After a scary experience, it’s normal to feel afraid, stressed, or anxious, and to replay the event in your mind. But if those feelings continue for a long time or come back later, you may be experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses trauma, such as violence, natural disasters, abuse, or accidents. While it’s normal to feel stress or fear after a traumatic event, PTSD occurs when those reactions don’t fade over time and begin to interfere with daily life.
People with PTSD may feel like they are reliving the trauma through flashbacks or nightmares. They might avoid reminders of the event, feel constantly on edge, or experience intense emotions such as guilt, shame, or anger.
PTSD can affect anyone, regardless of age or background.
Symptoms of PTSD can sometimes take a while to appear. You may start to experience them within a month of the triggering event, or they may appear years later. They can affect your ability to work, sleep, and maintain relationships.
Everyone’s experience will be different, but some symptoms of PTSD include:
While anyone can develop PTSD after a traumatic experience, certain factors may increase your risk.
Other traumatic experiences: Experiencing other trauma earlier in your life can increase your chances of developing PTSD later on.
Jobs that expose you to trauma: First responders, military personnel, and others who do dangerous work may be more at risk of developing PTSD.
Other mental health problems: If you or someone in your family has another mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, you may be at higher risk of developing PTSD.
Poor support system: Having someone to talk to after a traumatic experience can help prevent PTSD. If you lack a good support system, you could be at higher risk.
Our coordinated care includes therapy and psychiatry to help you manage mental health symptoms, navigate life challenges, and build resilience.
Therapy is the most effective treatment for PTSD, and several evidence-based approaches are proven to help. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can reframe negative thoughts, Exposure Therapy gradually reduces fear of trauma reminders, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps the brain process painful memories.
A Brave psychiatrist can work with you to find out if mental health medication is right for you. Sometimes you have to try more than one medication for PTSD to find one that works.
Joining a support group can provide a sense of community, where people with similar experiences talk about their traumas and learn coping skills together. Brave offers therapist-led support groups for people with PTSD.
If someone you love has PTSD, your support may be a critical part of their recovery.
Sometimes people with PTSD want to talk about what they experienced (and sometimes they don’t). Try to listen with compassion, and avoid judging their feelings or actions.
It can be hard for people with PTSD to get motivated to do everyday tasks, like grocery shopping or tidying up. Giving them a hand with those tasks can be very supportive.
If your loved one has not yet met with a therapist, help them find an individual therapist or support group on the Brave Health website. Treatment is available and can ease their suffering.
Brave Health believes that everyone should have access to high-quality mental health care.
Our providers are in-network with a wide variety of insurance plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial insurance. Many Medicaid plans waive a co-payment for services. Contact your insurance plan to find out the total cost of care.
We also accept private patients who do not have insurance. See our fee schedule.
Brave Health’s team of clinicians includes licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists, and counselors. Each of our team members has received specialized training in mental health care.
At Brave Health, therapists typically meet with patients for 50-minute video sessions on our secure telehealth platform. The frequency of sessions can vary based on the individual's needs and goals.
You will need a computer, smartphone, or tablet with a camera and microphone, as well as a reliable internet connection.
You will receive a text reminder 24 hours before your appointment, and another text and email reminder 15 minutes prior to the appointment with a link to the telehealth session. At that time, prepare to move to a private space and click the link to join a private waiting room where the clinician will arrive.
During the first 60-minute video appointment, the mental health clinician will ask questions, evaluate needs, and present treatment options.
