PTSD can occur only after people are exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.  Exposure to a traumatic event or events can happen in a variety of ways, such has having experienced the event personally, having learned about the event happening to someone close to you, having witnessed the event happen to another person, or from having repeatedly been exposed to details about the event (e.g., a healthcare professional who repeatedly works with child abuse cases).  Symptoms of PTSD may include intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance of thoughts, feelings, people, places, etc., related to the event, having difficulty remembering the event, developing negative beliefs after the event, experiencing negative emotions (e.g., shame or anger), and experiencing an increase in reactivity (e.g., hypervigilance, increased startle response, etc.).  Please note, it is very common for many people to experience some of the above symptoms immediately after exposure to a traumatic event; however, if symptoms do not last longer than one month (required for PTSD), a person may be experiencing acute stress disorder.  Furthermore, people with acute stress disorder do not always develop PTSD.  I treat PTSD with cognitive processing therapy (CPT), a specific type of CBT treatment, which is considered an evidence-based treatment for this diagnosis. This treatment involves challenging or modifying the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that may be keeping your PTSD symptoms elevated, which facilities the recovery process and decreases negative symptoms over time. 

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Stressor-Related Disorders

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Mental Health Surveillance Study, 6.9% percent of Americans suffered from stressor-related disorders*, also known as adjustment disorders, during the study’s 2008-2012 time period.  The description below includes a brief overview of adjustment disorders and the specific type of treatment I am able to provide for people with a stressor-related disorder.  This information is provided for informational purposes only to help you better understand stressor-related disorders, but is not to be used in place of a professional assessment and diagnosis.  

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Stressor-related disorders occur when a person develops emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor. Common symptoms include experiencing significant distress, having difficulty performing daily activities (e.g., work, school, socially, etc.), feeling sad, hopeless, anxious, nervous, depressed, etc.  Common stressors include work, school, finances, relationships, death, divorce, break-ups, having children, moving, illness, etc. I treat stressor-related disorders with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is considered an evidence-based treatment for this type of disorder. Treatment for stressor-related disorders typically involves learning to tolerate and cope with your stressors in a more effective way.  Treatment may also incorporate skills to manage anxiety and/or depressive symptoms depending on the presenting symptoms. 

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If you feel you may be suffering from a mental health issue and are ready to get help, or even if you’re unsure if you need help and just want more information, please contact me today.  If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, meaning likely to harm yourself or others, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.  

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*Basic information about the disorders listed above comes from the American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR)