Types of Mental Health Issues Trauma Therapy Can Help With

Trauma is a word that gets thrown around quite often. Trauma can be used to describe an event or an experience that has had such an impact on the individual experiencing it that its effects linger and may even cause lasting damage.

While most people have experienced trauma, not all traumas are equal. It can be as simple as witnessing a car accident to the more complex, like experiencing domestic violence or sexual abuse.

Here are the main kinds of mental issues trauma therapy can help with.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

According to reports, 58 percent (almost 6 in 10) frontline healthcare providers in NY city are concerned for their mental health.

A stressful event like the threat of injury or death can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. If you have been through a traumatic event, the chances are high that you will suffer from some PTSD symptoms.

Most people recover naturally after a few weeks, but others need assistance or therapy to get them through this difficult time. There are three main emotional symptoms of PTSD: reliving the event, avoiding related situations, and increased emotional arousal (Anxiety).

People with PTSD suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, severe anxiety and panic attacks, self-destructive behavior like substance abuse or gambling addiction, and uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic event.

Depression

Feelings of sadness, lack of interest in simple things usually enjoyed, changes in appetite or sleeping patterns are signs of depression. Depression can make it hard to get anything done, and the condition may last for many months before it starts getting better on its own.

The leading cause is a chemical imbalance in the brain, but depression can also be caused by a difficult life situation or specific physical conditions.

General Anxiety Disorder

General anxiety disorder involves excessive worry about everyday things and feeling keyed up or on edge pretty much all the time. People with this condition tend to have trouble sleeping, they may experience headaches or feel nauseous, and they may feel very tired or restless.

There is some evidence that anxiety can be inherited, but it’s also thought that people today are just more prone to anxiety than ever before.

There’s even a theory that some kinds of modern life encourage anxiety, like the internet giving everyone instant access to lots of information all the time.

Other Kinds of Anxiety

People with other kinds of anxiety disorder may be afraid of specific things like germs, or they may have phobias, which are irrational fears that cause the sufferer to have panic attacks when faced with their fear.

For example, arachnophobia is known as fear of spiders, and it’s pretty standard in people.

People with social anxiety disorder are obsessed with other people thinking badly of them, which can lead them to avoid public speaking or talking to strangers. Social anxiety is one of the most common mental issues trauma therapy helps with.

Normal Stress

Everyone has days when they feel worried, sad, or emotionally insecure. It is usually a normal response to complex life events, like losing a job or having relationship problems.

In most cases, these symptoms go away by themselves after a day or two. But if the impact of the incident lasts longer than normal, one may have to get professional help to cope with it.

Bipolar Disorder

It is a mental health issue that causes people to experience extreme emotional highs and lows. A bipolar person will move back and forth between depression and mania or hypomania (the lesser forms of mania).

People with bipolar disorder also tend to be impulsive, change jobs often, engage in high-risk behaviors like reckless driving or spending sprees, and suffer from depression frequently. In extreme cases, they may require specialized treatment to better their cognitive health.