Treatment for PTSD

Dealing with post traumatic stress disorder alone is very difficult, which is why seeking professional help is beneficial to the improvement of or recovery from PTSD symptoms. In the future, The Ghost Rider Foundation aims to be able to provide financial assistance to veterans who are seeking treatment for PTSD.

There are different methods used to treat post traumatic stress disorder, with the most common being different therapeutic options and medications. The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder outlines and explains the different types of therapies available, as well as different medications, that are discussed below.

There is not one distinct way to develop PTSD, and there is also not one distinct path of treatment. Different people react differently to certain therapies and medications, and there is a variety of different treatment options out there. There are also some less scientific treatments that could also prove beneficial as a supplement to professional help.

Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and clinics can be found by looking in the “government offices” section of your local phone book, searching online at www.va.gov/rcs, calling 1-877-222-VETS (VA Health Benefits Service Center) or 1-800-905-4675 (Vet Center). Local mental-health care providers are also listed in the phone book, as are different medical professionals such as counselors, psychologists, and social workers who can help you find the appropriate treatment path.

Contacting a family physician is also a step in the right direction, because that medical professional can also offer suggestions on how to pursue treatment.The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, www.ncptsd.va.gov, also has a wealth of valuable information about PTSD treatment for veterans.

If someone is having suicidal thoughts or behaviors and there is an emergency, call 911 immediately. Call 1-800-273-TALK, the VA’s suicide hotline, for information on how to get treatment for someone expressing suicidal thoughts or behavior.

Treatment can last from three to six months, or one to two years1, but it entirely depends on the person and circumstances of the traumatic event outlined in the symptoms section. Some people go through treatment and eventually recover from PTSD and do not continue to have symptoms. For others, PTSD is a lifelong struggle because those traumatic memories remain etched in the brain, but symptoms can greatly improve from going through treatment.

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