Yes, PTSD can be cured – or at least, depending on how you define the word ‘cure.’ If your definition of curing PTSD involves significant improvements that are sufficient for individuals to manage their symptoms and return to normal functioning, then the answer is yes.
Recovery from PTSD can look different for everyone. After being exposed to trauma, a person may never be the same again, much like how people change after experiencing significant events in their lives. The path to recovering from PTSD may be gradual and uncertain, but it’s possible. With the right support, people can improve their quality of life and regain control of what they once felt was lost.
What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-5, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) refers to a mental health condition that is a result of exposure to one or more traumatic events. When a person is subjected to traumatizing situations such as actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, it can cause post-traumatic responses. The trauma need not be directly experienced, even witnessing it in person, learning it happened to a loved one, or being repeatedly exposed to its aversive details is enough to trigger psychological reactions.
But PTSD is not simply a “reaction” to trauma; it can have a chronic and debilitating impact on one’s physical and behavioral health due to remarkable changes in cognition, emotional processing, and stress responses. Factors such as social support, access to proper treatment, nature and severity of the trauma, and an individual’s resilience can substantially influence PTSD symptoms and recovery.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
The manifestation of PTSD can be different for each individual. If you continue to experience most of these symptoms or observe them in someone you care about, you may want to consider consulting a mental health professional.
Below are the key signs and symptoms of PTSD that may persist for months or even years and can cause great emotional distress if left untreated.
Intrusion Symptoms
A traumatic event can be reexperienced in several ways. Individuals with PTSD can manifest intrusion symptoms as unwanted memories, unpleasant dreams or nightmares, dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks), or intense, prolonged psychological distress and marked physiological reactions, all triggered when exposed to cues related to the traumatic experience. Intrusive thoughts usually happen repeatedly and are outside of one’s control, which can be very upsetting and difficult to manage.
Avoidance of Stimuli
Most individuals with PTSD are likely to persistently and deliberately avoid people, places, objects, conversations, or situations that could evoke distressing thoughts and feelings. Distraction or suppression techniques are commonly used to prevent internal reminders associated with the traumatic event. While this may provide temporary relief, it can exacerbate symptoms in the long run and hinder the recovery process.
Alterations in Cognition and Mood
Cognitive distortion or unrealistic, unhealthy thinking patterns may be present in people with PTSD. This includes trauma-related memory loss, exaggerated negative beliefs, excessive blame, and mistrust. They may exhibit lasting negative emotional states like fear, guilt, anger, hopelessness, and a diminished ability to feel positive emotions. They may also emotionally detach from others and withdraw from activities, people, or situations.
Arousal and Reactivity
Heightened arousal and reactivity in individuals with PTSD are often linked to increased alertness, emotional dysregulation, and physical tension. This can lead to hypervigilance or constantly being on guard for potential threats. PTSD can also present as sensitivity to unexpected stimuli and exaggerated startle responses that are involuntary and instant and need not be related to the trauma. It can also make it extremely difficult for a person to relax or feel safe, which contributes to concentration problems and sleep disturbances.
Because people with PTSD struggle with emotional regulation, they may experience symptoms like irritability or anger outbursts and engage in aggressive behaviors, often with little to no provocation. They may participate in reckless or self-destructive behaviors, such as excessive substance use, as a way to cope or avoid confronting the trauma.
PTSD Treatment Options
Seeking professional help can be daunting, but it is a necessary step to get better and feel better. Treatment can help individuals heal from trauma and from symptoms that persist. Those who undergo and seek treatment for PTSD tend to have improved outcomes than those who don’t. Below are evidence-based approaches that can help in treating PTSD.
Therapy
Psychotherapy is considered the first line of treatment for many mental health disorders. Your therapist may guide you in fully processing trauma to help you manage symptoms and develop healthy coping skills.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely known effective treatment for PTSD. It focuses on identifying and altering negative thought patterns related to the trauma by replacing them with more rational ways of thinking.
Below are several variations of CBT that have been developed specifically to address PTSD:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): Centered on restructuring maladaptive thoughts by helping a person recognize and process how trauma influences their perceptions and beliefs.
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): Aimed at reducing avoidance behavior and anxiety through repeated and prolonged exposure to traumatic memories.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Includes bilateral stimulation through guided eye movements to reprocess traumatic memories more adaptively. EMDR can also be utilized to address underlying traumas that may contribute to substance abuse.
Someone with PTSD can also benefit from other types of therapy such as Talk Therapy, Holistic Therapy, and Group Therapy. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) can also be used, especially for people living with PTSD who have encountered multiple traumatic events throughout their lives.
Medications
While antidepressants can alleviate symptoms of PTSD, they do not always address the underlying factors contributing to it. Hence, they are often recommended with therapy rather than as a standalone treatment.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are typically the first class of medications used in PTSD treatment as they can modulate neurotransmitter activities in the nervous system. Currently, Sertraline (Zoloft) and Paroxetine (Paxil) are the only medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PTSD.
Many individuals differ in their response and ability to tolerate a specific drug and dosage. It’s always best to consult a physician or mental health practitioner to determine the best treatment options.
Recovery from PTSD
If you are experiencing trauma-related symptoms or are at risk of developing PTSD, know that you are not alone and you can overcome this. It’s important to reach out to a mental health professional for support. If you or a loved one is struggling with PTSD and substance abuse, help is available. Taking the first step toward PTSD recovery is just a click away. Start your healing journey today.
