SUN Behavioral Kentucky Publishes Blog Post On Dealing With PTSD Nightmares

Erlanger, KY: SUN Behavioral Health, an addiction and mental health treatment and recovery center located in Erlanger, Kentucky has announced the publication of an article detailing the process of recognizing and dealing with nightmares due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Utilizing statistics gathered from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the article discusses how between 70% and 96% report dealing with nightmares related to their PTSD. It’s a common occurrence and can lead to many daunting days and nights ahead.

PTSD can happen to anyone because it is the result of trauma, which can be anything from a car crash to a natural disaster. It also may shock some to find out PTSD can develop even in situations where a person is not directly involved in the trauma. People have reported suffering from trauma related to 9/11 while living many states away.

Several members of the military spoke about their experiences with PTSD nightmares, including Valerie Ovalle of the U.S. Army.

“Every time I close my eyes, I would have a nightmare,” she said. The nightmares themselves can be convincing replays of the trauma that caused the PTSD in the first place, but they can also be random and hard to connect to what has caused the harm.

A lot of people are left in situations where they feel helpless and desperate, so one of the most important aspects of the article deals with ways someone can try to alleviate their struggle while at home before seeking out professional treatment.

One of the most reliable and often used treatments for PTSD is image rehearsal therapy (IRT). SUN Behavioral Health details the process, explaining it as a form of therapy that utilizes revisiting a nightmare daily, but while not asleep.

Patients use this form of treatment daily by writing out a description of their nightmare that is not distressing, a sort of inversion of the nightmare to help the brain begin processing it as less threatening.

A large amount of research has been done regarding IRT and it is now considered by many to be the preferred method for treating PTSD nightmares.

Various forms of IRT exist though the most common, detailed by SUN Behavioral Centers, include individual and group therapy sessions. Often the treatment lasts for nearly 12 weeks though it can be extended if need be.

SUN Behavioral Health of Kentucky has years of experience helping members of the military deal with substance use, mental health struggles, and PTSD. It is a facility offering outpatient treatment for adults but has options for helping children and adolescents as well.

During this difficult time everyone all finds themselves in, there is an ever-growing need for telehealth services—healthcare options utilizing digital forms of communication like webcams and email, as well as text messaging.

SUN Behavioral Health responded by creating a depression survey on their website which can be utilized for determining if a person or someone they love is in need of professional help.

The core mission of SUN Behavioral Health is to supply a safe and compassionate environment for recovery and healing and to use their skills, compassion, and experience to solve and meet the unmet needs of those struggling with mental illness and substance use.