hostility, and self-destructive behavior. But the question is when? Jessica Tappana, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in…
Do you know what it’s like to live in a constant state of fear? To become significantly startled by a gentle knock on the door or the bark of your neighbor’s dog? To worry about what might happen to you if you leave the house? To expect injury or even…
Chase walks into the grocery store to buy a few simple items: bananas, milk, and cereal. However, the task proves anything but simple for him. All he can focus on are the other shoppers and the threats that they pose to him—he immediately regrets his confidence in making this quick…
Every morning, I crawl out of bed, immediately switch on the TV, and then scramble to get ready for work. I listen to the news anchors as I get dressed in the other room and watch them out of the corner of my eye as I make breakfast in the…
In the past couple weeks, we have bared witness to multiple category 5 hurricanes including Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, which claimed the lives of many and devastated too many communities to count. But now, another natural disaster fights for the limelight—a deadly earthquake in Mexico. Ringing in at a…
Hurricane Harvey surprised us all with more aggression and rain than most meteorologists predicted or have ever seen before. The tropical storm has attacked the Houston, Texas area, flooding it with more than 50 inches of rain and setting a record for the continental U.S. in the process. It is…