1. Effective therapeutic treatment for trauma victims
A racing heart accompanies another sleepless night following a day
punctuated by anxiety and an overarching urge to run away. She tried
to calm her frayed nerves, hoping that tomorrow might bring relief
from the flashbacks. She has been traumatized. In her efforts to soothe
the sense of fear and foreboding that colors her recent days, she
swallows a couple of Ativans and chases them down with a bottle of
wine. She needs help.

2. Whatever causes a trauma in a person’s life, whether it’s a physical
assault, a sudden death or a natural disaster, the resulting symptoms are
very similar. The victim of the intense event will experience so much
psychological upheaval that they may become unable to cope, choosing
to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol and hiding away where they
will relive over and over the details of the trauma, isolate themselves
from friends and family and avoid anything that could remind them of
what happened.
Women and trauma
Research clearly demonstrates that women are more likely to
experience more intensely impactful events, and are more prone to
developing post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD) than men. It is
believed that this is due to physical vulnerability which could allow for
physical and sexual assaults against them by a male. A majority of
women who are victims of physical abuse by their partners develop
PTSD.
PTSD has developed if the symptoms related to the traumatic event
have not resolved within 90 days; however, there may be a delayed
onset which may occur up to years later. Whether or not PTSD has
resulted from the event, the destructive effects of trauma on daily life
must be acknowledged and treated.
Treatment for trauma
Trauma symptoms are very specific, so not all types of therapy are
appropriate for treatment. Once a thorough evaluation of the exact
nature of the traumatic event and the subsequent presenting symptoms
has been completed, a treatment plan, usually including both
psychotherapy and medication, will be initiated. The general treatment
goals for trauma survivors are:

3. Improve their emotion regulation, which includes increasing
distress tolerance, relaxation, cognitive restructuring and
mindfulness
Review the memories of the traumatic incident, which will
help them prepare to process their trauma
Apply new skills and a renewed understanding of themselves
to manage the effects of the trauma, including a support
system and the use of an ongoing care plan
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
The treatment programs with the most promising results are cognitive
behavioral therapies. CBT has been proven to be effective in treating
PTSD and is considered the standard of care by the United States
Department of Defense for military-related cases. CBT is a blend of
therapies that focuses on changing the way a trauma victim feels and
behaves by helping them change the patterns of thinking and/or
behavior that result in negative emotional outcomes. Through CBT, a
trauma survivor will learn to shape their responses to upsetting
thoughts and replace them with more rational thoughts and behaviors.
There is a branch of CBT called trauma focused-cognitive behavioral
therapy (TF-CBT), developed by Judith Cohn, Anthony Mannarino,
and Esther Deblinger. TF-CBT was originally designed to help children
who were victims of abuse and trauma, but the scope of this program
now includes adolescents and adults. TF-CBT often lasts several
months and includes family members in the therapy sessions.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
Developed by Francine Shapiro, EMDR originated from her own
experience when noticing that her eyes moved more rapidly when
thinking about disturbing memories. She found that when she was able
to control her eye movements, the thoughts were less distressing.

4. EMDR allows an individual to reprocess memories and events using
images, thoughts, emotions and body sensations to process through the
unresolved traumatic experience. Typically, there are eight phases of
treatment which includes controlling eye movement, and is highly
recommended for individuals who have complex trauma.
Medication
While there is no drug available that is specifically indicated for the
treatment of trauma or PTSD, there are medications that have shown to
help control or decrease the symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered to be the most effective in mitigating
the effects of trauma, and may be prescribed in tandem with other
drugs. These include Zolpidem for sleep disturbance, Topiramate to
treat nightmares and flashbacks, anti-psychotics to treat dissociation
and mood issues and Lamotrigine to treat avoidance and emotional
numbing.
Utilizing CBT, medication as needed and adjunct therapies such as art
therapy, equine therapy, yoga and meditation, Sovereign can help you
process through your trauma and put you on the road to recovery. Call
our admissions team 24/7 at 866-598-5661.
Written by Eileen Spatz, Sovereign Health Group writer