How To Overcome And Cure Ptsd
There are many different scenarios that can lead a person to experience PTSD . As a person who has had to deal with PTSD and knows about the extreme fight or flight response and adrenaline that accompanies this severe disorder, I know how painful it can be to deal with. Not everyone with the disorder will overcome the severity of symptoms that they experience, but after putting up with the rapid-thinking, extreme sense of fear, flashbacks, and hyperarousal for years, part of you will want to move on.
If you are ready to acknowledge that part of your spirit is ready to move on to a state of living free of fear and free of this fight or flight response, this is when you know you are ready to attempt to deal with PTSD. For me, I honestly thought I was going to live in a state of fear for the rest of my existence. In totality, my experience with PTSD ended up lasting about 8 years. Mine was brought about by a severe life-threatening diagnosis at the doctor. Im not going to get into all the details, but lets just say that I became so scared, that I was literally hyperfocused on every breath, every heartbeat, and my senses were off the charts normal sounds were like sonic booms.
Common External Ptsd Triggers
- Sights, sounds, or smells associated with the trauma.
- People, locations, or things that recall the trauma.
- Significant dates or times, such as anniversaries or a specific time of day.
- Nature .
- Conversations or media coverage about trauma or negative news events.
- Situations that feel confining .
- Relationship, family, school, work, or money pressures or arguments.
- Funerals, hospitals, or medical treatment.
Ways To Help Someone With Post
Like the traumatic event or events that trigger it, post-traumatic stress disorder has a huge impact on the daily life and functioning of someone living with it. It changes, everything from mood and emotions to behavior, from the ability to cope with everyday tasks to the ability to deal with the unexpected, from worldview and self-image to relationships.
PTSD is hard to live with, not just for folks who have it but also for the most important people in their lives. The kinds of things you’re seeing in your loved one with PTSD may affect you negatively, but you’ll also likely be left frustrated as you try to figure out what you can do to “make it better”, only to find that that’s very difficult.
your
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Its Time To Maneuver Forward Together With Your Life And Forgoing Of The Past
It will receive this statement as blaming the victim, implying that the person with PTSD needs to stay stuck and in emotional turmoil.
We should remember that theres no point in time to heal.
The results of PTSD square measure multilayered. One may notice they have to stay in denial for extended than others.
Another may well be pushing too arduous to get over it, thus suppressing bound feelings.
Some may address addictions till they notice that they have facilitated moving forward.
Take time to listen. Assuming people to be OK with everything invalidates their feelings.
Also, it raises guilt and shame, which is detrimental and puts pressure on the individual to feel higher now.
Why Do Some People Develop Ptsd And Other People Do Not
It is important to remember that not everyone who lives through a dangerous event develops PTSD. In fact, most people will not develop the disorder.
Many factors play a part in whether a person will develop PTSD. Some examples are listed below. Risk factors make a person more likely to develop PTSD. Other factors, called resilience factors, can help reduce the risk of the disorder.
Some factors that increase risk for PTSD include:
- Living through dangerous events and traumas
- Getting hurt
- Feeling horror, helplessness, or extreme fear
- Having little or no social support after the event
- Dealing with extra stress after the event, such as loss of a loved one, pain and injury, or loss of a job or home
- Having a history of mental illness or substance abuse
Some factors that may promote recovery after trauma include:
- Seeking out support from other people, such as friends and family
- Finding a support group after a traumatic event
- Learning to feel good about ones own actions in the face of danger
- Having a positive coping strategy, or a way of getting through the bad event and learning from it
- Being able to act and respond effectively despite feeling fear
Researchers are studying the importance of these and other risk and resilience factors, including genetics and neurobiology. With more research, someday it may be possible to predict who is likely to develop PTSD and to prevent it.
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Tip : Take Care Of Yourself
Letting your family members PTSD dominate your life while ignoring your own needs is a surefire recipe for burnout and may even lead to secondary traumatization. You can develop your own trauma symptoms from listening to trauma stories or being exposed to disturbing symptoms like flashbacks. The more depleted and overwhelmed you feel, the greater the risk is that youll become traumatized.
In order to have the strength to be there for your loved one over the long haul and lower your risk for secondary traumatization, you have to nurture and care for yourself.
Take care of your physical needs: get enough sleep, exercise regularly, eat properly, and look after any medical issues.
Cultivate your own support system. Lean on other family members, trusted friends, your own therapist or support group, or your faith community. Talking about your feelings and what youre going through can be very cathartic.
