What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a deeply distressing or life-threatening event. It can alter the way your mind and body respond to the world, making ordinary moments, like a loud noise or a familiar scent, suddenly trigger intense fear or anxiety.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly everyone will encounter at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, yet only some go on to develop PTSD. In the United States, approximately 3.6% of adults experience PTSD each year, with women being more than twice as likely as men to be affected.
Living with PTSD can feel like carrying the weight of a traumatic past that continues to surface, no matter how much you wish it wouldn’t. For some, it appears as flashbacks or nightmares; for others, it’s persistent anxiety, emotional numbness, or difficulty connecting with loved ones. Whatever form it takes, PTSD can make even simple daily tasks feel overwhelming.
But PTSD does not define you, nor does it determine your future. With the proper treatment, support, and understanding, healing is absolutely possible. You can learn to manage symptoms, regain control, and rebuild a life that feels grounded, safe, and meaningful again.
Understanding PTSD and Co-Occurring Disorders
While PTSD on its own can deeply affect every area of life, it often occurs alongside other mental health challenges, most commonly substance use disorder (SUD), anxiety, or depression.
For many, drugs or alcohol become a temporary way to escape the pain of traumatic memories. Unfortunately, this relief is short-lived and can evolve into addiction, creating a harmful cycle where trauma and substance use continuously reinforce one another—a condition known as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders.
A study published in Current Psychiatry Reports shows that nearly half of individuals entering addiction treatment also have PTSD—a rate five times higher than that of the general population. This strong connection highlights why treating both conditions together is essential for long-term recovery.
At pH Wellness, we take an integrated approach to healing, addressing both trauma and addiction simultaneously. By targeting the root causes, not just the symptoms, we help clients break free from the cycle of self-medication and begin building a healthier, more balanced life.
Why Your Brain Feels Stuck in Survival Mode
When you live with PTSD, it can feel like your mind is working against you. The flashbacks and the sleepless nights aren’t just in your head. They are signs that your brain’s survival system has been rewired by trauma.
After a traumatic event, the amygdala — your brain’s built-in alarm — can become overactive. It keeps signaling danger, even when you’re safe. At the same time, the hippocampus, which usually helps put memories in the past, struggles to do its job. That’s why a smell or date on the calendar can make the past feel like it’s happening again. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain that calms the alarm and helps you think things through, becomes less active. This imbalance explains why fear feels so overwhelming and hard to turn off.
A 2022 review published in Nature Reviews Neurology pulled this research together, showing that PTSD is, in many ways, a disorder of disrupted brain circuits. It also highlighted how genetics and life history matter: about 30–40% of PTSD risk is heritable, and earlier trauma makes you more vulnerable.
The good news is that your brain can be rewired again. With therapy and supportive practices like mindfulness and healthy routines, these circuits can be retrained.
Step by step, your nervous system can learn that safety is possible again.
PTSD Symptoms Checklist: Could This Be Affecting You?
Sometimes, you may wonder if what you’re feeling goes beyond everyday stress. Living with post-traumatic stress disorder can shape your thoughts and how safe you feel in your own skin.
We’ve created a checklist based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and NIH-backed research to help you reflect.
Take a moment and gently ask yourself:
- Do I experience intrusive memories or flashbacks that make me feel like the traumatic event is happening all over again?
- Do I have disturbing dreams or nightmares tied to my trauma?
- Do I find myself avoiding people or conversations that remind me of what happened?
- Do I carry negative thoughts or beliefs about myself or the world, such as “I’m not safe” or “I’m unworthy”?
- Do I ever feel numb or disconnected from the people I love?
- Do I notice persistent emotions like fear, shame, anger, or guilt that don’t seem to go away?
- Am I always on edge or hyperaware of my surroundings?
- Do I struggle with sleep problems, like difficulty falling or staying asleep?
- Do I have a hard time concentrating or staying present in daily life?
If many of these resonate with you, it may be a sign that PTSD is influencing your daily life.
This checklist isn’t meant to be a diagnosis. It’s a research-based tool to bring awareness. Healing begins with recognition, and with the proper care, you can move forward toward recovery. If you’re ready to take the next step, our team at pH Wellness in Riverside is here to walk with you toward healing.
Why Trauma-Informed Care Matters in Treating PTSD, Addiction, and Co-Occurring Disorders
When you’ve lived through trauma or battled addiction that stems from it, feeling safe and understood can be a challenge, even in treatment. Many people struggling with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions, such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression, carry the lingering impact of trauma that continues to shape their emotions, relationships, and sense of security.
Trauma-informed care begins with understanding that your past experiences influence how you view the world and how you engage in recovery. Rather than treating only the outward symptoms of addiction or mental health struggles, this approach looks beneath the surface to address the root causes of pain. Through compassion, trust, and evidence-based therapy, trauma-informed treatment helps you rebuild emotional safety, strengthen resilience, and begin true healing from the inside out.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes six guiding principles that make trauma-informed treatment safe and empowering:
- Safety: You feel physically and emotionally secure throughout treatment.
- Trustworthiness and transparency: Information is shared openly, so you know what to expect.
- Peer support: Encouragement comes from people who understand what you’re going through.
- Collaboration and mutuality: You work together with your care team as equal partners.
- Empowerment and choice: Your voice is respected and your choices are honored.
- Cultural, historical, and gender sensitivity: Your background and identity are acknowledged and valued.
At pH Wellness, trauma-informed care is the foundation of everything we do. Whether you’re healing from trauma, overcoming substance use, or managing co-occurring disorders, your treatment is guided by empathy and evidence-based care. This approach helps you move forward with confidence.
