Vital TMS Therapy & Mental Health Services
PTSD Therapy Clinic located in Washington, DC.
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can have a devastating effect on your quality of life, causing you to withdraw from friends and family and spiral downward into despair. Many patients who have PTSD benefit from treatments like therapy and medication, but these aren’t always effective. Vital TMS Therapy located in Washington DC offers an alternative. TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is a safe, painless, totally noninvasive treatment based on magnetic energy. To find out more about the benefits of TMS for PTSD, call Vital TMS Therapy today or request an appointment online.
PTSD Q & A
What is PTSD?
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is a condition that affects people who’ve been involved in or witnessed traumatic events. It’s a disabling problem that’s most closely associated with military personnel and people who’ve been in a war zone.
However, many other experiences could cause PTSD, like a serious traffic accident, a house fire, or being physically assaulted. PTSD can develop after any event that you find especially harrowing or disturbing. It can also set in after years of abuse.
Feeling scared, shocked, and upset after trauma is perfectly natural. In time, these feelings should change and mellow until you’re able to put the experience behind you. If you have PTSD, the initial emotions don’t fade over time but continue to haunt you.
Fortunately, the team at Vital TMS Therapy can help.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
There are four types of PTSD symptoms:
Intrusive thoughts
Intrusive thoughts are persistent memories of the event that caused your PTSD. They can appear as vivid nightmares when you sleep and make it hard to concentrate when you’re awake.
Flashbacks are a common symptom of PTSD. These occur when you come across something that triggers a reliving of the event. It could be a sound or a smell that reminds you of your experience and makes you feel like you’re going through it again.
Avoidance
If you have PTSD, you’re likely to start avoiding the people and places that could trigger a flashback. You might also avoid talking about the experience because it’s so distressing, and as a result, become increasingly socially isolated.
People with PTSD often end up alone and unable to work, and start relying on alcohol or other substances to cope.
Changes in thoughts and mood
Depression and anxiety are normal when you have PTSD. These conditions can cause mood changes, so even if you used to have an open, sunny personality, you could start feeling negative and down. You’re also likely to feel angry, have a short temper, and experience guilt even when you’re not to blame.
Changes in physical and emotional reactions
People who have PTSD often overreact when under stress, and can be aggressive or behave irrationally. People who know you might feel like you’ve changed dramatically from the person they knew. You might also experience problems with sleeping and changes in your appetite.
How is PTSD treated?
The usual treatment for PTSD is a combination of medication and talking therapies. For many, this is an effective combination, but for others, this approach doesn’t help.
If you’re struggling with PTSD and other treatments aren’t working, TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) could help to relieve your symptoms by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain.
TMS is a safe, noninvasive therapy that could free you from the agony of PTSD. Call Vital TMS Therapy today to find out more or request an appointment online.
