How Long Does PTSD Last? Finding Support And Recovery

Individuals may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when they go through or witness a traumatic event or experience. Some people may experience such severe trauma that it interferes with their daily lives, causing them to relive the experience repeatedly. Those with PTSD often want to know how long these symptoms might last and whether they’ll find relief. Understanding the treatment options available may help you or a loved one find support.

What causes PTSD? 

There are several causes of PTSD. However, the underlying theme is that the events that cause PTSD are traumatic to the individual who experiences them. Certain risk factors can make someone more likely to develop PTSD, including but not limited to assault, abuse, accidents, serious illness, and natural disasters. Not everyone who experiences trauma may develop PTSD because everyone responds to life differently. Even those diagnosed with PTSD can have varying symptoms and experience the disorder to varying degrees of severity. 

If you are facing or witnessing abuse of any kind, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 for support. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. You can also use the online chat. 

How long does PTSD last?

Without proper treatment, PTSD can continue to affect the individual living with it for a lifetime. With treatment, some cases of PTSD can be managed. It can take varying amounts of time to see changes or results. 

Some people see improvements immediately, while others go through treatment for a while before they start to see improvement. How long the disorder persists can depend on the individual, the type of trauma they’ve experienced, their environment, and the type of treatment they receive. 

The duration of your symptoms may also depend on if they are living with complex PTSD (C-PTSD), often caused by prolonged and repeated trauma over many years in one’s developmental years in childhood. Life is often full of unexpected twists and turns, and specific stressors can cause PTSD symptoms to resurface or worsen. 

How to receive a diagnosis and treatment 

If you are experiencing PTSD, seeking treatment can be an essential step in recovery. Though treatment does not guarantee symptom reduction, it can be a tool you rely on to cope with daily life healthily. 

To be diagnosed with PTSD, your doctor will look for the symptoms associated with the trauma for at least one month. While you can seek treatment earlier than a month, a diagnosis of PTSD may not be made at that time.

Several aspects can go into treating PTSD. Over 400 therapeutic modalities exist, so consulting different therapists may help you find a method that sounds positive to you. A few potential options include the following: 

• Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) 
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) 
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) 
• Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) 
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy
• Stress inoculation training
• Medication

Any combination of the above modalities might be used. Different combinations of treatment methods can be more effective for some people and less effective for others. In some cases, working with a doctor and a mental health professional simultaneously may ensure you’re receiving comprehensive, high-quality care.

Exploring treatment options in depth

Below are some of the most effective treatment options for PTSD. However, consult your provider before choosing a treatment. 

Medication for PTSD 

Medications for PTSD can include antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, beta-blockers, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. While many of these medications may relieve symptoms in the short term, they aren’t designed to “cure” PTSD. Rather, they are meant to target the specific side effects accompanying the diagnosis and make it easier to cope with daily life or get through therapy. 

Medications may also be prescribed if you are experiencing other mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression, alongside PTSD. Consult a doctor, like a psychiatrist, before starting, changing, or stopping any medication. 

Stress inoculation training 

Stress inoculation training is one of the methods that might be used in conjunction with therapy. This training method helps clients learn new ways to cope with stress. Stress might be traumatic or part of daily life. You may learn techniques like deep breathing, massage, positive thinking, and how to stop negative thought patterns and rumination. Stress inoculation training can teach you how to react more productively when a stressful situation arises, a trigger is presented to you, or a memory resurfaces.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) 

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy is an intensive form of trauma-informed therapy. With this type of therapy, you might not be asked to talk in detail about the trauma itself. Instead, you may be asked to think about the trauma on your own or explore the surface details while partaking in bilateral brain stimulation exercises like throwing a ball back and forth between your hands or holding harmless hand buzzers.

You might also watch a flashing light or an innocuous object while exploring your challenges. The idea is to associate those memories with a positive or neutral thought process to disassociate the negative emotions. In a meta-analysis comparing EMDR and CBT, EMDR was more effective in treating PTSD than CBT in seven out of ten studies.

Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) 

Cognitive processing is one of the most common treatment methods for PTSD and many other mental health conditions. This therapeutic modality involves sitting with a therapist and discussing the details of your trauma, including thoughts and feelings that may be related to the event. The therapist may then support you as you work through these challenges to associate truth with the events and remove the aspects your mind might be tricking you about, such as blaming yourself or aggrandizing events.

Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) 

Exposure therapy may be helpful for some people when attempting to overcome specific triggers. If your PTSD is constantly triggered by people, events, or situations in your daily life, exposure therapy can help you adjust to them. With this therapy method, a therapist slowly introduces you to different triggers, starting with smaller ones and working up to more difficult ones over time. Gradually, you can learn how to respond more calmly and rationally, even when presented with triggers.

Alternative support options 

If you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic event, it can be essential to find the appropriate support. Speaking with a licensed therapist can help you process what you went through, and your therapist may equip you with coping tools to manage triggers you may face. PTSD is often comorbid with other conditions like anxiety and depression. 

Mental illnesses can make it difficult to leave the house, which may make online counseling through a platform like BetterHelp more appropriate for your needs. With online therapy, you can meet with your therapist via phone, video, or live chat sessions and choose a session time that works for you. 

Research has proven online counseling effective in managing mental health conditions like PTSD. One study assessed an internet-based treatment for PTSD and found that the intervention reduced psychological distress and facilitated the development of a strong therapeutic alliance. Participants also experienced a decrease in symptoms of anxiety and depression. The results were similar to face-to-face studies.