Beach House Center for Recovery is a leading PTSD treatment center in Florida, offering the latest highly effective treatment modalities for post-traumatic stress and other trauma-related mental health disorders.
If you or a loved one are living with unresolved trauma due to abuse, neglect, military service, or other factors, we are here to help.
We offer the expertise and dedication of highly respected mental health clinicians, addiction care specialists, and psychiatric providers who partner with patients to discover the best treatment plans for addressing addiction and co-occurring disorders like PTSD.
What is Trauma?
Trauma can mean many things, from a debilitating injury to experiencing a shocking and emotionally destabilizing event. For some people, the after-effects of trauma are long-term, resulting in symptoms that negatively affect multiple aspects of their lives.
Traumatic experiences that lead to emotional dysregulation might stem from an isolated occurrence, like a traffic collision or physical assault. However, traumas can also be persistent or ongoing experiences, like domestic violence, military combat, or childhood abuse.
The after-effects of trauma can burden the people who experience it directly, their families, and their communities.
While many people who have endured physical or emotional trauma might not suffer significantly adverse or disruptive effects, others will develop emotional responses that inhibit healthy or productive functioning.
Studies have long shown that behavioral disorders and long-term chronic health issues correspond with traumatic experiences, mainly during developmental years.
People with childhood trauma are also at a significantly higher risk of developing a substance use disorder than the general population.
Unaddressed childhood traumatic experiences are associated with a heightened risk of developing anxiety disorders, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), heart disease, and certain cancers later in life.
Trauma and substance use disorders are frequently intertwined. People who have experienced trauma have an increased risk of developing an addiction to a mood-altering substance.
It is estimated that up to 75% of military veterans with diagnosed PTSD also misuse alcohol or drugs. Children who have experienced trauma are approximately 46 times more likely to misuse intravenous drugs than their peers.
Moreover, people addicted to mood-altering substances are more likely to experience further trauma as a direct result.
Not everyone who experiences trauma will be diagnosed with PTSD, but according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, approximately 6% of the population, or 6 in every 100 people, have it.
What Is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health disorder that can develop in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic or distressing event.
This disorder can affect people from all walks of life. It can occur after combat, accidents, natural disasters, violent assaults, physical or sexual abuse, or any situation that has caused intense fear, helplessness, or terror.
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
The signs and symptoms of PTSD can manifest in various ways and vary from person to person.
Symptoms typically fall into four main categories
- Intrusive Memories
- Recurrent, distressing memories of the traumatic event
- Flashbacks or reliving the trauma as if it’s happening again
- Intense and unwanted distressing nightmares related to the trauma
- Severe emotional reactions to reminders of the traumatic event
- Avoidance and Numbing
- Avoidance of situations, places, people, or activities that remind the person of the trauma
- Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the traumatic event
- Feeling emotionally numb or detached from others
- Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood
- Persistent negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world
- Blaming oneself or others for the traumatic event
- Feeling isolated or disconnected from friends and family
- Diminished interest in activities that were once enjoyable
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Changes in Arousal and Reactivity
- Irritability, angry outbursts, or difficulty controlling anger
- Trouble concentrating
- Hypervigilance or an exaggerated startle response
- Trouble sleeping, including insomnia or nightmares
- Feeling constantly on guard or easily startled
It’s important to note that these symptoms can cause significant distress and interfere with daily functioning. The severity of symptoms can vary and might appear shortly after the traumatic event or even months or years later.
Integrated Trauma Care at Our Complex PTSD Treatment Center
The strength of the connection between trauma and substance use disorders requires an integrated treatment approach.
Beach House Center for Recovery is one of Florida’s best PTSD treatment centers where patients can receive concurrent mental health and addiction treatments.
Our approach effectively addresses the fundamental causes of addiction disorders, the triggers that lead to substance use, and the physical and emotional effects of long-term dependency.
The therapeutic modalities for addressing trauma and PTSD involve holistic and clinical approaches, which include the following dual-diagnosis treatments.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy that addresses a wide variety of mental health issues, including substance use disorders and PTSD. This treatment modality addresses the causes and results of negative thought patterns.
Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical-behavioral therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy initially developed to address borderline personality disorder. However, it is also used to treat numerous other behavioral and emotional issues, including PTSD, particularly those that cause self-harming ideations and behaviors.
While CBT primarily focuses on recognizing and reforming negative thought patterns, DBT targets negative behaviors and coping strategies. This approach helps patients adopt positive actions to replace harmful ones.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Motivational interviewing is a type of counseling that addresses ambivalence or hostility toward treatment for substance use and its co-occurring disorders, including PTSD. This therapy is designed as an intervention for people reluctant to change their behaviors or engage in treatment.
PTSD Medication Options
Several medications can be prescribed to help manage the symptoms of PTSD. It’s important to note that medication is often combined with therapy and other treatment approaches.
The most common medication options for PTSD include
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac) for depression
- Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): Venlafaxine (Effexor) for anxiety and depression
- Prazosin: For reducing nightmares and sleep disturbances
- Beta Blockers: Propranolol for managing physical symptoms of anxiety
- Atypical Antipsychotics: Risperidone (Risperdal), aripiprazole (Abilify) for severe mood disorder symptoms
- Benzodiazepines: Diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) for short-term anxiety relief
Beach House Center for Recovery: The Premier Integrated Treatment Center for PTSD in Florida
We offer comprehensive treatment approaches at Beach House to address our patients’ unique needs.
Our personalized programs are designed to target the core causes of substance use disorder and PTSD and provide ongoing support during the recovery journey.
From personalized inpatient treatment programs to continuing outpatient care, our resources help patients achieve long-term freedom from addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, including trauma.
For more information about our PTSD treatment center in Florida, please contact our compassionate admissions counselors today.