Treatment

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health issue that arises after someone has experienced a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD often include nightmares, flashbacks, emotional numbness, hyperarousal such as difficulty sleeping, feeling jumpy, and more. War veterans often experience PTSD, and many are deeply affected by it for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, many people take their own lives because PTSD can be so debilitating. It affects every aspect of their lives – from their work, to family life, and often trouble connecting with their significant other. In the past, there have been several drug forms created to aid in the effects of PTSD, but many involved patients taking several forms of medication along with psychotherapy, and even the combined therapy didn’t aid in full recovery of the symptoms. Researchers have been exploring more advanced treatment options for PTSD, and many of them hold much hope in aiding the negative symptoms of PTSD, or even eliminating them altogether. Here are a few recent developments regarding treatment for PTSD:

We all find ourselves afraid of something – heights, snakes, planes, etc. But many of us experience a deeper side of fear – phobias. A phobia is defined as an irrational fear, an anxiety disorder in which the individual has relentless dread of a situation, living creature, place, or thing. Individuals who have a phobia go to great lengths to avoid the very thing they are most afraid of, which often detracts from enjoying everyday life experiences. A recent study believes they have found a way to cure phobias. A study in A Journal of Psychiatric Neuroscience and Therapeutics examined three groups of people who suffer from arachnophobia, a fear of spiders, with 45 subjects total. One group was shown a tarantula in a glass jar for two minutes, and then given a beta-blocker call propranolol that is typically used by patients for performance anxiety. Another group was shown the same thing but was given a placebo, and the third group was given propranolol by itself without being shown the spider, just to make sure that the drug itself could not decrease the effects of their phobia. Soeter and Kindt examined all three groups the same day, three months later, and then a year later after the initial experiment happened. They found that the groups that received the placebo and only the drug by itself did not see any decrease in their feelings of anxiety. However, the group that was shown the spider and took the medication saw significant differences. Many could hold the tarantula that same day, and their fear of spiders did not return even a year later when the researchers check on them. The reason this could work is because norepinephrine, a chemical and neurotransmitter within the brain that enhances our learning, is blocked when a person consumes the propranolol. In blocking this, memory is disrupted in the brain, a process known as reconsolidation. A person with a phobia has an emotional association to it, and the anxiety they experience reactivates their fear and causes them to panic. Taking the propranolol helps them to create new associations with the phobia, thus reducing their anxiety about it altogether. Research is still being conducted on this medication and to see if it continues to show positive effects on individuals with phobias. If you experience a phobia, speak with your doctor to learn more about ways of reducing your anxiety so that you can continue to a happier, healthier way of living.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein Problems surround us every day – from small problems, such as managing an angry customer at work, to larger issues, such as managing a family dispute or dealing with a debilitating mental illness. No matter the size, problems are unavoidable and the best way to get through them, is to break them down. Here, we provide several techniques for solving your problems:

Intensive outpatient therapy (IOP) is a form of treatment often used by individuals who do not need immediate detoxification. Others may use this form of treatment after they have detoxed. This form of therapy provides more structure and intensive care than a standard outpatient therapy would. This allows the person to still maintain home and work obligations while working closely with a healthcare team.  People who use IOP can generally schedule days and times to come in that works best for them, but they typically meet 3-4 days a week for 2-4 hours each day. In a study conducted by McCarty and colleagues (2014), they found that patient outcomes of IOP were like those who used residential treatment, meaning that both sets of patients reduced alcohol consumption. However, IOP’s and residential treatment centers both serve to provide relapse management and coping skills. IOP may involve group therapy, family therapy, individual therapy, medication management, detoxification, and the matrix model, depending on the center. The Matrix Model is a therapeutic intervention used to treat addiction. A therapist works as both a coach and teacher to empower the patient to their recovery. If you are considering using an intensive outpatient program, here are some characteristics that you will need to have:

According to the Pew Research Center in 2015, 68% of Americans own a smartphone and 45% have tablet computers. Technology is much easier to access, and with that access comes many tools that individuals can use. For instance, Statista, a statistics portal, claims that as of March 2017, Android users can choose between 2.8 million apps, with the Apple store containing around 2.2 million. There are many apps that people can use for a variety of topics – gaming, monitoring, health related issues, and more. As apps are becoming more popular, their use is even becoming prevalent in the recovery world. The American Psychological Association (APA) has identified more than 165,000 health-related apps worldwide, helping users with diet and weight management, mood monitoring, managing chronic diseases, and more. According to Robert Parkinson of U.S. News, there are apps that now help people with recovery – which changes the way that diseases are treated entirely. For example, Sober Grid is an app that helps people find immediate support based on their current location. Squirrel Recovery allows people with a former addiction to develop their own digital support groups. Other apps even help people to track their alcohol consumption, or even to view inspirational messages by others to help them continue their journey through recovery. Instantaneous therapy sessions are also making way into the app world, with some providing video and camera options to connect patients and therapists through phone directly. The APA has also mentioned that apps are so popular because they are available to clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They help keep patients connected to their physician as they track their information outside of the doctor’s office. Apps are also often formatted in a way that’s easy for users to understand and provides more compelling images and usability. Some researchers are skeptical of these health-related apps, however. The fear is that some of these apps are not research and scientific-based, which could provide misleading information to users. While research is still being conducted and new apps are emerging, one thing is for certain: in a technology-based era, apps are becoming more and more used for people recovering. If you are using a health-based app, consider talking with your doctor about which app you are using. You may be able to find out more information on that app and its usefulness, and may even be able to provide results from the app to better aid your patient-physician interactions.

