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PTSD/Trauma

New Jersey PTSD/Trauma Therapy & Treatment

When someone experiences fear, pain, shock, or stress, they may develop a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. The condition often causes people to cope in ways that are unhealthy or even self-destructive. For many survivors, PTSD can interfere with daily life, disrupting work routines and tearing away at relationships.

PTSD need not be a life sentence. Trauma-informed therapy treatment has helped many recover from PTSD. Wellness Center NJ offers PTSD therapy tailored to each individual’s unique circumstance. Our PTSD treatment centers provide a safe environment where people can address the underlying trauma that gives rise to harmful feelings and behaviors (e.g., negative emotions, addictions, social withdrawal).

Types of Trauma

When people think of traumatic events, they usually imagine warfare, shootings, or sexual assaults. Certainly, someone who witnessed a life-threatening emergency is likely to experience PTSD. While such violent scenarios are common triggers, PTSD can also result from less physically dangerous situations.  Someone who witnessed a life-threatening emergency is likely to experience PTSD.  Neglect, abandonment, or the death of a loved one can inspire similar responses.  When diagnosing PTSD, mental health professionals focus as much on the psychological effects or symptoms, as they do on the nature of the trauma.

PTSD Signs

Everyone reacts to trauma in different ways. Some people display symptoms immediately after a traumatic event and then never develop chronic PTSD. Other times, PTSD is latent, developing slowly over a long period of time.

PTSD can also manifest in a multitude of ways. Sometimes PTSD sufferers experience a range of emotions including feelings of anxiety, depression, and fear.  Some traumatized individuals become emotionally numb. Others become emotionally sensitive. Some bury themselves in a flurry of activity. Others may lose their motivation and struggle to get through each day. In some cases, the traumatic event replays over and over in someone’s mind. In other cases, people repress unwanted memories.

Some common signs of PTSD include the following:

  • Reliving an Event – When people relive an event, they usually feel the fear or pain that accompanied it. A flashback can happen at any time but, often, occurs as a result of a specific trigger—a situation that mimics the traumatic event (e.g., hearing a gunshot or even a car backfire can trigger memories of a shooting).
  • Avoidance – People tend to avoid situations that bring up negative feelings or memories. Someone who was in a boat accident may avoid boats or even bodies of water. Someone who was the victim of a mall shooting may never step foot in a mall again.
  • Negative Feelings – PTSD inspires a host of negative emotions. Feelings of anger, blame, and general unease makes it difficult to connect with other people and build relationships. All too often, negative feelings turn inward. Guilt and shame take over. Fear becomes a daily burden.
  • Emotional Numbness – It’s not unusual for someone to suppress emotions when they become unbearable. A general feeling of numbness may appear sometime after a traumatic event. Someone with PTSD may consciously or unconsciously repress memories in order to avoid reliving the trauma.
  • Emotional Sensitivity – The opposite may also happen. Emotions may step into the driver’s seat. Sudden bursts of anger or irritability, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and reckless behavior are common. Many people with PTSD also live in a continual state of vigilance. They may constantly fear for their safety. Their guard is always up, and their mind is always alert to possible dangers.

No matter which symptoms you are experiencing, it’s critical that you seek help for PTSD. No one can fight the battle against trauma alone.

Treatment for PTSD

Coping with trauma can be a harrowing ordeal; there’s no reason to continue suffering long after the event or to suffer alone. The medical profession has made great strides in recent years. Healthcare providers have gotten better at diagnosing and treating the disorder. If you or someone you love displays the symptoms of PTSD, it’s important to get medical attention right away. Those who have been diagnosed should seek treatment for PTSD as soon as possible.

Wellness Center NJ is here for you. We specialize in comprehensive and individualized PTSD care. We won’t develop a treatment plan until we meet you face to face. Just as there is no “normal” reaction to trauma, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. Through expert psychiatric care and compassionate counseling, we can help you rebuild positive relationships and rediscover the joys of life. Call us at (201) 503-7118 to start your healing journey.