When life-threatening or otherwise profoundly damaging events happen, an effect called trauma can take place within survivors’ bodies and minds. Unprocessed trauma can wreak havoc on all aspects of life, from sleep and physical well-being to job performance and relationships. At its most extreme, a condition called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may come about. If you or a loved one could use a trauma therapy program in the Seattle area, contact Northpoint Recovery today. Our caring and knowledgeable staff is available at 888.483.6031 to assist you. The importance of trauma therapy can’t be overstated, and we encourage you to reach out for support today.
What’s the Importance of Therapy for Trauma?
Trauma manifests differently for each individual, but there are some common features to track, nonetheless. Here are a few symptoms to watch for if you think trauma may be present:
- Repeating unwanted memories or flashbacks of a traumatic event
- Sleep disturbance due to nightmares about the traumatic event
- Becoming easily triggered by non-threatening people, places, or things that remind you of the traumatic event
- Heightened “startle reflex,” or tendency to flinch, when you are surprised by a loud noise or the like
- Avoiding certain thoughts, places, or activities in anticipation of feeling triggered
- Feeling hopelessness, guilt, shame, pessimism about yourself or others, anger, or emotional numbness
- Having a hard time connecting with others or maintaining healthy relationships
- Difficulty concentrating or forming new memories
- Self-sabotaging or harmful actions like substance abuse, unsafe driving, and excessive gambling
- Having unexplained physical pain such as headaches or stomach aches
Clearly, symptoms like these can all have a strong impact on daily functioning and broader happiness. Sadly, for people coping with PTSD, many of these difficult symptoms tend to exist within the same time frame. This can make it close to impossible to maintain healthy relationships, stay healthy, and enjoy pursuits that once brought fulfillment.
While doctors originally considered trauma only to be caused by life-threatening danger, they increasingly recognize diverse sources. For instance, while events like military combat or sexual assault are often traumatizing, bullying and divorce can also have this effect. Whatever the cause, getting effective trauma therapy is an important step in moving through challenging past events and regaining agency and joy in your life.
Effective Therapies for Trauma Treatment
It’s always wise to begin the search for trauma therapy by looking for providers specializing in the area. A dual-diagnosis addiction rehab is a great choice if you or your loved one is also abusing alcohol or drugs to cope with trauma.
Here are a few of the core therapies many trauma specialists are apt to employ:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) – A well-researched neuroscientific technique, EMDR shows a high success rate in trauma care. Using hand buzzers or another device, the provider engages the patient in bilateral brain stimulation while discussing a traumatic event. By bringing both brain hemispheres online, the patient can better process memories that previously lived mainly in the emotional memory.
- Exposure Therapy – While not for everyone, exposure therapy can be a powerful way to regain power and overcome fears. Within the safety of therapy, patients engage with a progression of images or other stimuli that evoke their trauma. Doing this while processing with a therapist can help desensitize the parts of everyday life that have been triggering distress.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Popular in addiction recovery settings, CBT can also help trauma survivors or dual-diagnosis patients. The therapy emphasizes self-awareness and teaches patients to identify self-defeating thoughts and reframe them, thus reducing distress and fixation.
- Body-Based Therapies – Interventions such as yoga, dance, and tai chi can be very helpful additional therapies in trauma work. These nervous system-regulating art and exercise forms help promote calmness, non-verbal emotional processing, and agency through self-expression.
Learn More About Trauma Therapy Benefits and Start Treatment at Northpoint Seattle Today
Get more facts about trauma and the importance of trauma therapy by contacting Northpoint Seattle today. Our qualified staff are eager to talk with you and you can reach us by calling 888.483.6031 or using our online contact form. It can be overwhelming to live with trauma, but the good news is that the phenomenon is quite well understood. This means that meaningful interventions are available to you.