Our services are now being offered via telehealth, as well as in person.

Our services are now being offered via telehealth, as well as in person.

Navigating PTSD Treatment Programs in Orange County

Learn more about PTSD treatment, PTSD Orange County resources, and how to get the help you need here.

Introduction

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can negatively impact someone’s life in many ways. Symptoms can include flashbacks, disturbing thoughts, negative feelings, and avoiding triggering situations. If you are struggling with PTSD in Orange County, California, you do not have to go through it alone. Many PTSD Orange County resources are available that can help.

Questions About Treatment?

Let us guide you through your options and treatment opportunities. Contact Alternative Options today.

PTSD: an Overview

PTSD Orange County - Finding the Right Treatment

Navigating PTSD Orange County treatment options can seem confusing. At Alternative Options, we have many treatment options that can help those in Orange County get the help they need for PTSD. We offer a variety of therapies, inpatient care, and other treatment options for any co-occurring disorders.

In this article, we will walk through everything you need to know about treating PTSD in Orange County. We will also cover our PTSD Orange County care programs at Alternative Options to give you an in-depth overview of how we can help.

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs due to events in someone’s life that were emotionally or physically harmful or put someone in a life-threatening situation. PTSD symptoms are common for veterans who return home from combat, but it can affect anyone who has been through a traumatic experience.

About 3.6% of adults in the U.S. experience symptoms of PTSD each year. Those who have PTSD often experience it through flashbacks or negative thoughts and feelings associated with past experiences. These symptoms can disrupt someone’s life and well-being in many ways. If left untreated, it can make it hard to function in day-to-day life.₁

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

What Can Cause PTSD?

There are several things that can cause PTSD. The most common are experiences that put someone’s life at risk, such as veterans in live combat situations. About 7% of veterans who return home from combat have symptoms of PTSD. Other situations that can cause PTSD are:₂

Emotional or physical abuse
Sexual violence
Physical assault
Having been threatened with a weapon
Serious accidents
Situations that caused injury or bodily harm
Serious health problems

All these situations can take a toll on someone’s mental and physical well-being. If you’re searching for PTSD Orange County treatment options, you’ll want to choose a treatment center that addresses all factors that contribute to PTSD. Treating all aspects of an individual’s life will result in the highest possible success rates.

What are the Common Risk Factors of PTSD?

There are several risk factors that can cause or contribute to PTSD. A good PTSD Orange County treatment center will assess all the risk factors to provide the best possible forms of treatment. The next sections will discuss each risk factor in detail.

Live Combat Situations

Over the years, we’ve become increasingly aware of the effects that live combat situations have on veterans. An estimated 700,000 Vietnam veterans returned home with PTSD after serving in combat. That was around 25% of the total number of veterans who were deployed.₃

In more recent years, 13.5% of those who returned home from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan were diagnosed with combat-related PTSD. Today, around 7% of veterans still return home experiencing symptoms of PTSD each year.

PTSD Among Veterans

As you can see, the percentage of veterans experiencing PTSD has decreased over the years. Much of this is due to increased knowledge on the topic and better protocols in place to help. That said, PTSD among veterans is still a major issue that needs attention. That makes having the right treatment options vital.

Traumatic Childhood Experiences

Another common risk factor of PTSD is traumatic childhood experiences. Studies show that childhood trauma is an especially high risk of PTSD due to how it affects the mind going into adulthood. Those with childhood trauma typically have more lifelong occurrences of PTSD symptoms compared to adults who experience a traumatic event.₄

A treatment center should look into all aspects of someone’s life when diagnosing and treating PTSD. That includes things the individual experienced during childhood that could still be affecting their mental and emotional well-being greatly.

Physical or Emotional Abuse

Whether it occurs in childhood or in adult relationships, physical or emotional abuse is a high-risk factor for PTSD. Unfortunately, instances of abuse often start in childhood. Studies have even shown that those who have experienced childhood abuse are more likely to also end up in relationships where abuse occurs. This is one of the reasons why untreated childhood abuse can have a lot of negative impacts.₅

At Alternative Options, our PTSD Orange County treatment takes all aspects of a patient’s lives into account. This helps us provide the most effective forms of treatment for PTSD caused by abuse or other life factors.

