If you’re looking for a Florida trauma therapy program, you may be suffering from PTSD. Post traumatic stress disorder is a reaction of the body and brain to witnessing and experiencing trauma. Common PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, and more. Many people who deal with these common PTSD triggers find themselves struggling with substance abuse as a way to deal with symptoms. At Serenity House, we’re here to help you detox from drugs and alcohol to get your life back on track. We understand how hard PTSD can be, and we offer a safe medical detox to help you begin your journey to recovery.

What Is PTSD?

Post traumatic stress disorder is somewhat of a mystery to mental health experts. Most people recover in time after experiencing trauma, but others experience long-lasting symptoms associated with the traumatic event. When symptoms do not get better with time or even get worse, post traumatic stress disorder may be at work. Most people who have PTSD find that it severely interferes with their ability to be successful at work and have quality relationships at home. While PTSD is a difficult burden to bear, it is treatable with the help of a trained therapist.

Identifying Symptoms Of PTSD

Symptoms of PTSD differ from person to person. However, they often fit into four categories:

• Intrusive memories, such as flashbacks, recurring dreams, nightmares, and emotional distress when a reminder of the event occurs in everyday life
• Avoidance of the places, things, and people that may remind the person of the event
• Negative changes in mood and thinking, such as difficulty maintaining relationships, feeling numb, difficulty experiencing positive emotion, hopelessness, memory problems, negative thoughts about people/ self/ world
• Changes in physical or emotional reactions, such as startling easily, always feeling the need to be on guard, irritability, and feelings of guilt or shame

Common PTSD Triggers

Triggers for PTSD symptoms vary from person to person. Some triggers may make clear and logical sense. For instance, someone who was robbed at gunpoint may feel triggered when they see a robbery on TV. Other triggers are not as clear. For example, if someone was attacked by a person wearing a green shirt, they may inexplicably feel anxious when they see someone wearing green.

When someone struggles with PTSD, it makes sense that they want to avoid common PTSD triggers, which include:

• Emotions/ thoughts that are similar to those felt during the traumatic event
• Objects, tastes, sounds, or scents that were seen or experienced during the event
• Places, including both areas that are similar to that in which the incident took place, and returning to the area in which the incident took place
• Anniversaries, such as the yearly anniversary on which the event occurred

PTSD And Substance Abuse

Many people who suffer from PTSD turn to substance abuse to find relief for their symptoms, especially after experiencing common PTSD triggers. While this may provide a temporary sense of relaxation, it won’t ease the symptoms of PTSD long term. If you have PTSD and are struggling with substance abuse, it’s essential that you seek dual diagnosis therapy that can address both your PTSD and your substance abuse issues. Both issues must be treated in order to lead a healthy life.

Ready To Make A Change? Serenity House Is Here For You

If you’re ready to take steps to lead a healthy, happy life, Serenity House Detox is here to help you take the first step. Our drug and alcohol detox programs set a foundation for you to begin the recovery process. We understand that life with PTSD is complicated. Therefore, we provide compassion to clients who have turned to substance use as a coping mechanism. We’re here to help- we’re not here to judge. Call Serenity House at 866.294.5306 to talk with one of our counselors to decide if detox is the right next step for you. If you’re thinking about making the call, don’t wait, your new life can start today.