You deserve relief from the weight of trauma.
What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
People with unhealed trauma can have strong emotional reactions to events that resemble what they originally experienced. PTSD is a condition that affects people who’ve lived through traumatic events the brain wasn’t able to fully process. The trauma itself can take many forms: physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, domestic violence, natural disasters, or wartime events. When someone struggles to adapt to what happened, that difficulty can show up as the symptoms of PTSD.
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD can affect someone immediately after a traumatic event, or resurface years later, which is part of what makes it hard to recognize at first. Common symptoms include:
- Intrusive memories that are unwanted, distressing, and trigger an emotional or physical reaction
- Avoidance of people, places, or things that recall the traumatic event
- Relationship difficulties
- Being easily frightened or startled
- Engaging in self-destructive behavior
Someone with PTSD is more likely to develop an addiction if the PTSD itself goes untreated, in part because the symptoms don’t always look obviously connected to the original trauma, which makes the condition easy to miss as an underlying cause of alcohol or drug use.
Treating PTSD and Addiction Together
If PTSD goes untreated alongside an addiction, recovery is far more likely to end in relapse, because the underlying trauma doesn’t improve on its own. Working closely with a therapist to process what happened, without needing to relive every detail, gives you a real path to addressing both conditions and building a healthier future. When both are treated together, you have the best chance at a lasting outcome.
How GBAC Treats PTSD and Addiction Together
Trauma-informed care, including EMDR and trauma-focused CBT, is central to how we support clients with PTSD, integrated with DBT for emotional regulation and with addiction treatment itself, rather than handled as a separate track. Care is available through:
Does Insurance Cover PTSD Treatment?
Many private plans cover medically necessary treatment, though deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and authorization requirements vary by plan. We work with most major insurers and verify your benefits for free; checking doesn’t commit you to treatment.
Talk to Someone Who Can Help You Take the Next Step
Post-traumatic stress disorder can be hard to come to grips with on your own. We’re in Needham, MA, at 322 Reservoir Street, serving Boston, Dedham, Waltham, Newton, West Roxbury, and nearby communities. Call (877) 920-6583 for a free, confidential conversation, or verify your insurance online.
Frequently asked questions
What therapies are offered for PTSD at GBAC?
EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, and DBT are central to how we treat PTSD, often alongside group and family therapy, all integrated with addiction treatment rather than treated separately.
Do clients from Waltham and Newton seek PTSD treatment at GBAC?
Yes. We're based in Needham, MA, and see clients from across the area, including Waltham, Newton, Dedham, and Boston.
Can PTSD treatment be combined with addiction recovery?
Yes, and it needs to be. If PTSD goes untreated alongside addiction, recovery is far more likely to end in relapse, since the underlying trauma doesn't improve on its own.
Does insurance cover PTSD treatment in Massachusetts?
Many private plans cover medically necessary treatment, though deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and authorization requirements vary by plan. We verify your benefits for free before you commit to anything.
How long does outpatient PTSD treatment last?
It varies by person and by what you're working through. Many clients see meaningful progress within weeks, while complex or repeated trauma can take longer, and care continues into aftercare as needed.