Although global suicide rates have declined nearly a third since 1990, they are on the rise in the United States. According to data released in June 2019 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US suicide rates are at their highest level since World War II. Rates have increased an average 1% a…
It is normal to feel stress, anger, and depression after a traumatic event, such as the recent one in Pittsburgh. After such an event, some people may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For some, PTSD symptoms may begin later, or may come and go over time. Of those who experience a traumatic event in their…
by: Yehudah Alcabes LCSW, CSAT, CASAC-G, EMDR There are several misconceptions about PTSD and trauma in general, with many associating it with combat or shell shock. People often imagine a stoic war veteran who appears frozen in time. While this is undoubtedly accurate, today, we have a deeper and more complex understanding of trauma, and it’s…
By: Lyndsey Karns, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Self-injury or self-mutilation, a seemingly paradoxical coping mechanism, has been widely misunderstood by the public and to some degree by mental health and medical professionals as it relates to trauma and dissociation. Self-injury can manifest in several forms and degrees of severity, with the object and goal to…
As we take time to show honor and gratitude to our Veterans, it is important to not only remember their sacrifices but also to understand the challenges they face once they return home.
At some point in our life, we will experience a form of trauma. Often unforeseen, these events can begin and end in an instant or emerge over time. Traumatic events can affect us for the rest of our lives. Many people who experience a traumatic event will recover from the symptoms naturally, however; those who…
The Fourth of July is a time that we celebrate the freedom of our nation, and a time to honor and recognize those that have fought for that freedom. We often forget the challenges that veterans live with once they return home, maybe for a short time, or for a lifetime. The issues that veterans…
As a society, we are becoming more familiar and unfortunately accustomed to devastating mass violence events taking place at home and abroad. However, we see the images flash across the screen of our televisions and social media pages, but many times, we forget the toll events of this magnitude take on one’s mental health.
By: Lyndsey Karnes, PsyD Trauma is a word used quite liberally in everyday language, typically to identify a highly stressful event. When we speak about trauma in the clinical sense, we are referring to an event that has completely overwhelmed an individual’s capacity to cope and this, of course, is entirely defined by the survivor.
Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is evidence-based and has been proven to effectively treat individuals struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic stress disorder is characterized by anxiety from previous traumatic events. The most common symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks of the event, depression and increased irritability.…