Domestic Violence or Assault

Domestic violence and assault can also be a cause of PTSD. These types of situations where someone is physically assaulted, threatened with a weapon, or put into a life-threatening situation can be very harmful. The flashbacks from those events and what was felt can be long-lasting.

Accidents or Situations That Cause Serious Injury

When someone is in a serious car accident or other harmful situation that may cause injury or a threat to their life, it can be a leading cause of PTSD. It has even been found that athletes who experience a serious sports injury can often have symptoms of PTSD afterward.₆

At Alternative Options, we can provide resources that help those struggling with PTSD due to injury in Orange County learn to cope and get back into their everyday routine following a traumatic event.

Serious Illness or Health Conditions

Serious illnesses or health conditions can also have a big impact on someone’s well-being. For instance, studies have found that 40% of cancer patients experience significant emotional and physical distress during treatment.₇

When searching for PTSD Orange County treatment options, it’s important to find a treatment center that can take into account health and well-being as an aspect of recovery. Treating PTSD associated with past health problems, along with any other co-occurring conditions, will help get the best results.

What are the Symptoms of PTSD?

When someone struggles with PTSD, they may experience a number of different symptoms. It’s important to know the symptoms of PTSD to recognize when someone is struggling and to find PTSD Orange County resources. The next sections will detail some of the most common symptoms of PTSD.

Flashbacks or Intrusive Memories

Flashbacks and intrusive memories are some of the most common symptoms for those with PTSD. Someone with PTSD may have unwanted memories of the traumatic event. It may even feel like it is happening again during a flashback. Flashbacks and unwanted memories can also be common during dreams. This can even cause someone with PTSD to have insomnia, trouble sleeping, or feel like they don’t want to sleep.

Feeling emotions associated with trauma or certain situations that remind someone of an event can also cause flashbacks to happen. During therapy, finding triggers of PTSD-related flashbacks is necessary to help cope with this condition.

Avoidance

Avoiding certain situations, people, or places can also be a common symptom of PTSD. If certain situations cause emotional distress, it is a natural reaction to try avoiding them. However, avoidance can be highly disruptive during someone’s daily life.

When looking for PTSD Orange County treatment options, finding a center that helps with coping mechanisms will be highly important to success.

Depression

It isn’t uncommon for those struggling with PTSD to feel down or depressed. Research has found that nearly half (around 42.8%) of patients with diagnosable PTSD also have diagnosable major depression.₈

The combination of depression and PTSD can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. It’s important to diagnose any potential co-occurring mental health issues along with PTSD during treatment.

Other Negative Emotions or Moods

Other negative emotions or moods that could be experienced with PTSD include:

Negative thoughts about yourself, others, or the world
Feeling hopeless about the future
Memory problems, which may include trouble remembering the traumatic event
Relationship problems or isolation from others
Feeling detached from family or friends
Lacking interest in activities that were once enjoyed
Having trouble experiencing positive emotions
Feeling emotionally numb
Feeling lost in life
Getting angry, upset, or frustrated more easily

There are several negative emotions or feelings that can occur with PTSD. When you choose PTSD Orange County treatment at Alternative Options, we make sure to account for all symptoms or aspects that occur alongside PTSD to give the best possible treatment.

Changes in Physical or Emotional Reactions

Another common symptom of PTSD is changes in physical or emotional reactions. Someone struggling with PTSD may be more easily startled or frightened by certain situations. These could be things like being in large crowds, hearing loud noises, or being near the place where the trauma occurred. Whatever triggers negative reactions, it’s important to account for those aspects and learn how to cope during treatment.

Anger can also be a common negative reaction for those struggling with PTSD. When stress triggers occur, it can be difficult not to get upset or have a quick negative reaction without much judgment. Fortunately, therapy and other treatment resources can help learn to manage responses during these instances.

Can PTSD Lead to Co-Occurring Disorders?

PTSD can lead to co-occurring disorders. As mentioned earlier, PTSD and depression can often co-occur. Substance abuse is also common with PTSD. Research has found that those who have diagnosable PTSD are about three times more likely to have a co-occurring substance use disorder.₉

PTSD and anxiety also commonly co-occur. Anxiety and PTSD have many of the same symptoms and affect the mind in similar ways. This means treating both symptoms of trauma and anxiety is important to get good results.₁₀

Receiving Comprehensive Treatment at Alternative Options

When you receive PTSD Orange County treatment from Alternative Options, we ensure both the symptoms from trauma and co-occurring conditions are treated. This ensures you get the best results when you choose our PTSD Orange County services.

