Find Peace with Tailored Psychiatric Trauma Treatment in Colorado
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a serious mental health condition that can have a significant negative impact on a person's daily life. People can develop trauma from all kinds of life events and experiences, and the resulting disorder can be incredibly debilitating. To manage and overcome the symptoms of PTSD, you’ll need to seek out the support of a psychiatric mental health care professional for a personalized psychiatric trauma/PTSD treatment plan in Colorado. With the right combination of targeted, therapeutic interventions, like PTSD medication or trauma therapy, you can confront your trauma, develop coping skills, and ultimately take back control of your life.
Don’t let trauma or PTSD hold you back any longer! At Larson Mental Health, we have offices across the state so you can get science-backed, tailored psychiatric PTSD treatment plans in Denver, Highlands Ranch, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs. Our highly skilled and compassionate specialists are ready to help you lead a happier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
Understanding the Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD is a mental health condition that may occur after an individual witnesses or experiences a traumatic event. Trauma can occur in only a matter of seconds, but the symptoms of this disorder can last for a lifetime. These symptoms can have a noticeable impact on a person’s daily functioning, relationships, and overall health, and are not always the same from one person to the next. Some of the most common symptoms of PTSD include:
- Intrusive flashbacks
- Avoidance of trauma triggers
- Negative mood swings
- Emotional numbing
- Difficulty sleeping
- Recurrent, unwanted memories of the event
- Being easily startled
- Hyper-vigilance
- Aggressive behaviors
- Feeling detached from family and friends
- Negative thoughts about yourself or the future
Diagnosing Trauma Disorders
Because the symptoms of PTSD often overlap with other mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, it’s imperative that you get an accurate diagnosis from a licensed psychiatric professional, like a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Getting the right diagnosis is crucial because:
- It ensures you'll receive the right trauma treatment plan that fits your specific condition. PTSD is a complex disorder, and the way it's treated can differ depending on each person's symptoms and needs.
- A correct diagnosis can help you make sense of what you're going through. It will show you how your struggles are real, validate your feelings, and set the stage for healing and recovery.
- With the right diagnosis, healthcare providers can keep a better eye on how treatment is going, see if interventions are working, and make changes as needed to get the best results.
Our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) at Larson Mental Health specialize in diagnosing and treating PTSD. Our team is well-versed in various trauma therapies and we can properly assess your symptoms, medical history, and traumatic experiences to make an accurate diagnosis about your trauma. With that diagnosis, we will create a tailored PTSD treatment plan that addresses your unique needs.
Custom Psychiatric PTSD Treatment Plans in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Highlands Ranch, & Colorado Springs
While medication doesn't erase or fix traumatic memories, prescribed medicines can significantly help with distressing symptoms. Antidepressants like SSRIs are often prescribed for PTSD because they boost serotonin levels to ease feelings of anxiety and depression and quell intrusive thoughts. By balancing brain chemicals, these PTSD medications can help people cope with trauma's effects and enhance their overall health.
To assist with specific symptoms of PTSD, we may prescribe other specific medications like prazosin, which can be used to manage nightmares and sleep disturbances, as well as reduce flashbacks and hypervigilance. Benzodiazepines may be used in rare cases but are not typically recommended as they can hinder progress in treatment and worsen some symptoms. Our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners will closely monitor your PTSD medication doses to assess effectiveness, adjust amounts as needed, and implement strategies to manage any side effects.
Enhance Your Psychiatric PTSD Treatment in Colorado with Supplemental Therapy
At Larson Mental Health, we believe that a multi-faceted approach is the best solution to treating any mental health concerns. While medication is a core component of psychiatric trauma and PTSD treatment plans in Denver, Boulder, Highlands Ranch, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs – therapy can be equally important and beneficial.
Research has shown that therapies like Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Processing (EMDR), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy have been effective in helping individuals recover from traumatic experiences. These forms of trauma therapy offer a structured and supportive setting for people to address their trauma, learn coping strategies, challenge negative beliefs, and enhance their overall mental health.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to PTSD symptoms. It aims to teach practical skills to manage anxiety, develop relaxation techniques, and challenge distorted thinking related to trauma. We are proud to offer CBT at our Boulder office at Larson Mental Health.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that incorporates bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, or auditory tones, to help individuals process and reframe traumatic memories. While we do not currently offer EMDR at our clinics, this therapy can help desensitize individuals to distressing memories and reduce the associated emotional and physiological reactions.
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET) involves gradually and safely exposing individuals to trauma-related memories, situations, or objects that they have been avoiding. While we do not currently offer PET at our clinics, this therapeutic approach can help individuals slowly confront and process their traumatic experiences in a controlled and supportive environment.
Treating PTSD is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Everyone's trauma experience is unique, so treatment should be customized to meet individual needs. At Larson Mental Health, we can build a highly personalized psychiatric treatment plan for you that includes an array of techniques like PTSD medication management, trauma therapy/psychotherapy, and other support. We can even integrate other third-party providers into this plan to ensure you receive the maximum possible benefits for your needs. This holistic approach tackles both the physical and mental aspects of the disorder, leading to enhanced healing, greater strength, and a better quality of life.
Start Healing Today with Our Psychiatric PTSD Treatment Plans in Colorado
At Larson Mental Health, we're dedicated to helping people with PTSD find the healing they need. Our specialists are experts in trauma and have a wealth of experience in diagnosing and treating trauma-related disorders. We tailor our care to meet your specific needs, symptoms, and goals, and by working together with you, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan that includes effective therapeutic interventions to help you manage your PTSD symptoms and heal. Let us support you on your path to recovery with an evidence-based trauma treatment strategy.
Contact Larson Mental Health today to schedule a consultation with one of our incredible PMHNPs specializing in psychiatric PTSD treatment plan. Take the first step towards reclaiming your life and experiencing renewed well-being.