What experts want you to know about PTSD and abusive relationships amid the Diddy trial
Combs was arrested in September 2024 at a Manhattan hotel and was subsequently charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts. The criminal trial emerges as a series of civil lawsuits from dozens of accusers have been aimed at Combs, accusing one of the music industry's most recognizable figures of a pervasive pattern of sexually and physically abusive behavior. The allegations span decades and include claims of rape, sexual assault and physical violence.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of those terms you might hear about during the testimony. It's a mental health condition that can sometimes stem from staying in abusive and traumatic situations for too long, mental health experts tell USA TODAY.
"It is incredibly difficult for survivors of any form of abuse to disclose to others about their experience," says licensed marriage and family therapist Payal Patel, LMFT. "It takes a lot of courage, bravery and empowerment to get to that point. And it's not our jobs to decipher what happened that led to the abuse, or whose fault it was or why they waited so long to report ... It is a long journey to healing for survivors, the least we can do is provide support rather than shame them."
Here's what mental health experts want you to understand about PTSD as the Diddy trial continues.
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PTSD is a mental health disorder that stems from "experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, act of violence or serious accident," according to the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
It's commonly discussed in cases of war veterans, but other triggers can include abusive relationships, health scares and watching someone else die or get injured, Patel adds.
Medical professionals might diagnose someone with PTSD if symptoms – which include feeling anxious, sad, scared or angry, struggling to concentrate or go to sleep and continuously thinking about the traumatic event – last long after the event took place and interfere with the person's ability to live their day-to-day life.
In case you missed: 'Coercive control' is the phrase you won't hear about at the Diddy trial. Why it's still important.
The good news is that most people experiencing PTSD will recover from their current symptoms over time, per NIMH.
The top expert recommendation for PTSD treatment is talk therapy – the National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD), a subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, notes that types of therapy including cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and prolonged exposure may be helpful.
"Therapy is of course the most helpful for people who have been survivors of any form of abuse," Patel says. "You want to make sure you are working with a therapist who is trauma-informed and has enough training in working with survivors. It can be a long journey of learning how to build boundaries, learning to trust yourself and others and finding support. But with the right therapist, I have seen many people work through their trauma from emotional abuse and move towards healthier relationships with themselves and others."
Medications commonly prescribed to help with PTSD include paroxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine, per the NCPTSD. Some research has suggested emotional support dogs can have a positive impact, too.
The NIMH notes that it has been backing research to learn more about how to identify "which trauma survivors are likely to recover naturally and which survivors may benefit from treatment," as well as studying ways to improve treatment for survivors' specific needs.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is the treatment for PTSD?
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