What Methods are Used to Treat PTSD?

There are several methods that can be used to treat PTSD. Some forms of therapy will be a staple of most PTSD treatment programs. During therapy sessions, your therapist will help you talk through problems and learn about your symptoms. You’ll likely be taught coping skills, work on ways to improve symptoms and gain further insight into situations that caused past trauma.

The most common methods used to treat PTSD are detailed below.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

During CBT, you’ll learn how your thoughts affect your behaviors. Negative patterns of thinking that are common with past trauma can often cause negative behavioral patterns. CBT therapists work with patients to create more positive behaviors and routines to improve symptoms.

How Does CBT Work?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

At times, those who struggle with PTSD can have a hard time talking about it. EMDR can help as more of a non-verbal form of treatment. During EMDR, you watch or listen to something, with the goal being thinking about something positive while remembering past trauma.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

During CPT sessions, you’ll start talking about a traumatic event with your therapist. After discussing it, you’ll also write in detail about it. This process helps gain additional insight since talking and writing can tap into different thought patterns around a situation.

Group Therapy or Support Groups

Having group sessions can also be very helpful for PTSD treatment. Group therapy or support groups help patients feel like they don’t have to go through things alone. Members of the group can share their experiences and offer support to one another.

Mindfulness, Exercise, and Healthy Habits

A big part of recovery is incorporating healthy habits into a daily routine. Doing things like mindfulness, breathwork, exercise, or eating right can all help.

Medications

At times, medications may be prescribed to help with the symptoms of PTSD. This is especially common in instances of co-occurring mental health issues. Treatment professionals can help determine if medications are right for your needs.

When you choose Alternative Options for PTSD Orange County treatment, we’ll help you find the right course of action for your needs. We offer a range of different therapeutic treatments and other resources that will get you back on track. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will guide you each step of the way to create a plan for success tailored to your needs.

PTSD Orange County - Why it’s Important to Look for Local Treatment

If you’re searching for PTSD Orange County treatment options, it’s important to know why seeking local treatment is the right answer. A local treatment center like Alternative Options will help those residing in the Orange County area get the best results. Whether you choose inpatient or outpatient care, you’ll know you’re close to home to have support from loved ones.

Why Mental Health and PTSD Orange County Treatment Options are Important

Mental health can affect anyone at any time. Recent data has found that 50 out of every 10,000 residents in the Orange County area are hospitalized each year for issues regarding substance abuse and mental health, including those who struggle with PTSD. Having the right help for mental health and PTSD in Orange County is crucial to tackling these common issues.₁₁

At Alternative Options, we provide effective PTSD Orange County treatment options. By seeking proper treatment, it helps prevent negative consequences that can occur from ongoing mental health issues.

How Alternative Options Can Help with PTSD Orange County, California

If you’re looking for PTSD Orange County treatment, Alternative Options can help. We are a treatment center that specializes in treating mental health, substance abuse, and other co-occurring disorders.

What We Offer

At Alternative Options, we aim to provide you with a comfortable treatment facility in the Orange County area. When you walk in the doors, you’re not just a number here. Our staff will make sure you feel welcomed and safe so you can make optimal progress toward recovery. You don’t have to go it alone when you choose PTSD Orange County treatment with us.

When you choose our PTSD Orange County services, you’ll get a plan tailored to your specific needs. All of our PTSD Orange County programs are centered around evidence-based practices that have proven to be successful. Our PTSD Orange County staff is also highly trained to help with a variety of different conditions and causes that contribute to PTSD symptoms. We offer a variety of therapeutic options and are confident we have services that will fit your specific needs.

Get Help with PTSD Orange County Today at Alternative Options

To learn more about PTSD Orange County treatment at Alternative Options, contact us today to get more information. We’re here to answer any additional questions you may have.

Resources

1 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd

2 https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5047000/

4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6507912/

5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6139638/

6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9189434/

7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6516338/

8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4518698/

9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415609/

10https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34881734/

11 https://ocbc.org/2022-23-orange-county-community-indicators-report-launched/