What Are the 5 Stages of PTSD?

You’ve likely heard of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition that can cause someone to experience anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, addictions, depression and other symptoms after living through a traumatic event or a traumatic childhood. But did you know that sometimes the mental health community divides PTSD into five stages? They are:

1. Impact – This stage occurs immediately after someone experiences a traumatic event or a series of events lets say in childhood. The person may feel shocked, overwhelmed, powerless, guilty, anxious, or afraid.
2. Denial – Because the brain naturally blocks out traumatic experiences to protect itself, some people may go through a stage where they deny that the traumatic event/events occurred in the first place.
3. Rescue – During the rescue stage, someone begins coming to terms with the trauma, possibly returning to the site where it occurred or ruminating about what happened. Many people experience confusion, despair, hopelessness, and anger during this phase.
4. Acceptance – Once someone regains their sense of safety and begins to look at the trauma, they may recognize the impact  the experience had on their life and accept they need help to move on from what happened. Anxiety and insomnia are common at this stage.
5. Recovery – During this final stage, someone takes affirmative steps (such as seeking professional help) to heal from their traumatic experience and implement coping mechanisms.

No matter what stage of PTSD you’re in right now, I can help. As this is my specialty I regularly work with individuals who are living with PTSD, and I understand that each person requires a unique approach to care. After learning about your background and how PTSD affects you, I’ll work with you to overcome your symptoms and achieve an improved quality of life. Contact me today to learn more about my practice and schedule your first therapy session.