Approaches to PTSD treatment
The effectiveness of PTSD treatment is recognised. But first, one must realise they are suffering from it…
Post-traumatic stress disorder is an insidious condition—often hard to identify. And above all, it’s a mental and physical health issue that quietly undermines the wellbeing of thousands.
There are different profiles: take, for instance, a man who jumps at the sound of a slamming door. He avoids violent films, noisy gatherings, or emotionally heavy topics. As far as he’s concerned, everything is fine, he has “moved on”. But his anxiety and sleep disturbances tell another story.
Or a woman who clenches her fists without noticing when a scooter passes beneath her window. She suffers from recurring nightmares. The threat she once faced is long gone. But her body never truly let go.
A traumatic event that clings on
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an invisible injury but not a silent one. It stems from a traumatic event that the nervous system was unable to process. Even after the threat has disappeared, the body remains in a state of acute stress. Sometimes for months, sometimes for years.
When the past refuses to stay in the past
Despite the passage of time, the person continues to be haunted by traumatic memories—whether consciously or not. Certain situations or thoughts can trigger a return to the original shock. Conversely, they may experience a dissociative amnesia or a blackout concerning the event.
Either way, it signals a nervous system that has been thrown off balance. For those with PTSD, the world never quite feels safe again. Their brain remains on high alert, as though it never received the message that the danger had passed.
Recognising the signs of emotional trauma
PTSD can be triggered by a wide range of events. The most well-known example is war—but it can also stem from assault, accidents, childbirth, redundancy, bereavement, bullying, or even a break-up.
Symptoms
The disorder tends to settle in gradually. Its effects emerge over time. There are many symptoms: flashbacks, insomnia, recurring nightmares, dissociation, hypervigilance, and irritability.
Some people avoid anything that might remind them of the trauma—places, sounds, conversations—and end up cutting themselves off from the world, their loved ones, or even themselves. Others try to soothe their distress with coping strategies that prove harmful in the long run: alcohol, isolation, withdrawal.
As with any injury, PTSD requires appropriate care. Emotional trauma can be healed, but it takes time.
What helps in healing PTSD?
The good news is that the nervous system can recover. Not by erasing the memory, but by giving it its rightful place over the long term. Several therapeutic approaches have shown promise. These fall into three categories: talking therapy, medication, and more recently, psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Emotional shock treatment: talking therapy
One of the most common approaches remains psychotherapy. Among the established methods, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely used. It focuses on breaking the mental links between certain memories and automatic reactions of fear or shame.
Step by step, the person learns to regain control—no longer at the mercy of intrusive memories. This is achieved through exercises aimed at establishing new mental patterns.
Less common, prolonged exposure therapy involves gradually confronting anxiety triggers in a safe environment. The principle: avoid avoidance. The more we run from what hurts, the stronger it becomes.
EMDR
Among the more intriguing therapies, EMDR stands out. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.
Developed by American psychologist Francine Shapiro in the 1980s, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, alternating sounds, etc.) to help the brain “digest” the trauma.
It is not hypnosis, it’s more like cognitive cleansing. The memory remains, but it loses its grip.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy
A new frontier
Long relegated to the fringes, psychedelic substances are re-emerging in labs and clinics—not as curiosities, but as serious tools. Several studies have shown their potential in treating conditions like depression and anxiety disorders.
By altering brain activity, these compounds help individuals take a step back from their trauma. The trauma becomes more malleable, more manageable. Therapy or personal development work tends to progress more quickly as a result.
Psychedelics and PTSD
Once universally banned, psychedelics are now making a cautious return in therapeutic settings. Legal frameworks vary by country, but several options are now available:
- Psychedelic-assisted therapy (Switzerland, Australia)
- Psilocybin truffle retreats (Netherlands)
- Clinical trials with psilocybin (UK, USA)
These often involve psilocybin, derived from what are colloquially known as “hallucinogenic mushrooms”. Interest is growing due to its ability to induce altered states of consciousness—favourable conditions for revisiting trauma. The experience often brings a sense of inner peace or connection—and the substance is entirely natural.
MDMA has also undergone advanced clinical trials for complex PTSD. In a therapeutic setting, it appears to allow access to painful memories without being overwhelmed by them. Emotions flow without devastation. However, its legal availability remains limited.
How does psilocybin affect trauma?
