Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Psychiatrists in Silver Spring, MD
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder services offered in Silver Spring, MD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that affects your physical and mental well-being following a traumatic event. Ivan Walks, MD, at Integrated Health Resources in Silver Spring, Maryland, is an experienced psychiatrist who takes a comprehensive and integrative approach to PTSD. Dr. Walks understands that PTSD affects everyone differently and benefits from individualized care. For personalized management of your PTSD, call the office or book your telemedicine appointment online today.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops after someone goes through a life-threatening event. Military personnel, rescue workers, and survivors of violence are at risk of developing PTSD because of their experiences.
Traumatic experiences trigger your body’s stress response. This response may leave you feeling frightened and anxious. But over time, these feelings should resolve.
However, with PTSD, these feelings never resolve. Instead, they worsen with time. PTSD changes the body’s stress response, making you scared and anxious when there’s no real danger.
PTSD is common and affects all ages. It’s not uncommon for people with PTSD to also struggle with depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder (SUD).
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD symptoms vary, but fall into four distinct categories. These categories include:
Re-experiencing symptoms
People with PTSD have unwanted thoughts and memories of their trauma that feel very real to them, like flashbacks or nightmares.
Avoidance symptoms
They also avoid people, places, or situations that remind them of their trauma or trigger flashbacks.
Negative thoughts or moods
Having a hard time remembering the trauma, feeling a sense of guilt about the trauma, and having a negative view of the world are negative thoughts and moods of PTSD.
Arousal and reactivity symptoms
PTSD makes you more irritable, anxious, and quick to anger.
What can I expect during a PTSD consultation?
Dr. Walks conducts a comprehensive assessment at your first meeting to fully understand how you feel, think, and behave. He reviews your symptoms and trauma, as well as your usual routine. He also asks about your medical and mental health history.
He may perform trauma testing to confirm a PTSD diagnosis. To have PTSD, you must experience symptoms from all four categories for more than a month.
What are some treatments for PTSD?
Dr. Walks customizes your PTSD treatment plan based on your symptoms and needs. Treatment may include psychotherapy, medication management, or both. He partners with you when creating your plan and schedules regular follow-up appointments to monitor progress and make adjustments to your care.
For help with PTSD symptoms, call Integrated Health Resources or schedule an appointment online today.