PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can strike anyone after they experience a dangerous or life-threatening event. If you can’t overcome the anxiety and fear after a trauma, you can get the mental health care you need from Stanley Okeyemi, PMHNP, at Brighter Light Behavioral Health Services. Stanley offers compassionate treatment for PTSD through telemedicine appointments, allowing him to provide care for people in Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Washington, Idaho, Connecticut, Nebraska, Florida, Iowa, and Arizona. Call or click the online booking feature today to schedule a PTSD evaluation.

Why do I have PTSD?

Traumatic events have a significant impact on your mental health. Trauma naturally causes anxiety and fear in nearly everyone. Some people recover from the trauma quickly, while the symptoms last a month or longer in others. If your symptoms last that long, chances are you have PTSD.

PTSD occurs after many possible dangerous or life-threatening events. The traumatic events that frequently cause PTSD include: 

• Military duty
• Gun violence
• Assault or abuse
• Domestic violence
• Robberies
• Accidents (car, plane, boat, etc.)
• Death of a loved one
• Natural disasters

You can also develop PTSD after suffering through years of emotional abuse.

What PTSD symptoms might I experience?

The symptoms caused by PTSD include:

• Anxiety
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Irritability
• Anger
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Social isolation
• Distraction
• Guilt or shame
• Avoidance

Avoidance means you purposefully stay away from people and places that remind you of the traumatic event. Sometimes avoidance is so strong that you change your daily schedule and turn down social activities so you don’t experience memories or flashbacks.

Why do my PTSD symptoms suddenly flare up?

When you experience a traumatic event, your brain records the sights, sounds, and smells present at the time. You won’t remember these details because they’re stored in your subconscious.

But as you go about your daily life, you come across one of the details. This triggers the memory in your subconscious, and you immediately have a flashback or relive the trauma. The sudden memories often cause intense emotions.

How is PTSD treated?

Your Brighter Light Behavioral Health Services provider assesses your mental health, learns about your medical history, and performs a psychiatric evaluation. After diagnosing PTSD, your provider determines the best medication for you.

Several medications can help with PTSD symptoms. For example, antidepressants do more than treat depression. Even if you’re not depressed, they often help people with PTSD because they ease other symptoms like anxiety and anger.

Many people also combine medication management with therapy. Several trauma-based therapies are proven to help you overcome PTSD, teaching you how to cope with your feelings and manage the things that trigger your memories. 

The caring Brighter Light Behavioral Health Services providers offer individualized care and support. Call the office or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment and start treatments for overcoming PTSD.