PTSD Residential Treatment Centers

Using Medications To Treat PTSD In PTSD Residential Treatment Centers

Fear and anxiety are normal feelings people experience when they are under pressure or in threatening situations. This fear propels split-second changes in bodily function that prepare the body to face or avoid danger. This defense pattern is commonly called the fight or flight response. After the danger has passed, the person who experienced it is most likely going to feel some trauma. However, when the trauma becomes excessive and recurrent, the person may begin to feel fear even when there is no danger. A person who has this problem should visit any of the PTSD residential treatment centers close to them. It may be possible that the person has PTSD, but only a qualified practitioner can diagnose the problem.

Signs You Should Look Out For Before Heading To A PTSD Residential Treatment Centers

• The occurrence of a minimum of one avoidance symptom. Avoidance symptoms include avoiding thoughts related to the event, staying away from people or places that remind you of the event.
• These things serve as triggers and whenever the person comes in contact with the trigger, anxiety and other symptoms start.
• The occurrence of a minimum of one re-experiencing symptom. This may include flashbacks, bad dreams, excessive sweating.
• The occurrence of arousal activity symptoms

If a person experiences difficulty sleeping, hot temper, or is easily frightened, that person may be experiencing arousal activity symptoms.

• The occurrence of mood and cognition symptoms

This includes trouble remembering the key parts of the traumatic event, distorted feels like self-blame of guilt and negative thoughts.

If you have experienced one or more of the above symptoms continuously for up to a month, then you need to see a professional.

Medications Prescribed In PTSD Residential Treatment Centers

When a person has PTSD, their brain will process threats differently from a regular person’s brain. This is because the neurotransmitters are not balanced. Their flight and fight response will be triggered easily. This is what causes the jumpy feeling they always experience.

Medications that are prescribed for the treatment of PTSD are used to help the patient ease the symptoms by preventing them from thinking about what happened or reacting to it. These medications can help improve the patient’s outlook on life making he or she feel normal again.

There are many medications that can affect the brain’s chemistry related to anxiety and fear. The first medication prescribed by most doctors is usually meant to manipulate norepinephrine or serotonin production. Some of the drugs include Paroxetine (Paxil), Fluoxetine (Prozac), Venlafaxine (Effexor), and Sertraline (Zoloft).

The federal drug administration has only approved sertraline and paroxetine for the treatment of PTSD.

However, different people respond differently to the medications used for the treatment of PTSD. Also, PTSD affects different people in different ways. So, some doctors prescribe off the books or label medication for the treatment of PTSD. Some common off-label drugs that are used for treating PTSD include Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics or second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), Benzodiazepines and Beta blockers.

Conclusion

Although medications are effective for managing the symptoms of PTSD by making it easier for the patient to move on from the traumatic event, they do not always provide a permanent solution. They only reduce the intensity of the symptoms. Your doctor might recommend combining medications with other treatment options such as therapy for best results.

Call Admissions at Elevation Behavioral Health to learn more and receive help at 888-561-0868