PTSD

Psychiatry & Mental Health located in Tulsa, OK

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was first diagnosed in combat veterans in the 1980s, but since then, mental health experts have learned it can occur in anyone and affects 5%-7% of teens and adults. Bradley McClure, MD, and his exceptional mental health team at McClure & Associates Psychiatry have helped many people overcome PTSD, giving them the freedom to enjoy their lives without the burden of unexpected and sudden PTSD flashbacks, anxiety, and anger. Therapist Stephanie Rogers also makes use of EMDR within psychotherapy treatment to enhance treatment response. Call the office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, today or use online booking to begin expert care for PTSD.

PTSD Q & A

Why do I have PTSD?

PTSD begins after you experience or witness a life-threatening or frightening event. The trauma can be so overpowering that your brain doesn’t fully process the experience. Instead, it tucks the memories into your subconscious.

That means you can’t face your emotions or deal with the trauma, and your brain stays in survival mode. As a result, small details trigger flashbacks, and you react to normal daily events with intense emotions, a condition called PTSD.

You’re most likely to develop PTSD if you experience one of the following:

Combat duty
Gun violence
Physical assault or abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual violence
Robberies or home invasions
Accidents (car, plane, boat, etc.)
Death of a loved one
Natural disasters (hurricanes, tornados, etc.)

You can develop PTSD after one trauma or living through traumas like emotional abuse or bullying that go on for an extended time.

How will I know I have PTSD?

Most people know they have PTSD because they keep having disturbing thoughts and emotions for more than a month after the traumatic event.

You may experience one or more of the following PTSD symptoms:

Anxiety
Depression
Flashbacks or nightmares
Isolation from family and friends
Irritability and anger
Uncharacteristic aggression
Difficulty sleeping
Memory loss
Guilt or shame
Avoidance

PTSD symptoms like anxiety and depression may remain constantly in your life. Others, like flashbacks and sudden anger or aggression, often occur out of the blue.

Avoidance refers to purposefully staying away from the people, activities, and places that remind you of the trauma. You may feel compelled to avoid them to prevent triggering PTSD symptoms.

How is PTSD treated?

After a psychiatric evaluation to diagnose PTSD and determine if you have other problems like depression, your McClure & Associates Psychiatry provider may recommend medication management and/or psychotherapy.

While there aren’t medications to directly treat PTSD, you may need a medicine that targets specific problems like depression and insomnia. Psychotherapy is also an effective treatment, whether alone or combined with medication.

Psychotherapies such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and prolonged exposure therapy (PET) help many people recover from trauma. Though each therapy uses a different technique, they both break trauma’s hold on your emotions by helping you face your fears and deal with the trauma.

Call McClure & Associates Psychiatry or connect online to schedule an appointment and begin treatment to break the hold of PTSD.