Sometimes, bad memories will refuse to go, and healing from trauma will become difficult. Today, Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder (PTSD) has become one of the most common ailments worldwide. PTSD is a mental health disorder caused by the inability to forget a traumatic incident, and it can cause anxiety or depression.
Statistics show that PTSD affects over 3.6% of the population of the United States, and more than 8 million Americans above the age of 18 are currently suffering from it. Patients of this disorder might be victims of rape or domestic abuse, and might be survivors of a terrible accident, war, terrorism, or even pandemics.
Unfortunately, there is no medical treatment that can permanently cure this disorder. Nonetheless, some therapies can relieve the symptoms and effectively manage the condition. In this article, we will discuss the five best therapies for PTSD.
Before discussing the best PTSD therapies, it is important to know that individual situations differ. Therefore, the best treatment for a PTSD patient might be different from that of another patient. It is also possible for a patient to combine various therapies to ensure optimum effectiveness.
Best Therapies for PTSD
1. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavior Therapy focuses on the cause of the disorder. It helps you to identify and understand the root of your problem and change the way you react to it. The main components of CBT are Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Restructuring.
Exposure Therapy recreates the events that caused the trauma and exposes the patient to it in a safe environment. This will enable the patient to get familiar with the situation and consequently make the situation less traumatic. Cognitive Restructuring, on the other hand, helps the patient to have a better view of the effect to aid recovery.
2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trains you to focus on the positive aspect of life while you think about the traumatic events that led to your condition. This therapy does not even require telling the psychotherapist your tragic experience. You only need to think about it while you concentrate on the therapist making sound or hand movements.
3. Present Centered Therapy (PCT)
Rather than focusing on the trauma, PCT focuses on the present situation. It presents to you the effects of the trauma in your life and why you should let it go. The therapy also includes strategies that will help relieve stress.
4. Internal Family System (IFS)
Dr. Richard Schwartz developed the internal family system. It works on the principle that the mind is made up of several sub-personalities. Each sub-personality has different views and characters. There is a part of you that wants you to be happy and another part that wants you to be depressed. There is a part that agrees with your action while another part disagrees with it. Ye, there’s another part that has a different opinion entirely.
However, during certain traumatic events, some parts of you may become hidden. IFS therapy for PTSD involves training victims to invite all these conflicting parts and work with them. Through this, the victims learn how to recollect these memories, process them, and get healed.
5. Intensive Therapy Retreat
All the therapies mentioned earlier are usually done through a weekly visit to the psychotherapist. However, an Intensive Therapy Retreats is an inpatient therapy that has been proven to be highly effective.
One of the reasons Intensive Therapy Retreat might be the best therapy for PTSD is that while the patients stay at the inpatient facility, they have unlimited access to reliable therapists and treatment. It has been affirmed that a day in the Intensive therapy retreat is equivalent to two months of a weekly visit to the therapist’s office. Therefore, Intensive Therapy Retreat also allows you to heal fast.
Besides, staying in the facility gives patients the chance to readdress the cause of the trauma and also correct issues that might be exacerbating it. For instance, malnutrition can make PTSD worse, at the Intensive Therapy Retreat, you can be guaranteed to eat a good diet.
This therapy will also prevent you from physical stress, give you time to be involved in natural treatments like Yoga, massage, and Stress Inoculation Training. Most importantly, the therapist will keep their eyes on you all hours of the day.
The Take-Away
PSTD is a common but terrible disorder. It affects people who experienced trauma and failed to heal. Although there might not be any medication that can permanently heal PTSD, there are therapies that can relieve its syndromes and manage the condition.
Among the best therapies for PSTD are Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Present Centered Therapy, Internal Family System, and Intensive Therapy Retreat.
Choosing the right treatment is essential. You can contact us at Intensive Therapy Retreat for more information and assistance. Our procedures and environment will set you on the right path to quality life and overall wellbeing.