Psilocybin briefly disables the brain’s alarm system. But that’s not all. In cases of PTSD, it also opens up emotional and cognitive perspectives that were previously inaccessible.
In the brain
Psilocybin is an agonist of serotonin receptors—particularly the 5-HT2A receptor in the cerebral cortex, which plays a role in perception, mood, and self-awareness.
Under psilocybin, a brain region known as the default mode network (DMN) becomes less active. This network is typically highly engaged when we ruminate or dwell on the past or future—in other words, when the mind spins its wheels.
In people with PTSD, this network tends to loop endlessly around the trauma.
Reducing DMN activity allows for a temporary pause in psychological blockages. Brain areas that usually don’t communicate suddenly begin interacting. This may explain the feelings of insight, awakening, and deep openness often reported.
What happens during a retreat?
Whether in therapeutic contexts or in retreats, psilocybin use is supervised by therapists or facilitators. The person lies down, often in a comfortable space with gentle, evocative music. The session lasts 4 to 6 hours.
This is not a recreational “trip”—it’s a deep inner journey, sometimes intense. As the internal alarm system is temporarily offline, fear recedes. Buried memories may resurface—without panic.
Some experience unexpected self-compassion, a sense of peace, or a powerful feeling of unity with the world. Many describe the experience as beyond words, but say it profoundly changed how they see themselves. It might sound mysterious—but just speak to someone who’s tried it, and you’ll be convinced.
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Can PTSD be healed?
Trauma confines. It creates the illusion that the story is set in stone. Psilocybin, by lowering mental defences, can sometimes allow a person to revisit the trauma without being overwhelmed.
The emotional landscape shifts—it can feel neutralised. This makes it possible to reframe the event, to give it its proper place. It’s as if the brain, for a moment, steps off the rails and discovers an entirely new route.
And this new path—if carefully integrated in the days and weeks that follow—can lead to lasting effects. However, these treatments are strictly regulated and should never be undertaken alone.
Medication for healing emotional trauma?
Pharmaceutical treatment remains a conventional and effective approach. One of its advantages is that it’s well understood in the medical field.
When the suffering becomes unbearable, when nightmares prevent sleep, or anxiety makes therapy impossible to begin, medication can offer a lifeline.
Antidepressants (especially Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, SSRIs) may provide temporary relief. They can buy time, creating the conditions for deeper therapeutic work.
Though not a cure in themselves, antidepressants can ease the way forward. They deserve serious consideration—without prejudice or oversimplification. That said, they may not work for everyone, particularly in treatment-resistant cases.
Complementary approaches: body, breath, presence
Trauma isn’t written solely in the brain—it also leaves its mark on the body. That’s why somatic therapies are gaining traction.
Therapeutic yoga, mindfulness meditation, sophrology, breathwork, and the TRE method (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises) are all being explored. These practices do not replace therapy, but they can support it. And sometimes, they open doors that words cannot reach.
Others may find grounding through creative or physical outlets: art therapy, writing, exercise, or singing. These gentle techniques aim to reintroduce movement where there was once paralysis.
Healing from PTSD is possible
Where to begin?
Healing from trauma doesn’t mean forgetting—it means learning to live with the experience, without letting it define you. The right treatment is often a mix: a meeting point between a method, a person (the therapist), and the right timing.
Talking therapy is a gradual process that doesn’t shake things up too abruptly. EMDR is highly effective, for those who respond well to it. Psychedelic-assisted therapy is a powerful option, but it requires a legal and reassuring setting before taking the leap into the unknown. And while medications don’t go to the root of the issue, they are accessible and can be highly effective.
Most importantly: there is no shame in asking for help. PTSD is not a sign of weakness. It is, in fact, the mark that something profoundly abnormal has taken place.
Each of these approaches offers a way to place that abnormality where it belongs—so that life can move on, lighter and freer.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are no spiritual retreats for PTSD. However, psychedelic retreats in the Netherlands can help people gain immediate perspective on their issues. But that benefit depends greatly on the quality of the support provided—before, during and after the experience.
Treating trauma involves therapy. Several methods are available by consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist. EMDR and psychedelic-assisted therapy are recognised alternatives, both supported by growing scientific evidence.
Dissociation is a sense of detachment from yourself or your surroundings. As though you’re not fully present in what’s happening. It can be linked to dissociative amnesia—a kind of blackout related to trauma or stress-inducing situations.
