TRAUMA & POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
Healing from trauma is possible. We offer structured, evidence-based psychotherapies delivered in a phased and safe manner to help you reclaim your life.
Overview
Trauma-related disorders develop following exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, either directly, indirectly, or through repeated exposure. While many individuals experience distress after trauma, some develop persistent symptoms that significantly impair functioning—this is termed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Trauma can also present in more complex forms involving emotional dysregulation, relational disturbances, and identity-related difficulties. Effective treatment is grounded in structured, trauma-focused psychotherapies delivered in a phased and safe manner.
Additional Facts
- Not all trauma leads to PTSD; vulnerability depends on individual, developmental, and contextual factors
- Strong association with depression, anxiety, substance use, and dissociation
- Complex trauma (chronic, interpersonal trauma) leads to broader difficulties beyond classic PTSD
- Avoidance and hyperarousal maintain symptom persistence
Signs and Symptoms
- Recurrent, intrusive memories or distressing dreams
- Flashbacks (feeling as if the event is happening again)
- Intense psychological or physiological distress at reminders
- Avoiding thoughts, feelings, or conversations related to trauma
- Avoiding places, people, or situations associated with the event
- Persistent negative beliefs (e.g., “I am unsafe,” “I am to blame”)
- Shame, guilt, or emotional numbing
- Reduced interest in activities
- Detachment from others
- Hypervigilance
- Exaggerated startle response
- Irritability or anger outbursts
- Sleep disturbances
- Emotional dysregulation
- Identity disturbances
- Chronic shame and self-criticism
- Interpersonal difficulties
When to Seek Help?
Early trauma-informed care improves recovery and prevents chronicity. Professional intervention is recommended if:
- Symptoms persist for more than one month after trauma
- There is significant distress or impairment in functioning
- The individual experiences flashbacks, severe avoidance, or hyperarousal
- There are co-occurring symptoms such as depression, dissociation, or substance use
- There is difficulty feeling safe or regulating emotions
Treatment Approach (Psychotherapy-Focused)
Phase-Oriented Treatment Model (Gold Standard)
Establish internal and external safety, build emotional regulation capacity, and reduce acute distress and dissociation.
Interventions:Grounding techniques, psychoeducation, emotion regulation skills, and building therapeutic alliance.
Process and integrate traumatic memories; reduce emotional intensity and avoidance.
Evidence-Based Approaches:- TF-CBT: Restructures trauma beliefs and uses gradual exposure.
- Prolonged Exposure (PE): Systematic exposure to trauma memories.
- EMDR: Facilitates adaptive processing of memories.
Restore functioning and identity, rebuild relationships and life roles, and foster meaning-making and post-traumatic growth.
Additional Psychotherapeutic Approaches
Focuses on restructuring maladaptive trauma-related beliefs (e.g., guilt, blame). Particularly effective for PTSD with strong cognitive distortions.
Targets shame, self-criticism, and threat-based processing. Develops self-soothing systems. Highly relevant for complex trauma.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy reduces experiential avoidance and promotes values-based living despite trauma-related distress.
Adjunctive approaches focusing on physiological regulation. Useful for trauma stored in bodily responses.
Where appropriate, it reduces isolation and shame while enhancing normalization and peer support.
Psychoeducation for caregivers and building safe relational environments to address interpersonal consequences.
7. Psychoeducation
- Understanding trauma as a biopsychological response to threat
- Normalizing symptoms
- Enhancing engagement and reducing self-blame
Do you need Emergency Psychiatric Care?
Call @ 084210 25285
At Disha Neuropsychiatry Centre, we provide immediate psychiatric assistance in times of crisis. Our compassionate team is here to offer prompt and effective care.