PTSD Treatment

The traumatic events that cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) get tucked into your unconscious memory, where triggers make them suddenly reappear, causing intense emotional and behavioral reactions. Elia Gonzalez-Rodriguez, MD, and the experienced team at Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS offer comprehensive PTSD care at three office locations in Vancouver and Lakewood, Washington. In addition to trauma-focused therapy that helps you overcome PTSD, they specialize in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a safe, drug-free, non-invasive treatment that effectively alleviates your symptoms. Don’t wait to seek treatment. Call the nearest office or request an appointment online today.

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What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

PTSD begins after you experience an actual or threatened injury, a dangerous event, or severe emotional or mental stress. The traumatic events that often cause PTSD include:

• Military duty
• Physical or sexual assault
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Death of a loved one
• Domestic violence
• Gun violence
• Robberies
• Car, plane, and train accidents
• Earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods

You don’t need to experience the trauma directly. PTSD can occur if you witness the trauma or learn a friend or loved one experienced a traumatic event.

What symptoms occur if I have post-traumatic stress disorder?

Everyone experiences anxiety and fear after a traumatic event, but their feelings gradually improve. You may have PTSD when your symptoms last a month or longer.

PTSD causes anxiety along with the following symptoms:

Intrusion symptoms

Intrusion symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, and sudden unpleasant memories of the event. These memories often trigger intense anxiety, anger, and fear.

Changes in mood and cognition

You may have trouble remembering the traumatic event, lose interest in activities you usually enjoy, or have feelings of shame or guilt that you didn’t stop the trauma.

Avoidance

This means you avoid activities, places, and things that remind you of the traumatic event, even if that means changing your daily life.

Arousal and reactivity symptoms

These symptoms include feeling irritable, tense, and constantly on edge. You may have difficulty sleeping. Some people behave differently than they did before developing PTSD. For example, you may have sudden angry outbursts or behave in self-destructive ways.

How is post-traumatic stress disorder treated?

PTSD treatment typically begins with therapy. Through therapy, you can learn to identify and change triggers, understand the effect of trauma, and gradually explore and deal with difficult thoughts and memories.

Your provider may prescribe medications that target specific symptoms. For example, medications may help with anger, aggression, and depression.

If therapy doesn’t help or your symptoms worsen, it may be time to consider transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This treatment safely and painlessly sends magnetic pulses into targeted areas of your brain that control PTSD symptoms.

Symptoms arise when certain brain areas don’t produce sufficient neurotransmitters to regulate your mental health. The magnetic pulses increase nerve activity, raising neurotransmitter levels and easing your symptoms. 

You can overcome PTSD with help from the caring team at Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS. Call the office or book an appointment online today.

Our cash pay rates for new patient intakes and medication management appointments are as follows:

• New patient intake appointment (up to 90 min): $525
• Established patient appointment (20-min): $225
• Established patient appointment (30-min): $285
• Established patient appointment (45-min): $325
• Established patient appointment  (60-min): $350
• 60-120 min appointment: $425