How Can Trauma Therapy Help Veterans Cope With PTSD?
It can be difficult to witness or experience a tragic event in the armed forces. Life can be challenging for some veterans to navigate with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), once called “shell shock” or “combat fatigue.” Moving forward from any type of trauma can be difficult. Unwanted triggers and uncomfortable symptoms associated with an individual’s condition can be highly problematic. It can be tough for loved ones to watch one struggle with PTSD. Fortunately, surrendering to trauma therapy at Restoration Recovery can help veterans overcome the challenges associated with their mental health condition.
How Can Trauma Therapy Help Veterans Cope with PTSD?
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), if an individual suppresses trauma for a prolonged period, they are at an increased risk of developing PTSD. If one has experienced an intense event, traumatic injury, or chronic trauma, they may be more susceptible to developing symptoms they cannot seem to control.
Although PTSD can affect anyone, personal factors, such as an individual’s age, gender, or level of trauma, can increase one’s odds of developing the condition. This mental health condition was clinically found to be more problematic for those who suffered sexual assault or combat trauma. The aftermath of the traumatic event is a crucial factor. For example, if one develops intense stress after the event without receiving professional, emotional, or social support, they may be more likely to experience problems with PTSD.
How Can Trauma Therapy Help Veterans Cope With PTSD?
Based on the aforementioned VA publication, it is normal for an individual to feel on edge, experience distraught memories, or irregular sleep patterns after living through a tragic event. After witnessing or experiencing a tragic event, it is typical for one to feel relief after just a few weeks. For some individuals, their symptoms may last even longer, manifesting into a severe case of PTSD. Symptoms may stay present or fluctuate over time.
For others, PTSD symptoms may come to the surface far later after the incident. An individual may not experience symptoms until years after the trauma. Recognizing the warning signs can help one respond to their symptoms appropriately to manage them better. PTSD symptoms may not be the same for everyone, but symptoms might include the following:
- Night terrors
- Reliving the event over and over again
- Feeling keyed up about the event
- Having hopeless feelings about their future
- Feeling guilt or shame
- Experiencing memory problems
- Avoiding things that remind one of the event
- Feeling attached or withdrawn from others or places
- Experiencing more intense thoughts related to the event
- Feeling on guard about the event
The Challenges Many Veterans Face With Untreated PTSD
A veteran facing problems with PTSD may have extreme difficulty functioning daily. Completing daily tasks or enjoying hobbies may be difficult. An individual may notice many different aspects of their life may be affected. It may be difficult for one to go back to work right away. A new veteran may have problems maintaining academic progress. They may even find difficulty enjoying quality time with loved ones such as family or friends.
According to the Wounded Warrior Project, problems associated with trauma and combat stress may consist of anger and rage, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal thoughts related to untreated PTSD. A veteran may develop PTSD due to the following factors:
- Being exposed to chemical agents
- Experiencing the tragic loss of another soldier or loved one
- Suffering a graphic injury
- Witnessing a natural disaster
- Being in active war
- Witnessing a terrorist attack
- Suffering or witnessing a serious motor vehicle accident
- Experiencing physical or sexual assault
How Can Restoration Recovery Help Veterans?
Different types of trauma therapy can help one make sense of the trauma and comfortably move forward. Trauma can have lasting effects on a veteran’s brain. Untreated trauma can negatively impact an individual’s well-being. Restoration Recovery can provide support to veterans having difficulty managing their condition. Choosing to participate in each trauma therapy session can significantly improve an individual’s quality of life.
Restoration Recovery understands that many veterans suppress trauma with drugs and alcohol. Although it may bring temporary relief, it can worsen an individual’s PTSD. Types of trauma therapy at our California treatment facility include:
- Prolonged exposure trauma therapy
- Cognitive processing trauma therapy
- EMDR trauma therapy
Choosing to move forward with Restoration Recover’s trauma therapy and combining it with our other behavioral therapies can be extremely beneficial for veterans. This can enhance one’s experience and improve the odds of a successful PTSD recovery. Everyone deserves to find peace within themselves, away from mental health stigma. A veteran deserves to be respected and live a happy, comfortable lifestyle after serving their country and experiencing trauma. Accepting support from friends, family, and loved ones in combination with committing to trauma treatment can ensure a more positive future.
At our California Recovery Center, our serene setting helps clients achieve not just wellness, but wholeness. Our treatment center believes that unprocessed trauma can be a risk factor and contribute to addiction. Because of this, our California rehab programs offer trauma therapy. Treating trauma and substance use disorders together in an integrated approach that addresses both disorders simultaneously is currently the preferred method of treatment. Restoration Recovery Center offers trauma therapy alongside other behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). If you are a loved one is facing challenges as a veteran, call Restoration Recovery at (888) 290-0925 to learn more about how our trauma therapy services provide support.
