PTSD Awareness Month was in June By Laurel Shaler PH.D. & AACC

Treatments for PTSD: What You Need to Know Laurel Shaler, Ph.D. “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth.” Psalm 121:2 Though PTSD Awareness Month was in June, it’s important to consider the impact of this mental health challenge on many of our clients…all throughout the year. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a daily reality for many men and women. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 3.5% of adults suffer from PTSD (2013).In order to receive this diagnosis, one must be assessed by a mental health professional and meet certain diagnostic criteria. In a nutshell, those with PTSD had experienced a horrifying event that has resulted in them re-experiencing the trauma, avoiding reminders of the trauma, and experiencing increased arousal (you can learn more HERE). PTSD can result from many quite difference experiences. I recall counseling a minister who suffered greatly as a result of his experiences in combat. The horrors of war stayed with him decades after he had come home. Another man whose best friend was killed in front of him continued to have nightmares for many years. And one whose son was brutally murdered. A woman who had been sexually abused…and one who had been shot by her own husband. Suffering. Intense suffering. Despite the fact that all of these individuals were Christians. You see, suffering occurs for Christians and non-Christians alike. These folks, and many, many more, all experienced trauma that had a grave impact on their lives. Thankfully, there is much that can be done to help those with PTSD. Both by professionals like you and by others involved in the life of one suffering with PTSD.