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PTSD services offered in Houston, TX
About 5% of Americans experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) every year. At Lifespan Psychiatry & Wellness Center, the highly trained specialists, led by psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Vivian Young, PMHNP, provide evidence-based psychiatric care, medication management, and supportive therapy to address the root causes of your PTSD symptoms and guide you to mental well-being. Call the Houston, Texas, office or click the online scheduler to make your appointment now.
PTSD Q & A
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that may affect people who live through or witness traumatic events or circumstances. While PTSD can have many triggers, common examples are domestic violence, assault, combat, terrorist acts, and natural disasters.
People affected by PTSD experience disruptive and distressing symptoms, including:
Intrusive symptoms
Intrusive symptoms, such as unwanted memories, nightmares, or very real-feeling flashbacks, are common in people with PTSD.
Avoidance symptoms
Because memories of the triggering event are so distressing, people who have PTSD commonly avoid anything they think might unleash those memories. This may involve withdrawal from people, avoiding places, or going to great lengths to avoid anything perceived as a trigger.
Thought and mood changes
PTSD can significantly affect the way you think and feel. This may involve blank spots in the memory around the triggering event, distorted beliefs, and feelings of guilt, shame, anger, detachment, or numbness.
Arousal and reactivity symptoms
People who have PTSD can experience dramatic changes in their reactions, becoming highly irritable and prone to angry outbursts. Being hyperwatchful of surroundings, growing startled easily, and insomnia are all common symptoms.
Additionally, about 8 in 10 people with PTSD experience another mental disorder, such as depression or anxiety.
Are adjustment disorders the same as PTSD?
While adjustment disorders and PTSD may be similar in some respects, they are two different groups of disorders. PTSD is among trauma- and stressor-related disorders, while adjustment disorders have their own category.
With an adjustment disorder, you experience symptoms starting after a stressful situation or event. This causes difficulties in relationships, work, and other areas.
Adjustment disorders typically happen after events that are within the expected range of ordinary human experiences, whereas PTSD starts after an unusual traumatic experience or event. Adjustment disorders are shorter-term than PTSD, lasting no more than six months.
How is PTSD treated?
At Lifespan Psychiatry & Wellness Center, you get complete, evidence-based PTSD care. The ideal treatment approach often centers on psychiatric care and medication management. Your experienced psychiatric care specialist creates a customized treatment plan focused on your individual needs.
The practice also provides supportive therapy and lifestyle counseling alongside your psychiatric care and medication management. After your initial on-site evaluation, you can opt for convenient telehealth visits.
For PTSD support with an integrative patient-centered approach, call Lifespan Psychiatry & Wellness Center or book your appointment online now.