Traumatic experiences occur every day, affecting thousands of people around the globe. While many of those individuals will not develop PTSD following that event, numerous others will. In fact, roughly 5% of the U.S. population is afflicted by PTSD each year. Early intervention is critical to achieve optimal results from PTSD treatment in Denver. But, recognizing the signs of trauma disorders can be challenging, and knowing how to address them can be even harder to figure out.
At Larson Mental Health, we are passionate about treating mental health disorders and conditions, and across our numerous offices in Colorado, we have several PTSD specialists from Boulder and Highlands Ranch to Fort Collins and Colorado Springs. Let's take a deep dive into trauma treatments and why early intervention strategies are so important.
Understanding PTSD and Trauma Conditions
People can develop trauma from all kinds of life events and experiences, from car accidents and physical injuries to the loss of a loved one and national events. Those situations can occur in just a few seconds, but the resulting mental trauma can last a lifetime. Traumatic events can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be an incredibly debilitating mental health condition.
Individuals with trauma-based conditions can experience significant changes in their daily functioning, relationships, and overall health. The intensity and frequency of symptoms vary by person, but PTSD is often characterized by symptoms like:
- Intrusive and recurring flashbacks
- Avoidance of trauma triggers
- Negative mood swings
- Aggressive behaviors
- Hyper-vigilance
- Sleeping difficulties
- Feelings of isolation, detachment, and self-harm
If you're struggling with your mental health after a traumatic event, it's important to recognize the signs and symptoms of PTSD and seek an official diagnosis and treatment sooner rather than later.
Why is Early Intervention Important for PTSD?
The sooner you can identify symptoms, intervene, and find a PTSD specialist in Denver, the better. Research has shown that early prevention and intervention can help facilitate and increase the likelihood of a natural recovery from long-term trauma symptoms.
When you delay treatment or avoid it altogether, there is a significant risk that your condition will become chronic, and your symptoms will worsen. Untreated PTSD can lead to long-term impacts including:
- Impaired emotional well-being
- Disrupted social and interpersonal functioning
- Cognitive challenges and difficulties
- Self-destructive behaviors
- And even physical health problems
By recognizing symptoms and seeking out an effective PTSD treatment in Boulder, you can greatly reduce traumatic stress reactions, decrease the onset of PTSD, and improve long-term health outcomes.
Strategies to Explore for Treating PTSD
From Colorado Springs to the metro area, there are several effective early intervention strategies that you can implement to improve your trauma-based condition. Before jumping into any of these approaches, it's important to first seek out an official diagnosis from a trained psychiatric professional.
At Larson, our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are well-trained in all facets of mental health afflictions, and we can help properly diagnose your mental health condition. For instance, our PTSD specialist in Fort Collins can conduct a 90-minute consultation with you to understand your mental health concerns, assess your medical history, and arrive at an accurate diagnosis of your mental state. If needed, we can coordinate additional assessments and evaluations as needed to help us gather all necessary information for the diagnosing process.
Prescription medication is one of the best solutions for immediate symptom relief from PTSD. Depending on your specific needs, your psychiatric care professional can curate a tailored pharmacological treatment plan for you to reduce immediate symptoms and mitigate long-term problems. Aside from medications, it's worthwhile to explore other early intervention strategies as adjunct treatments. These may include:
- Anxiety management techniques (e.g., breathing exercises, stress-relief activities, personalized coping strategies, etc.)
- Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
- Cognitive restructuring techniques
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to treating PTSD. Your ideal combination of interventions and treatments will be unique to you and your needs, so it may take a little trial and error to find what works best for you. But getting started on the process early and seeking support sooner rather than later is the best thing you can do for your mental health.
Get Started with our PTSD Specialists near Highlands Ranch
At Larson Mental Health, our staff can accurately diagnose mental health conditions and build highly personalized psychiatric treatment plans to address symptoms in the short- and long-term. With offices across the state, we can provide support and tailored PTSD treatments from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins. Whether you're struggling with trauma symptoms or concerned about a loved one's mental health, we’re here to help.
Schedule a 90-minute consultation with one of our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners today to get started.