June is PTSD Awareness Month, a time to highlight the reality of post-traumatic stress disorder and offer hope to those silently carrying its weight. At Lake Area Psychiatry, we see firsthand how trauma can change a person’s brain, body, relationships, and sense of self—and how healing, while not always linear, is possible.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is not just something that affects veterans, though that’s often the image people have. It can follow any deeply distressing or life-threatening experience: abuse, accidents, assault, medical trauma, natural disasters, or even the sudden loss of a loved one.
People with PTSD may experience:
-
Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks
-
Avoidance of reminders or places
-
Negative mood shifts (guilt, shame, anger, numbness)
-
Hyperarousal (startle response, trouble sleeping, feeling “on edge”)
But here’s what we want you to know:
Trauma doesn’t make you weak. It means you survived.
And there is treatment that works.
Trauma Can Be Invisible
Many of our patients say things like:
“I didn’t realize this was PTSD—I just thought I was broken.”
“I’m not having nightmares, but I feel disconnected all the time.”
“I function well, but I’m always waiting for something bad to happen.”
These are signs of trauma too. PTSD doesn’t look the same for everyone—and it can show up weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic event.
A Note to Southwest Louisiana
Here in Southwest Louisiana, many of us are still feeling the ripple effects of Hurricane Laura and the back-to-back crises that followed. The storm may be long gone, but the impact remains—in disrupted routines, lingering anxiety, grief over lost homes and stability, and a persistent sense that we never quite caught our breath.
This kind of long-term stress response is not weakness. It’s trauma.
We’ve rebuilt roofs and communities. Now it’s time to tend to our nervous systems and hearts.
If you've felt emotionally stuck, on edge, or just not like yourself since the storm, you're not imagining things. You might be carrying trauma, too.
Treatment Can Help You Feel Whole Again
There is no one-size-fits-all approach. At Lake Area Psychiatry, our team of psychiatric nurse practitioners and therapists offers trauma-informed care, which may include:
-
Medication support for anxiety, depression, or sleep
-
Trauma-focused therapy (like EMDR or CBT)
-
Mind-body techniques that restore a sense of safety and control
-
Support for rebuilding identity, trust, and emotional connection
Healing from trauma is not about forgetting what happened. It’s about learning to feel safe in your own mind and body again.
You Are Not Alone
If you or someone you love is struggling after a traumatic experience, reach out. You don’t have to wait until it “gets worse” or “goes away.” PTSD is treatable. You are worth healing.