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Understanding Trauma and PTSD: A Guide to Healing and Treatment

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Healing After Trauma: Understanding PTSD and Your Treatment Options

By Anna Wachtel, MD

After surviving a life-altering event—like an accident, an assault, or the sudden loss of a loved one—many people find themselves haunted by the past. Nightmares, anxiety, and a constant sense of danger may persist for months or years. These experiences are not a sign of weakness; they may be signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that affects both mind and body.

As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen firsthand how trauma can reshape lives—but I’ve also seen how treatment can help people reclaim them.


What Causes PTSD?

PTSD develops in response to overwhelming stress or life-threatening experiences. Some common triggers include:

  • Physical or sexual assault
  • Military combat
  • Serious accidents or injuries
  • Natural disasters
  • Childhood abuse or neglect
  • Sudden or violent loss of a loved one
  • Medical trauma or near-death experiences

Not everyone exposed to trauma develops PTSD. Genetics, past trauma, support systems, and coping skills all play a role in how we process distress.


Recognizing the Symptoms

PTSD symptoms usually fall into four categories:

  • Intrusive Memories
    Flashbacks, nightmares, or unwanted distressing thoughts
  • Avoidance
    Trying to avoid reminders of the trauma, including places, people, or conversations
  • Changes in Thinking and Mood
    Feelings of guilt, shame, hopelessness, or emotional numbness
  • Heightened Arousal
    Irritability, jumpiness, difficulty sleeping, or feeling constantly on edge

If these symptoms last more than a month and interfere with your daily life, it may be time to seek help.


How Therapy Can Help

There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but trauma-informed therapy can be life-changing. Some of the most effective options include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps reframe unhelpful thoughts and gradually reduce avoidance. Many patients gain insight into how their beliefs were shaped by trauma.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy

By safely confronting trauma-related memories and situations, patients reduce their fear responses and regain confidence.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR uses guided eye movements to help reprocess traumatic memories so they become less emotionally charged.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Schema Therapy

These are especially helpful for early or complex trauma, focusing on healing fragmented inner parts and attachment wounds.


Medication Options

For some patients, medications can reduce symptoms enough to make therapy more effective or life more manageable:

  • Antidepressants (SSRIs like sertraline or paroxetine) – first-line treatment for PTSD
  • Prazosin – especially helpful for trauma-related nightmares
  • Atypical antipsychotics or mood stabilizers – used for more severe or resistant cases

Medication can be a bridge—not a crutch—toward healing.


Whole-Person Recovery

Healing from trauma also involves reconnecting with the body and your environment. Practices like mindfulnessyoga, and support groups can support nervous system regulation and reduce shame or isolation.


Take the First Step Toward Healing

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just starting to explore therapy, compassionate support is available. At Anna Wachtel, MD Psychiatry for Health, we’re here to help you move forward—at your own pace, with care that meets you where you are.

Anna Wachtel, MD
Psychiatry for Health – Upper East Side, NYC
📞 (212) 534-8816

Offering in-person and telepsychiatry sessions for PTSD, anxiety, and mood disorders.

Anna Wachtel M.D.