PTSD treatment centers help people heal from trauma and learn safer ways to cope. At The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health in Lake Worth, adults 18+ can get care for PTSD, and for PTSD alongside drug or alcohol use, through mental health residential care, partial hospitalization and an intensive outpatient program.
If you’re in crisis: Call or text 988 if you’re thinking about suicide or feel unsafe. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Call (561) 340-7269 to talk with our admissions team.
What Is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after you live through or witness a traumatic event. Common examples include combat, a serious accident, a natural disaster, physical or sexual assault, and the sudden death of a loved one.
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Strong reactions right after a trauma are normal, and many people feel better with time. With PTSD, symptoms last more than a month and get in the way of work, relationships or daily life. Clinicians diagnose PTSD using the DSM-5-TR, the manual used for mental health diagnoses in the U.S.
Trauma is common. About 6 in 10 men and 5 in 10 women go through at least one traumatic event in their lives, but most don’t develop PTSD.
Common Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD symptoms fall into four groups. They can come and go, and they often flare up around reminders of the trauma, called triggers.
| Symptom group | What it can look like |
|---|---|
| Intrusion | Unwanted memories, nightmares, flashbacks, a racing heart or sweating when something reminds you of the event |
| Avoidance | Staying away from people, places or conversations linked to the trauma; trying hard not to think about it |
| Negative thoughts and mood | Guilt, shame or self-blame; feeling numb or cut off from others; losing interest in things you used to enjoy |
| Arousal and reactivity | Feeling on guard, startling easily, angry outbursts, trouble sleeping or focusing, reckless behavior |
Your body can stay on high alert long after the danger has passed. Research has linked PTSD with a higher resting heart rate, one sign of that constant “fight, flight or freeze” state. Living like this is exhausting, which is one reason many people look for fast ways to shut it off.
Who Is at Risk for PTSD?
Anyone can develop PTSD. The risk tends to be higher for people who:
- Served in combat. About 30% of Vietnam veterans have had PTSD at some point in their lives. An estimated 11% to 20% of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have PTSD in a given year (PTSD in veterans).
- Work as first responders. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics face traumatic scenes again and again.
- Survived assault or abuse. This includes sexual assault and domestic violence.
- Went through trauma as a child. Early trauma can shape how the brain and body respond to stress for years.
- Had little support afterward. Ongoing stress, isolation or more trauma after the event can raise the risk.
If you’re a veteran, read more about PTSD and substance use among veterans.
How PTSD and Addiction Affect Each Other
PTSD and substance use disorders often occur together. Alcohol or drugs may seem to quiet nightmares, numb painful memories or make sleep easier. This is often called self-medicating.
The relief doesn’t last. Over time, alcohol and drug use can:
- Make sleep problems, anxiety and depression worse
- Cause withdrawal symptoms, like irritability and anxiety, that feel like PTSD flare-ups
- Lower your guard in risky situations, raising the chance of new trauma
- Make it harder to use coping skills and take part in therapy
It works the other way, too: trauma reminders can trigger cravings. Stopping without new coping tools can make PTSD symptoms feel stronger at first. Treatment guidelines recommend treating both conditions together, which is called dual diagnosis treatment.
PTSD Treatment at Our Lake Worth Campus
Care at The Recovery Village Palm Beach starts with an assessment of your trauma symptoms, substance use, physical health and goals. Your care team uses it to recommend a level of care. The care team sets the length of stay based on your needs.
Levels of care for PTSD and other mental health conditions
- Mental health residential treatment: You live on campus and focus fully on treatment, away from daily stress and triggers.
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP): Structured treatment with more independence than residential care, often used as a step down.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): A step-down level of care.
If you also use alcohol or drugs, dual diagnosis care treats both conditions at the same time. Substance use care here includes medical detox, intensive inpatient treatment, residential treatment, PHP and IOP, with aftercare planning before you leave.
Therapies for PTSD
- Cognitive processing therapy (CPT): A structured, trauma-focused therapy. You look at beliefs the trauma left behind, such as “It was my fault” or “I can’t trust anyone.” Then you learn to question the ones that keep you stuck.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Helps you see how thoughts, feelings and actions connect, and practice new responses to triggers and cravings.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): Builds skills for handling intense emotions, getting through distress without using and improving relationships.
- Individual and group therapy: Time to work on your own goals, plus support from peers who understand.
Doctors may also use FDA-approved medications for PTSD, such as the antidepressants sertraline and paroxetine. Whether any medication fits your plan is a decision for you and your doctor.
Calming activities can support therapy. Our campus has walking trails, a meditation garden, guided meditation groups and self-guided yoga.
