PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

PTSD can develop after any experience that overwhelms a person's ability to cope — not just combat, though that's the association many people have. Greater Boston Psychiatric Services provides psychiatric evaluation and ongoing medication management for PTSD, by telehealth or in person at our office in Medway.

What Is PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)?

PTSD is a condition that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event — one that involved actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, whether experienced directly, witnessed, or learned about happening to someone close to you. Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD, but for those who do, symptoms persist well beyond the event itself and significantly affect daily functioning.

Signs & Symptoms

• Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares related to the traumatic event

• Avoidance of reminders, places, or conversations associated with the trauma

• Negative changes in mood or thinking — persistent guilt, shame, or a distorted sense of blame

• Feeling emotionally numb or detached from others

• Hyperarousal — being easily startled, feeling constantly on guard, or having angry outbursts

• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating

• Symptoms lasting more than one month and causing significant distress or impairment

Causes & Risk Factors

• Exposure to a traumatic event (this is the defining requirement for a PTSD diagnosis)

• Prior trauma history, which increases vulnerability to developing PTSD after a new event

• Lack of social support following the traumatic event

• Individual differences in stress response and brain chemistry, including how the body regulates cortisol and the fear response

How It's Diagnosed

PTSD is diagnosed through a clinical evaluation that identifies exposure to a qualifying traumatic event along with a specific pattern of symptoms — intrusive memories, avoidance, negative mood or thinking changes, and hyperarousal — persisting for more than a month. Your clinician will approach this conversation carefully and at your pace; you're never required to describe traumatic events in more detail than you're comfortable with in order to receive a diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment Options

PTSD is treated with medication (SSRIs and SNRIs are the most evidence-supported medication options), trauma-focused therapy (such as EMDR or trauma-focused CBT), or a combination — trauma-focused therapy in particular has strong evidence for PTSD specifically. Our clinicians manage the medication component of treatment. We don't provide trauma-focused therapy directly, but we're glad to coordinate with a therapist you're seeing or help point you toward a trauma specialist.

When to Seek Help

If symptoms following a traumatic event have lasted more than a month and are affecting your sleep, relationships, or ability to function, an evaluation can help. You don't need to have a specific diagnosis in mind — describing what you're experiencing is enough to start.

Insurance & Self-Pay

We're in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Optum, Tufts Health Plan, Wellpoint, United Healthcare, HPI, Mass General Brigham, Carelon, UMR, and UniCare. Self-pay options are available. We are unable to bill Medicare, Medicaid, or supplemental plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does PTSD only happen to combat veterans?

No. While PTSD is well known in the context of combat, it can develop after any traumatic experience — an accident, assault, natural disaster, medical trauma, or witnessing violence, among others. GBPS evaluates and treats PTSD from any qualifying traumatic experience.

How soon after a traumatic event can PTSD be diagnosed?

PTSD symptoms must persist for at least one month to meet diagnostic criteria; before that, similar symptoms may be classified as acute stress reaction, which sometimes resolves on its own. If symptoms are present and distressing, it's reasonable to seek an evaluation even before the one-month mark.

Will I have to describe the traumatic event in detail?

No more than you're comfortable with. Your clinician needs to understand that a qualifying event occurred and how it's affecting you now, but you're never required to relive details you're not ready to share in order to be diagnosed and start treatment.

What medications are used for PTSD?

SSRIs and SNRIs are the primary medication options with evidence for PTSD, similar to those used for depression and anxiety. Your clinician will discuss the right option based on your evaluation and any other symptoms you're experiencing.

Is therapy necessary, or is medication enough?

Trauma-focused therapies like EMDR and trauma-focused CBT have the strongest evidence specifically for processing traumatic memories, and are often recommended alongside medication. We manage medication and can help connect you with a trauma-focused therapist.

Can PTSD symptoms come back after they've improved?

Yes, symptoms can resurface, particularly around anniversaries of the event or new stressful situations. Ongoing follow-up allows your clinician to adjust treatment if symptoms return.

Related Conditions We Treat

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) often overlaps with, or can be mistaken for, other conditions. We also provide evaluation and medication management for Anxiety & Panic Disorders, Depression, Sleep Disturbance.

Get Started

If you're experiencing symptoms of ptsd (post-traumatic stress disorder), the first step is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, available by telehealth or in person at our office in Medway. Schedule an appointment or view our full list of conditions we treat.