Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can develop in those who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, rape, severe accident, the violent death of a loved one, domestic abuse, childhood neglect, or occupational hazards. Military and law enforcement personnel have a higher chance of developing PTSD than the general public because they have a higher chance of repeated exposure to a variety of traumatic events or to the averse details of traumatic events. While 4%-7% of the general population suffers from PTSD, military and law enforcement range between 15% and 20%, or as high as 30% if you include Vietnam veterans.
Not everyone who experiences or witnesses trauma or prolonged trauma develops PTSD, but for those who do, treatment is available. Unfortunately, PTSD often goes untreated in military and law enforcement populations
Why does PTSD go untreated in law enforcement and military populations?
PTSD is a treatable condition, and psychological support is crucial for helping police officers and military personnel achieve optimal mental wellness. Unfortunately, in military and law enforcement populations, stigma around mental health issues keeps many PTSD sufferers from seeking help for their symptoms and getting treatment. A lack of confidence in civilian therapists and skepticism in therapy in general may also get in the way.
Additionally, many people with PTSD suffer from a set of symptoms that, although uncomfortable or disruptive to their daily lives, were specifically developed (by their brain) to help keep them safe from further danger. These may include avoidance, hypervigilance, or self-isolation. And because of this, they may be resistant to the idea of letting those symptoms go. For example, the thought of not being on-edge and hypervigilant may make a person with PTSD feel incredibly vulnerable to harm. But a good mental health provider can help them identify their thought patterns and triggers, process their emotions, and find relief from their symptoms ?at a comfortable pace.
Treatment options for PTSD
The best treatment for PTSD will depend on the individual, but some trauma-focused psychotherapies that have had resulted in the best evidence-based outcomes include:
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Emotional avoidance is a common coping skill associated with PTSD. This may mean avoidance of anything related to the trauma, such as memories, thoughts, feelings, or even certain people or places. But in the end, this avoidance tends to solidify the fears and turn those memories, places, or people into PTSD triggers for reliving the experience all over again. With the help of a trained mental health professional, PE therapy helps patients to safely approach and navigate those trauma-related memories and triggers in order to process them, talk about them, and learn how to manage when they’re triggered again. PE can be anxiety inducing at first, but it becomes easier with time, and the relief can be profound.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The foundation of CBT is that our thought patterns and deeply held beliefs about ourselves and the world around us drive our experiences. The therapeutic strategy of CBT involves helping patients understand the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In the treatment of PTSD, it can be used to help the individual identify, for example, how their distorted thinking may lead to feelings of fear, which then causes unhealthy behaviors. Thought distortions common to PTSD sufferers include the expectation of catastrophic outcomes, preoccupation with danger, or personalizing all negative situations by assigning blame to themselves for things that cannot possibly be in their control. CBT can help patients recognize negative thought patterns, develop ways to reframe them so that they are followed by more positive emotions and healthier behaviors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is different from other therapies in that it doesn’t include extended exposure to the traumatic experience, talking about it in detailed descriptions, or challenging deeply held beliefs. Instead, EMDR involves bringing the trauma or trauma-triggers to mind while the practitioner leads the patient through a series of bilateral eye movements (by moving a finger or other visual object side to side) in order to change how those memories are stored in the brain. The eye movements help to minimize the emotional intensity of the recalled memory, and over time, the triggers become less potent.In addition to these above treatment methods, there are others, including medication, different types of psychotherapy, alternative treatments, and clinical research trials that offer access to treatment methods not yet available to the general public. Not everyone finds relief with the first treatment they try, but reaching out for help is exactly the right first step toward living a healthy, happy life.
PTSD clinical research studies in San Diego | Synergy Research Centers
If you or someone you love suffers from PTSD, you may be eligible to participate in a PTSD research study at Synergy Research Centers in San Diego. We’re currently enrolling participants between the ages of 18 and 65 who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. You do not need to be current or former military or law enforcement personnel to participate. For more information or to determine your eligibility, give us a call at (888) 539-0282 or fill out our contact form today.