By
Bob Cox
Once
upon a time in a far-away land also known as Rancho Cordova, a very
simple man we will call Bob believed that Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) was a condition that affected a very small percentage
of soldiers that were involved in combat. Boy, was I, I mean he
surprised when he discovered that PTSD is a disorder that has
affected nearly 45 million Americans, most who have never even served
in the armed forces. He was even more shocked when he learned that
women were about twice as likely as men to develop PTSD and 71% of
female military personnel develop PTSD due to sexual assault within
the ranks.
Although
very few of us will ever have to experience the horror of combat, no
one is completely safe from experiencing a trauma during their
lifetime. According to one study, 70% of adults (over 223 million) in
the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once
in their lives and one out of five of these people will go on to
develop PTSD.
If
you’ve ever experienced any kind of traumatic event, you may have
PTSD. In occupations where trauma is commonplace (police officers,
firefighters, medical professionals etc.), people are more likely to
experience PTSD. According to a recent study, the most common
traumatic events that caused women to develop PTSD was childhood
physical abuse (48.5%) and being raped (45.9%). For men, the top two
traumatic incidents leading to PTSD was being raped (65.0%) and
combat (38.8%).
I
recently spoke to Janina Guarino, the founder of Better
Decisions Counseling Services
and her Medical Director
Nancy Schonfeld-Warden to
learn more about the services they’re providing here in Sacramento
to help victims that suffer from PTSD.
Q:
What is Better Decisions Counseling Services doing specifically to
help people here in our community that are suffering from PTSD?
A:
We will be hosting The 3nd Annual PTSD Free Community Event on
Saturday, November 14 and will be providing a wide variety of
resources and programs designed to help people who suffer from this
affliction immediately. We have a number of worthwhile workshops and
counseling services that are geared specifically to help people with
PTSD. If we don’t have what you need to heal, we have a large
number of valuable contacts within the community to address specific
needs.
Q:
According to statistics, PTSD often goes undiagnosed. Why is that?
A:
Because the symptoms are so overt and extreme. The most common
symptoms of PTSD include drug and alcohol abuse, abuse of one’s
self and/or others and extreme isolation. We will be offering free
screenings for PTSD at this special event in November!
Q:
How are you able to successfully diagnose victims of PTSD?
A:
Yes, we use a very detailed questionnaire whenever we’re assessing
someone for an addiction. Oftentimes, the causes of addiction can be
traced back to one or more traumatic events. By asking our clients if
they’ve had the symptoms of PTSD, like nightmares or sleeping
problems, we’re able to get to the true source of the problem.
Q:
Does it usually take several counseling sessions before you discover
a tragic event that has caused PTSD?
A:
Yes. We are building relationships with people so that they can feel
safe to discuss issues that they haven’t been able to talk about in
the past.
Q:
What are the most common symptoms of PTSD?
A:
Anxiety, depression, irrational fears, nightmares, emotional
numbness, angry outbursts and avoiding situations that are reminders
of the trauma. Loud noises and objects flying overhead can trigger
strong and unwanted memories of the traumatic event.
Q:
Is it true that victims of PTSD create even more victims with their
abusive and destructive behavior?
A:
Yes, and that is a very common result when the illness goes
undiagnosed and untreated. The solutions we offer are designed
specifically for both the client (PTSD victim) and their immediate
family. We offer customized programs that treat the whole family
because the whole family is often severely impacted by the victim of
PTSD.
Q:
What programs do you offer victims and families affected by PTSD?
A:
We have a variety of counseling services and classes, including PTSD
counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, family counseling, self
esteem and motivational practices, anger management and even alcohol
& drug prevention for teens in the home. We also have a crisis
hotline for immediate help because trauma has no set schedule.
There’s a lot of support here and we have a really good treatment
team. We do our best to keep our phone lines open to anybody that
needs help.
Q:
Are there any new programs out there that are successfully treating
victims of PTSD?
A:
Yes, some organizations are offering treatment by incorporating
service dogs for PTSD victims. We will be providing free pamphlets on
this new service as well as many other effective programs at the
event in November. Better Decisions is a great place to start for a
wide variety of mental and emotional health resources.
Q:
Are you looking for volunteers and more interns?
A:
Yes. We have room for anybody that wants to volunteer or needs help.
We’re available by phone, email, website and social media,
including Face book.
Q:
What fun activities do you have scheduled for the 3rd
Annual PTSD FREE Community Event?
A:
We plan to have a tasty chili cook-off, a car show, lots of vendors
and festive music for all. For the kids, we’ll have face painting,
clowns, a bounce house and petting zoo.
Editor’s
notes: Janina Guarino is the founder of Better Decisions Counseling
Services. She can be reached by phone at (916) 368-0700 and her email
address is betterdecisions724@gmail.com.
The
3nd
Annual PTSD FREE Community Event
When:
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Time:
10a.m. to 3pm.
Where:
Better Decisions Counseling Services
Address:
10366 Rockingham Drive in Sacramento
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