Addiction Recovery and Evidence-Based PTSD Treatment, Riverside
Your treatment is built on evidence-based methods that address trauma with care and clinical expertise. Each therapy is chosen to help you process painful experiences and rebuild your sense of safety. These therapies empower you to heal in a safe and supportive setting.
Your treatment plan may include a combination of therapies proven to address both trauma and addiction:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps you see how your thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected. By identifying negative thought patterns, you can learn healthier ways to cope and respond to triggers.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT teaches practical skills for handling distress, regulating emotions, and improving relationships. It blends acceptance with change, giving you balance in your recovery.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy)
EMDR therapy helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer carry the same emotional weight. Many people find that EMDR brings lasting relief from symptoms tied to trauma.
Somatic Therapy
Trauma can live in your body as well as your mind. Somatic therapy focuses on physical sensations and nervous system regulation, helping you release tension and feel more grounded.
Group Therapy
Sharing your journey with others can be powerful. In group therapy, you connect with peers who understand what it means to live with trauma. These sessions provide encouragement and hope.
Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness helps you focus on the present moment with calm awareness. It can reduce anxiety and improve your ability to cope with triggers.
Holistic Wellness Approaches
In addition to clinical therapies, we support healing through nutrition and wellness activities. These help you build routines that support both your mental health and your overall wellbeing.
A 2023 study published in Cureus found that trauma-focused psychotherapies like CBT, EMDR, prolonged exposure, and cognitive processing therapy are some of the most effective ways to heal from PTSD. Medications may help ease symptoms for some, especially when combined with therapy, but recovery often comes from engaging in therapies that allow you to process and release what you’ve been carrying.
At pH Wellness, these therapies are delivered with compassion and adapted to your unique needs. Your recovery is based on helping you heal fully so you can reclaim your life.
Benefits of Trauma-Informed Therapy
When you’ve lived through trauma, it can feel easier to pull away from others or carry shame that isn’t yours to hold. Trauma-informed therapy helps you break that cycle by creating a safe space where you feel respected. It gives you the tools to reconnect with yourself and your loved ones.
A 2024 study published in The Permanente Journal looked at 16 reviews of trauma-informed care and found clear benefits. When health care providers follow trauma-informed practices, patients feel safer and trust their providers more. Patients also stay more engaged in treatment. For staff, this means fewer situations that retraumatize patients and greater confidence in providing care.
With the right support, you can:
- Regulate your emotions with more ease
- Rebuild your self-esteem and confidence
- Strengthen your resilience
- Lower your stress and find calm
At pH Wellness, your care team takes time to understand your unique story and needs. Together, you’ll create a plan that addresses both trauma and mental health challenges, helping you heal and move forward with hope.
Integrated PTSD and Addiction Treatment Programs
Our dual diagnosis programs in Riverside are designed for clients living with PTSD and substance use disorders. Every program blends trauma-informed therapy with medical and behavioral support to help you achieve long-term recovery.
Residential / Inpatient Treatment
This is the highest level of structure. You stay at the facility full-time with 24/7 support from medical and therapy teams. Residential care provides time and space away from daily stressors, allowing you to focus entirely on healing.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
PHP provides a high level of structured, daytime support that includes medical monitoring, psychiatric care, and therapeutic services, while allowing you to return home each evening. It’s an ideal option for individuals who need intensive treatment and stability but don’t require 24-hour residential care. At pH Wellness, our PHP integrates both addiction treatment and mental health services, helping clients build balance, resilience, and independence while continuing their recovery in a supportive environment.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
An intensive outpatient program provides structured therapy and clinical support several days a week while allowing you to continue living at home. This flexible level of care helps you balance everyday responsibilities, such as work, school, or family, while staying actively engaged in your recovery. At pH Wellness, our IOP combines flexibility with strength, offering the accountability and therapeutic guidance needed to maintain progress outside a residential setting.
Through a range of integrated programs and services, we ensure your care evolves as you do. If symptoms intensify, you can step up to a higher level of support; if stability improves, you can transition to standard outpatient care. This adaptive approach keeps your recovery personalized and sustainable at every stage.
The Role of Family and Loved Ones in Recovery
PTSD doesn’t just affect the individual; it impacts loved ones as well. At pH Wellness, we believe that healing is most effective when families heal together. That’s why we encourage family participation whenever it supports your recovery. Involving loved ones helps reduce stigma, rebuild trust, and strengthen the network of support that continues long after treatment ends.
- Family participation creates more open communication.
- Loved ones’ support increases resilience and connection.
- Education helps families recognize PTSD symptoms and respond with compassion.
When family and clients heal together, recovery feels less isolating.
Co-Occurring Disorders and PTSD
PTSD often occurs alongside other challenges, such as addiction. These overlapping disorders can make recovery more difficult if they’re not treated together.
At pH Wellness, board-certified therapists and experienced clinicians use a dual-diagnosis approach, treating PTSD and co-occurring disorders in an integrated way. By addressing addiction, anxiety, depression, and related issues together, your care feels coordinated and complete.
Why Choose pH Wellness as Your PTSD Treatment Center in Riverside
When you’re ready to heal, you deserve a treatment center that combines clinical expertise with genuine compassion. At pH Wellness, you’ll find premier care that’s personalized to your needs and grounded in evidence-based methods.
- A team with deep experience in trauma recovery.
- Licensed, board-certified clinicians offering specialized services.
- A safe center with a trauma-informed culture.
- Programs range from residential to intensive outpatient.
- Holistic wellness activities that support whole-person healing.
Your care is never one-size-fits-all.
We focus on providing the best services for your unique journey, so you feel supported every step of the way.
FAQ
If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use disorder, contact us to speak with a caring intake specialist.