Xanax first appeared in the market in 1981, and was a follow-up medication to Valium, which also helped with anxiety and was very common during the 1970’s. What made Xanax so popular is it’s marketing of helping people with panic attacks – something that Valium didn’t claim to do. Many people in the 80’s began using this drug as a form of relaxation and a way to ease their fear and panic – and has continued to rise up the charts for usage even today.   Xanax is the number one prescription drug in the United States, and provides a calm and relaxing state of feeling to those who take it. Many enjoy the effects of Xanax because it helps calm their central nervous system and acts very quickly in the body once taken. When people begin taking Xanax, they often to sleep better and have overall less anxiety. The drug boosts a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the neurotransmitter responsible for sending calming and relaxing signals throughout our body. When prescribed, individuals are often set a certain timeline to take it – but once they experience the pleasurable feelings the drug produces, they often feel they need the drug to continue feeling relaxed and calm. From there, people may continue taking the drug even though their prescription is outdated to try and achieve the same results they felt at the beginning. This leads to a dangerous path though – as the body becomes used to taking the drug, it replaces its natural ability to produce GABA with the drug itself. This then means that the person must increase their dosage to achieve the same relaxing feeling that they felt when they first started taking the drug. As a person continues doing this, their body build more and more tolerance and the vicious cycle continues. Xanax is an incredibly addictive drug and has really become popular over the past 35 years. Even small dosages of Xanax can become addicting – the best way to prevent addiction is to take the medication only as prescribed by your doctor and to stay in touch with your doctor regularly regarding any unusual behaviors or symptoms that you experience. Rely on a loving friend or partner to monitor your usage and to check in with you. Staying informed and aware are the best tools for combating addiction – there are many other resources available to help people with preventative care and to help those who are already suffering from addiction.

For those of us who have taken the courageous route to overcoming our problems and obtaining skills to help us better manage our lives, therapy is likely a plausible component to our success. Many of us seek therapy in hopes that we can at least resolve our most distressing issues – once we have found a therapist that we feel we can truly trust, the recovery process becomes much easier to manage. In our sessions, our therapists may use a variety of techniques. This is mostly since we are all different in our perceptions and ways of learning skills, as well as our tactics for coping. Many therapists are specialized in a certain “area of expertise” – but most can implement a variety of techniques to see which ones “stick” with us and which ones don’t. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - the goal of this technique is to help the client recognize negative thought and behavior patterns, and to help them construct more positive, productive thoughts in its place. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – like CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy aims to help individuals with negative thought and behavioral patterns, but integrates the use of mindfulness. With this, the client can become more present in the moment and can learn to better cope with stress and other negative emotions. Sand Tray Therapy – with this technique, clients (children through adult years) select small objects or figures to create their own little world on the sand tray. This allows the client to visualize their world and explore their problems and feelings more effectively. This also enables the client to explore potential solutions on the sand tray. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – this technique is often used to help people who suffer from addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, panic attacks, and more. By recalling a triggering, negative memory, clients relearn healthier ways to respond through sets of eye movements that their therapist guides them through. These are only a few of the many successful techniques that your therapist may use. What’s most important is not the technique used, but the effect that it has on you and your ability to overcome obstacles. If you feel that a certain technique isn’t working well for you, express those concerns to your therapist. Open communication and trust are crucial elements to success in therapy and could greatly improve your chances of recovery.

We all experience moments of doubt, worry, disappointment, grief, and low self-esteem. While many of us may feel that these feelings are not of concern, learning tools to cope with these feelings is always beneficial. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral treatment often used for a variety of mental health illnesses, but virtually anyone can gain many wonderful tools developed from using this therapy. DBT provides skills for mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a form of treatment in which bilateral eye movement reduces the emotional stress of negative memories. This type of therapy is often used to treat addiction, self-esteem issues, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and more. When a person undergoes this form of therapy, they will be asked to recall a traumatic memory – for someone who suffers from an addiction, they may recall triggers that causes them to feel anxiety and a craving to “use” again. When the therapist incorporates eye movement desensitization, the person typically feels less anxious about the triggers, ameliorating the effects of their trigger on them.

Dr. Lisa Firestone, Dr. Robert Firestone and Joyce Catlett, authors of The Self under Seige state: There is an important difference between introspection and rumination. Time spent alone in thought can be positive – a rich environment for personal growth and creativity, but it can also be dangerous when we are negatively turned against ourselves. Introspection can be a process of healthy self-reflection, examination, and exploration, which is good for your well-being and your brain. Introspection allows us to learn from our past, understand who we are, and develop a closer sense of self. If we can look into ourselves for exploration and clarification, we can become wiser and more self-aware. According to Elite Daily in 2015, introspection can help us to notice negative patterns in our lives, keep us focused on the bigger picture, prevent us from worry about things outside of our control, face our fears, define happiness in our own terms, make decisions based on our conscious, and make changes that will finally lead us to the results that we want.   The Right Way(s) To Do Introspection has some great insight that can be used. Here are some investigative strategies that you can use to get the most out of introspection:

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than a quarter of adults in America suffer from depression, anxiety, and other related mental illnesses each year. In today’s world, so many forms of therapy are available to us, and many who suffer from a mental illness may choose to seek out someone who can help them work through these deep-rooted issues. There are therapists that specialize in certain areas, which can be incredibly helpful for helping us feel safe and secure, to know that we are being taken care of by someone who is very knowledgeable. With a variety of methods available, psychotherapy is a common choice to help a person lead happier, healthier, and more productive lives.

– Pablo Picasso