Some honest talk about PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can be caused by a constellation of circumstances. The latest cause of PTSD that we are hearing about is from taking children away from their parents at U.S. border crossings. The reason many of these families are here is because they’re fleeing extreme violence in Central American countries. Now there’s a double trauma for each child to process, and there’s a good chance that the resulting PTSD may accompany them for years and result in many behavioral problems.

No matter the trigger, symptoms of PTSD may include sleep problems; becoming quick to anger and other intense emotional outbreaks; flashbacks; recurring upsetting memories; and thoughts of suicide.

Treatment with a trained therapist will help you open up about your experience and also may include instruction in meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, tai chi and acupuncture. A good therapist will use some of the newer therapies, including virtual reality exposure and wise use of medications to temporarily treat anxiety and depression. If you cannot get to a therapy session in person, explore telemedicine (the Department of Veterans Affairs is doing a lot of this) and internetdelivered cognitive behavioral treatment for PTSD.

There soon may be a new medical treatment for PTSD. The results of a Phase II clinical trail are in, and it seems that using MDMA with adjunctive psychotherapy in a controlled setting may be somewhat effective and well-tolerated in reducing PTSD symptoms in veterans and first responders.

More information will become available over the coming months. But for now, if you’re suffering the effects of PTSD, see a therapist. If someone you know has PTSD, offer support and understanding. Suggest that he or she check out online resources at www.ptsd.va.gov and Sharecare (https://bit.ly/2ygmibk).

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.