What Trauma-Informed Care Means
Trauma-informed care is a way of delivering all treatment, not a single therapy. It shifts the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes six key principles:
- Safety, both physical and emotional
- Trustworthiness and openness about what to expect
- Peer support
- Collaboration and shared decisions
- Empowerment, voice and choice
- Respect for cultural, historical and gender issues
In trauma-focused treatment, people usually build grounding and coping skills first. That way, painful memories feel more manageable before deeper trauma work begins. In trauma-informed care, you shouldn’t be pushed to share details before you’re ready.
Childhood PTSD and Childhood Trauma
Children can develop PTSD, too. Abuse, neglect, violence at home or in the community, serious accidents, disasters, frightening medical care and the loss of a parent can all overwhelm a child’s ability to cope.
PTSD can look different in young children. Instead of describing flashbacks, a child may:
- Act out the trauma again and again in play or drawings
- Have scary dreams without clear content
- Lose skills they had learned, like toilet training or talking
- Become very clingy, irritable or easily upset
- Struggle in school or with friends
Teens may show symptoms closer to an adult’s, along with risk-taking, self-harm or early alcohol or drug use.
We treat adults 18 and older only. If you’re worried about a child or teen, talk with their pediatrician, a school counselor or a child mental health professional. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.
How childhood trauma can affect adults
Childhood trauma doesn’t always fade on its own. Research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) links abuse, neglect and growing up with a parent’s substance use to higher rates of depression, substance use and long-term health problems in adulthood.
Adults who went through trauma as children may notice:
- Trouble trusting people or feeling safe in close relationships
- Emotions that feel too big to control, or feeling numb
- Shame, harsh self-criticism or a sense of being “broken”
- Feeling on guard most of the time
- Using alcohol, drugs, food or work to escape
Repeated or long-lasting trauma, especially in childhood, can lead to complex PTSD. The World Health Organization’s ICD-11 describes it as PTSD symptoms plus lasting problems with emotions, self-worth and relationships. It often occurs alongside depression, anxiety, personality disorders or substance use.
Many adults connect their struggles to childhood trauma only years later. It’s not too late to get help. Adult treatment can work on both the old trauma and the ways you learned to survive it.
When to Get Help for PTSD
Reach out to a doctor or mental health professional if:
- Symptoms last more than a month or keep getting worse
- You avoid people, places or activities that used to matter to you
- You drink or use drugs to sleep, calm down or forget
- Your relationships, work or health are suffering
- You have thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else (call or text 988 now)
Crisis and support lines
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988. Veterans and service members can dial 988 and press 1.
- 911: For immediate danger or a medical emergency.
- NAMI HelpLine: Information, resources and referrals for people living with mental health conditions and their families.
Start PTSD Treatment in Palm Beach County
The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health is at 4905 Lantana Rd., Lake Worth, FL 33463, about 20-25 minutes from downtown West Palm Beach. We’re accredited by The Joint Commission and licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Call (561) 340-7269 to talk with our admissions team. Our admissions team can review your insurance with you, or you can check your insurance benefits.
PTSD Treatment FAQs
What do PTSD treatment centers offer?
PTSD treatment centers provide structured mental health care for trauma in one place. Depending on the program, care can include a full assessment, trauma-focused therapy such as cognitive processing therapy, skills-based therapies like CBT and DBT, medication management and help with co-occurring substance use. If you drink or use drugs to cope, look for a licensed, accredited program that treats PTSD and addiction together.
Is PTSD treatable?
Yes, PTSD is a treatable condition, and clinical practice guidelines recommend trauma-focused therapies such as cognitive processing therapy.
Treatment looks different for everyone. Goals often include fewer and less intense symptoms, better sleep, more control over triggers and healthier ways to cope. Many people also need support for depression, anxiety or substance use at the same time.
What is childhood PTSD?
Childhood PTSD is PTSD that develops in a child or teen after trauma such as abuse, violence, a disaster or a serious accident. Young children may replay the event in play, have nightmares, lose skills or become clingy and irritable.
Childhood trauma that isn’t treated can affect mental health into adulthood. We treat adults 18+, including adults working through trauma from childhood.
Can PTSD lead to addiction?
PTSD doesn’t directly cause addiction, but it can raise the risk. Many people use alcohol or drugs to cope with nightmares, anxiety or painful memories.
Over time, that pattern can turn into dependence and a substance use disorder. Treating PTSD and substance use together addresses both the symptoms and the reasons behind the drinking or drug use.
Do you treat teenagers with PTSD?
No. The Recovery Village Palm Beach treats adults 18 and older only. If your child or teen shows signs of PTSD, start with their pediatrician, a school counselor or a licensed child mental health professional.
If a young person is in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency. If an adult in your family needs care, call (561) 340-7269.
