How to Recognize and Treat PTSD

As seen in the September 2020 Issue of Advancing Care.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, affects 10 percent of women and 4 percent of men.
The COVID-19 pandemic, notes Stephen Ferrando, MD, Director of Psychiatry at Westchester Medical Center, has been traumatic for many across the New York area and beyond.

“In many ways we are fighting a war right now. We’re a few months into this pandemic and people have experienced real, traumatic losses: of a loved one, a job, or their financial security. They’re anxious, depressed and grieving. This is compounded by the fear of infection and of the unknown, as well uncertainty about the future.”

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The WMCHealth Behavioral Health Center hotline is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week at 914.216.7733.

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If you’re struggling, Dr. Ferrando suggests active coping strategies. “First off, talk to a professional. Call WMCHealth’s free Behavior Health hotline (see above) and take a personal inventory of your stresses and how well your coping mechanisms are working.”

Additionally, he suggests practicing good self-care strategies. “Attention to exercise, getting outdoors, taking advantage of simpler ways to enjoy ourselves and avoiding processed foods and excess sugar are all beneficial to both physical and emotional health.”

Help is Just a Phone Call Away

The WMCHealth Behavioral Health Center has been a leading provider of comprehensive behavioral health services for the Hudson Valley for more than 90 years.

To help members of our Hudson Valley community facing anxiety, challenges and hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WMCHealth established a free, confidential hotline to provide support.

Staffed by licensed and accredited members of our Behavioral Health Center team, the hotline is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week at 914.216.7733. Members of the community are encouraged to utilize this service.