Skip to content

We have you get back in there with [the memories] on your terms.

Dr. Ron Acierno (Clinical Psychologist) describes PTSD treatment.

Transcript

Getting used to these horrible memories and getting

used to situations that remind you of the traumatic event,

the combat or the life-threat,

is a lot like getting used to cold water.

If you jump in a swimming pool and you jump right back out,

you'll never get used to it.

If you get in the painfully cold water and swim around,

after 10 minutes, it will still feel cold,

but it won't be as painful.

You start to get used to it, and that's what we try and do

with the memories and the triggers in the environment

that cause these types of emotional experiences.

We have you get back in there with them on your terms,

and we have you do it over and over again to the extent

that you start to get used to them,

so that when they come up on you or they're triggered,

you can deal with them

as opposed to having them deal with you.

Published At