Trauma can have a significant negative impact on your mental health. If you’ve been a victim of a serious injury, abuse, or a catastrophic event in your personal life, you face a higher likelihood of developing conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can create new challenges in various aspects of your daily life. To reduce this risk or learn to overcome conditions such as PTSD, it’s important to seek help from a qualified mental health professional.
Psychiatrists and other mental healthcare providers can use a variety of techniques to help you learn to process your trauma in a healthy way. One of the most effective tools available for providing this care is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on:
- Finding unhealthy and unhelpful patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
- Identifying how these patterns contribute to any challenges you experience in your daily life
- Changing these patterns to help you overcome the challenges you face
Therapists may also use other variations of CBT during your treatment, depending on what particular mental health problems you experience in connection with your trauma. These alternatives include:
- Cognitive processing therapy, which focuses on challenging and changing beliefs you’ve developed because of your trauma
- Cognitive therapy, which focuses on helping you evaluate or remember your trauma in a way that is less disruptive or more helpful for your ability to function
- Prolonged exposure, which helps you learn to approach trauma-related thoughts, feelings, or situations that you may be avoiding
Other treatment approaches, including medication and other forms of psychotherapy, may also be available for people who have experienced trauma, depending on the nature of their symptoms and responsiveness to standard treatment.
You can find compassionate, effective therapeutic treatment or support for trauma-related mental health conditions at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, as well as our new Trauma Survivors support program. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-5575.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.