Exposure to traumatic events isn’t new, but today we do have innovative treatments that help you overcome the psychological and emotional fallout of trauma.

At MindSet, we offer psychiatric care and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a safe, noninvasive treatment to restore the brain imbalances caused by trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Trauma comes from many sources

Trauma occurs when children and adults experience an event that’s dangerous, scary, or shocking, threatening their emotional and/or physical safety.

You may be directly involved in the event. But you can also be personally affected by witnessing trauma or learning about trauma experienced by a loved one or friend.

These are the most common types of traumatic events:

  • Natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, earthquakes)
  • Physical, sexual, or psychological abuse
  • Domestic violence
  • Community violence (shootings)
  • Car crashes and other accidents
  • Robbery or household invasion
  • Death or serious illness of a loved one or friend
  • Persistent stress at home
  • Military stressors on family
  • Combat duty
  • Being bullied

Children experience long-lasting trauma from physical or psychological neglect and also when they or their trusted parent or caretaker have a medical condition.

Trauma statistics tell the story

Considering trauma’s many sources of trauma, there’s no doubt that it’s a widespread and common problem.

But you may still be surprised to learn that:

Everyone who experiences trauma, whether directly, as a witness, or learning about the event, is at risk of developing PTSD.

Trauma symptoms in children and adults

After you experience trauma, it’s perfectly normal to experience one or more symptoms. The severity of each person’s symptoms depends on variables, such as their age, developmental level, support system, cultural influences, past experiences, and personal resilience.

When symptoms last longer than one month, you or your child may have PTSD.

The range of symptoms following trauma include:

  • New fears
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Nightmares
  • Sleep problems
  • Flashbacks
  • Anger, rage, and irritability
  • Withdrawal from normal activities
  • Memory problems
  • Loss of concentration
  • Changes in appetite
  • Easily startled by noises
  • Headaches, stomach aches, and other physical problems

It’s also common to blame yourself for the traumatic event. You may also change your daily schedule to avoid the people or places that remind you of the event.

Trauma symptoms are treatable

If you still suffer emotional, behavioral, or physical symptoms a month after the traumatic event, or your symptoms are severe right from the start, you should consider seeking treatment to help you recover.

The longer your symptoms last, the more likely they are to seriously affect your ability to perform at work or school. The ongoing effect of trauma also interferes with your family and personal relationships.

Through talk therapy, you can learn to process your emotions and learn how to deal with overwhelming anxiety, stress, depression, and other symptoms. Therapy also teaches parents how to support their children who have suffered through a traumatic event.

You also have another treatment option, TMS, which is one of today’s most innovative therapies for trauma and PTSD.

TMS alleviates trauma

TMS is a noninvasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to regulate the activity of nerves in precisely targeted areas of your brain. The magnetic pulses safely boost the electrical activity, which restores the balance of brain chemicals and improves your symptoms.

How does TMS specifically help PTSD? Electroencephalograms (EEGs) show that people develop long-lasting changes in their brain’s nerve activity after a traumatic event. As we use TMS to restore normal nerve function, you can overcome the effects of trauma.

At MindSet, we offer comprehensive psychiatric care, as well as advanced TMS treatments to help you overcome the effects of trauma. To learn more about your treatment options, call the office in San Diego, California, or request an appointment online.