Best PTSD Treatments: Why Some Make Symptoms Worse
Best Treatments for PTSD: What Works and Why Some Approaches Can Make Symptoms Worse
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be debilitating, affecting every aspect of life—from relationships to daily functioning. Fortunately, research has identified several evidence-based treatments that have been shown to help individuals process trauma and reclaim their lives.
However, if you’ve ever started PTSD treatment only to find your symptoms getting worse, you’re not alone. Some of the most proven therapies for PTSD can actually increase distress before leading to improvement.
So, why does this happen? And what can you do if these treatments feel overwhelming? Let’s break it down.
Top 3 Evidence-Based PTSD Treatments
These three approaches have the strongest research backing their effectiveness:
1. Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
This therapy helps individuals gradually confront trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and situations they’ve been avoiding. Through repeated exposure exercises (both in their imagination and real-life settings), individuals learn that they can tolerate distress without being overwhelmed.
2. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts related to the trauma. Many people with PTSD struggle with guilt, shame, or distorted beliefs about what happened. This therapy helps reframe those thoughts in a way that promotes healing.
3. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds) while recalling traumatic memories to help the brain reprocess them. Over time, distressing memories lose their emotional charge, making them easier to manage.
Why These Treatments Sometimes Make PTSD Symptoms Worse
While these therapies are highly effective, they require individuals to directly confront their trauma. This can be overwhelming—especially for those who experience severe dissociation or avoidance behaviors (avoiding reminders of the trauma, certain people, places, or emotions).
🚨 Signs a PTSD Treatment May Be Too Much Too Soon:
Increased flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts
Heightened anxiety, panic attacks, or emotional numbness
Feeling disconnected from your body or surroundings
More difficulty functioning in daily life
This doesn’t mean you’re broken or can’t heal—it just means your nervous system may not be ready for direct trauma processing yet.
What to Do If Trauma Therapy Feels Overwhelming
Before diving into trauma-focused treatment, it’s essential to establish safety and connection within your body. These approaches can help you build a foundation of stability before revisiting traumatic memories:
1. Trauma-Sensitive Yoga
Unlike traditional yoga, this practice focuses on gentle movement, breathwork, and mindfulness to help individuals reconnect with their bodies in a safe, non-triggering way.
2. Somatic Experiencing (SE)
SE helps release stored trauma in the body through slow, body-based techniques that allow for gradual processing of distressing sensations without re-triggering past trauma.
3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Tools
DBT offers practical skills to manage overwhelming emotions, such as:
✔ Grounding techniques to stay present
✔ Emotion regulation strategies to prevent distress escalation
✔ Mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity
When Will You Be Ready for Trauma Processing?
Once you’ve built a stronger sense of safety and connection, you’ll likely find it easier to engage in Prolonged Exposure, CPT, or EMDR. However, some people experience significant healing through body-based approaches alone and may not even need to go through intensive trauma reprocessing.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve tried trauma therapy and felt worse, know that it’s not a failure—it just means your body needs a different approach first. You deserve healing at a pace that works for you.
📥 Download your free Resolve to Rise Companion Guide to start building a strong foundation for your healing journey.
