Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that happens after a terrifying, traumatic event. Later, common PTSD triggers can cause the individual to experience nightmares, flashbacks, and anxiety. Learning what triggers PTSD is necessary so the individual can figure out how to avoid those triggers. While most people only have temporary problems adjusting after a traumatic event, some people cannot cope and recover. For more information about PTSD treatment, please contact our team today at 866.457.7590.
What Is PTSD?
Most people quickly recover from a problematic event through self-care and time. When someone continues to have problems for months or years, they may have PTSD. This is especially true if the individual cannot function normally on a day-to-day basis. By getting treatment, individuals can reduce their symptoms and enjoy a better life.
While these symptoms can start within a month of a traumatic event, they may not appear until years later. Someone with PTSD has significant issues dealing with work, relationships, and social situations. It may be hard to handle everyday life and day-to-day tasks because of the symptoms.
If someone has PTSD, it may cause changes in their thinking and mood. They may suffer from recurrent, intrusive memories. Upsetting dreams, flashbacks, negative thoughts, and hopelessness are also common. Experiencing PTSD triggers may cause the symptoms to become worse or reoccur frequently.
What Causes PTSD?
There is no one answer to this question, as everyone may experience PTSD differently. However, some common causes of PTSD include:
- Witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event such as a car accident, natural disaster, sexual assault, or combat
- Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
- Being the victim of child abuse or neglect
- Having a family member who is injured or killed
What Are PTSD Triggers?
PTSD triggers can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, PTSD symptoms can even come and go. Someone may not even notice their PTSD until they hear a car backfiring or see fireworks. What triggers PTSD depends entirely on the person and their unique condition.
When you have a trigger, your brain connects a scent, sound, sight, or something else to the traumatic memory. With PTSD, the memories you create are not normal. Your brain does not perceive the memory as being the past. This means that reminders of the experience can make you go through it all over again.
While each person is different, there are a few standard things that can trigger PTSD. Seeing a person, thing, or place related to the trauma can trigger a reaction. Likewise, seeing a similar trauma on the news or in a movie can set off symptoms. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, scents, situations, sounds, and tastes can all trigger PTSD again.
Dealing with PTSD Triggers
Once you understand your PTSD triggers, the next step is to determine how you deal with PTSD. Managing common PTSD triggers doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the first steps of coping with this condition is to talk to a mental health expert, such as the ones at Red Oak Recovery®. We can teach a variety of techniques to deal with PTSD, such as:
- Mindful meditation
- Refocusing by using physical activities
- Art therapy
- Animal-assisted therapy
- Yoga therapy
We also provide talk therapy sessions to help you understand your condition better. In doing so, we can teach you new and more effective coping mechanisms to assist you in dealing with PTSD.
The Benefits of Managing Common PTSD Triggers
When it comes to long-term benefits, PTSD treatment can be incredibly helpful. In many cases, people can get their lives back on track and enjoy a better quality of life. Treatment can help reduce symptoms and improve functioning at work and home.
Therapy can also help people understand their triggers better. This can lead to a more effective coping mechanism arsenal. With this knowledge, those with PTSD can better understand when they are being triggered and how to deal with the symptoms.
In addition, therapy can also increase self-awareness and self-confidence. People with PTSD often struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness. These negative thoughts can be addressed in therapy and replaced with more positive ones. As people learn to cope better with their condition, they often feel a sense of empowerment and control over their lives.
Overall, treatment can offer many long-term benefits for those struggling with this condition. With the help of a therapist, individuals can learn to understand and manage their symptoms effectively. This leads to a better quality of life overall.
Seek Treatment at Red Oak Recovery® Today
At a PTSD treatment center, individuals can learn how to recognize their PTSD triggers. More importantly, clients learn how to cope with triggers through techniques like muscle relaxation, psychotherapy, and mindfulness meditation. Through the right treatment program, individuals can recover from problems like substance use disorders, mental illnesses, and PTSD.
In a treatment center, individuals can get help through options such as:
- Gender-specific programming
- Wilderness therapy
- Nutritional, physical, psychiatric, and clinical evaluations
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Family, group, and individual therapy
No one has to deal with the stress, fear, and trauma of PTSD alone. At Red Oak Recovery®, you can recover from PTSD and start a new page in your life. Find out more about our services by calling 866.457.7590 or contacting us online today.
