PTSD Treatment in North Carolina - Apogee Behavioral Medicine

What is PTSD?
State of PTSD in 2024
Treat PTSD – Why See a Psychiatrist
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
Risk Factors for PTSD
Who Is PTSD Treatment For?
Treatment Options for PTSD
FAQs

What is PTSD?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition characterized by persistent mental and emotional stress whose underlying cause is a specific traumatic event or series of events. PTSD sufferers often present with co-morbidities or other mood disorders, including anxiety or depression, whose symptoms include isolation, panic attacks, sleeplessness or oversleeping, and the inability to handle life’s daily tasks.

These underlying traumas may be immediately and frequently recalled in flashbacks or nightmares. Where trauma is a series of events, such as childhood abuse, violence, or neglect, symptoms may emerge later. Another form of PTSD may stem from what are called microtraumas, which can be intermittent or regular emotional abuse.

According to the National Health Service, it is estimated that one in three people suffer from PTSD. Thankfully, there are medical and behavioral interventions that can change the lives of patients and give them freedom from trauma and fear.

Treat PTSD - Why See a Psychiatrist

Treatment plans vary for PTSD, as widely as the type of trauma an individual has suffered. For this reason, Apogee Behavioral Medicine treatment plans draw from cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses underlying persistent thoughts through talk therapy and medical interventions. Psychiatrists administer medical interventions or medications that help address the symptoms of comorbidities like anxiety and depression by altering brain chemistry.

PTSD treatment requires considerable attention to the individual case. In severe cases, a medical intervention may be the first step in a treatment plan to stabilize an individual and begin healing through cognitive behavioral therapy. It is important to realize that trauma is not hopeless; quite the contrary, we have seen many patients experience remarkable outcomes.

Signs and Symptoms of PTSD

The signs and symptoms of PTSD are not uniform, nor do they fit a prescribed timeline. Some experience symptoms of PTSD like nightmares and flashbacks immediately that fade, while others begin to experience symptoms weeks or even years later.

PTSD symptoms are very pronounced and are more widely known and attributed to PTSD, including nightmares, flashbacks, uncomfortable sensations or repetitive images in the mind, physical sensations such as sweating, pain, or feeling sick and trembling, and hyperarousal, which is being on high alert for danger. Lesser known symptoms include avoidance of people, places, or things and emotional numbing, which is a complete refusal to feel emotions to avoid the difficult sensations that arise on account of the trauma.

Comorbidities are mental health disorders and self-harm or abuse, which may also require treatment alongside PTSD. PTSD sufferers, who numb emotionally or dissociate from their feelings, may turn to drugs or alcohol to tune out difficult feelings. Mood and mental health disorders whose symptoms also accompany those of PTSD that are common are anxiety, depression, and phobias.

Risk Factors for PTSD

How individuals process traumatic events varies. Some individuals are more resilient to stimuli others will ruminate on and develop prolonged stress responses. There are some common risk factors for those who develop PTSD, which are present before the traumatic event or events.

These include:

Prior exposure to trauma, particularly in childhood
Witnessing people being hurt or killed or experiencing extreme fear or horror
Lack of social support during or after events
Having a family history of mental illness or substance abuse

One of the key ways individuals who recover and heal from trauma differ is their access to a support system and help. Learning how to process these emotions and coping with triggers associated with the event can be significant in a sufferer’s outcome.

Who Is PTSD Treatment For?

Adults, adolescents, and children may suffer from PTSD. Treatment plans vary depending on the severity and the symptoms. Apogee Behavioral Medicine has specialists with expertise in treating each age, carefully, with compassion, and to help them lead fuller lives.

Our providers all practice using standardized, evidence-based treatments to meet all your wellness needs.

Our staff is well-equipped to support you along all aspects of your care.

We put you in the driver’s seat by offering ease of access to your team

Treatment Options for PTSD

It is never too late to start treating PTSD. Since symptoms vary widely, there are several medications to help control tremors and repetitive thoughts of phobias immediately. While physical symptoms can often be addressed through medications, the emotional portion of facing traumatic events can be very painful and stressful.

Where patients have built coping mechanisms for blocking these memories, it can take many sessions to unearth and face the trauma to begin to heal. Apogee Behavioral Medicine has professionals with deep expertise in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and we understand that this can be a difficult journey. Still, we have seen miraculous results from custom treatment plans and patients experiencing real healing.

Same Day Appointments Available

Apogee Behavioral Medicine offers same-day appointments. If you experience repetitive thoughts or flashbacks regarding certain events that are keeping you from leading a full life or experiencing life’s happy moments, please reach out to us today, we are here to meet you where you are.

Find a Provider

Find a Provider for PTSD

Find an ABM provider and schedule an appointment today!

Change Location:

Sander Scott - a LCSW, LCAS in Greenboro, NC

Sander Scott, LCSW, LCAS

Counseling & Therapy,
Pediatric Therapy / Counseling,
Telehealth

Locations

Greensboro

445 Dolley Madison Road, Suite 100
Greensboro, NC, 27410

PTSD Treatment: Trauma-Informed Therapy and Psychiatry

Learn more about PTSD and the trauma-informed treatment options we provide, such as psychiatry and therapy.

What is PTSD?

Treat PTSD - Why See a Psychiatrist

Signs and Symptoms of PTSD

Risk Factors for PTSD

Who Is PTSD Treatment For?

Treatment Options for PTSD

Same Day Appointments Available

Find a Provider for PTSD

Sander Scott, LCSW, LCAS

Greensboro

LCSW, LCAS

Greensboro, NC

Sander Scott

Megan Trawick, PA-C

Greensboro

PA-C

Greensboro, NC

Megan Trawick

Byeolah Henson, PA-C

Raleigh

PA-C

Raleigh, NC

Byeolah Henson

Daniela Marques, PA-C

Durham

PA-C

Durham, NC

Daniela Marques

Derek Ayers, DO

Hickory

DO

Hickory, NC

Derek Ayers

Ami Silva, LCMHC

Hickory

LCMHC

Hickory, NC

Ami Silva

Traci Whitworth, LCSW, LCAS

Winston Salem

Greensboro

LCSW, LCAS

Greensboro, NC

Traci Whitworth

Megan Jones, PMHNP-BC

Hickory

PMHNP-BC

Hickory, NC

Megan Jones

Renee Heagney, LCMHC, NCC, BC-DMT

Winston Salem

LCMHC, NCC, BC-DMT

Winston Salem, NC

Renee Heagney

Taylor Ellis, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Greensboro

MSN, PMHNP-BC

Greensboro, NC

Taylor Ellis

Miranda Harris, MD

Greensboro

Hickory

MD

Hickory, NC

Miranda Harris

Lane Thompson, PMHNP

Hickory

PMHNP

Hickory, NC

Lane Thompson

Kendra Frazier Samuelson, PMHNP

Asheville

PMHNP

Asheville, NC

Kendra Frazier Samuelson

Morgan Stenger, PA-C

Charlotte

PA-C

PTSD Treatment: Trauma-Informed
Therapy and Psychiatry

Learn more about PTSD and the trauma-informed
treatment options we provide, such as
psychiatry and therapy.