Make time for your own life. Dont give up friends, hobbies, or activities that make you happy. Its important to have things in your life that you look forward to.
Spread the responsibility. Ask other family members and friends for assistance so you can take a break. You may also want to seek out respite services in your community.
Set boundaries. Be realistic about what youre capable of giving. Know your limits, communicate them to your family member and others involved, and stick to them.
Support for people taking care of veterans
Encourage Them To Seek Treatment
Its beyond your control to make someone seek treatment. If they are ready or are considering treatment, you can encourage them along the way, however.
Research some of the treatment options available for PTSD. Look for treatment providers and programs that specialize in PTSD. Explore the benefits of treatment and, when your friend is ready, share what you come up with.
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Deal With Anger And Volatility
PTSD often leads to challenges when managing impulses and emotions, which might manifest in your loved one as moodiness, extreme irritability, or explosions of rage. A person dealing with PTSD lives in a constant state of emotional and physical stress. Since they experience sleep troubles like insomnia, it means theyre constantly on edge and exhausted, increasing the likelihood theyll overreact to daily stressors.
For many of those with PTSD, anger might also be a mask for other feelings like helplessness, guilt, or grief. Anger allows them to feel powerful instead of vulnerable and weak. Others might suppress their anger until it erupts at a time you least expect. You should watch for signs that your loved one is angry and try to remain calm. Try giving them personal space and ask how you can help. Anger is a healthy emotion, but chronic anger spirals can have adverse consequences.
When A Loved One Is Experiencing Posttraumatic Stress
Loved ones who understand this can respond with compassion however, this does not mean putting up with hurtful or dangerous behaviors. Some trauma survivors might even seem okay on the surface, but underneath, managing the unresolved trauma is using up some of their strength and energy. Unresolved trauma also tends to build up inside, making the person more emotionally and physically brittle over time. Eventually, symptoms may appear after a relatively mild stressor, such as a small fender bender.
The ultimate goal of treatment for posttraumatic stress is to foster deactivation of the nervous system and restoration of resilience . With this comes the ability to be fully presentinstead of being partly stuck in the pastand to respond appropriately in the current moment. The neurological term for this resilience/responsiveness is self-regulation.
Here are several suggestions to keep in mind while supporting a loved one impacted by trauma:
To sum up, it can be incredibly distressing to be living in a nervous system that feels disobedient and unpredictable. However, as Dr. Peter Levine has said, humans were designed to withstand incredibly difficult conditions. With the help of a good practitioner, trauma survivors can access their underlying restorative ability of mind, body, and spirit, and continue on with their lives.
Note: I would like to acknowledge Phyllis Stein, PhD, SEP, for her editing contributions to this article.
References:
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Normally Associated With Veterans Ptsd Can Also Affect People Of All Ages Who Have Experienced Any Kind Of Trauma
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a severe and potentially debilitating mental health disorder that affects people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD often occurs in combat veterans, but it can also strike older adults, and especially men.
About 70% of older men have been exposed to trauma at some point in life, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of these traumatic events are accidents , injuries, or serious health issues.
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How To Diagnose Ptsd
The first step in diagnosing trauma is making an appointment with a doctor, preferably someone trained in mental health disorders. The doctor will talk with the patient to determine their state of mind. The practitioner will have to determine whether the prerequisite symptoms for PTSD are present before deciding how to proceed. For a diagnosis of PTSD, the patient must have experienced the following for at least one month:
- At least one event in which they re-experience symptoms
- At least three avoidance symptoms
- At least two hyperarousal symptoms
- Symptoms that interfere with daily life activities
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Know What Triggers Your Loved One
This can help both of you avoid uncomfortable situations. I’m not suggesting that you enable your loved one as they try to avoid reminders of their trauma and help keep their PTSD alive that’s for all of you to work out with a therapist, if your loved one is in treatment. But definitely don’t do things that you know will trigger them on purpose.
How To Help Someone With Posttraumatic Stress
Being close to someone who is suffering because of trauma can be a difficult, bewildering experience. Trauma symptoms may appear suddenly, sometimes surfacing many years after a traumatic event. Or symptoms may creep up gradually. You might notice your loved one seems offnot like their usual self. Or their emotions can flare up suddenly and intensely for little apparent reason, even to the person. Some trauma survivors seem unusually flat or numb. They may become needy or clingy. Or they may withdraw, refusing help entirely.
Although symptoms may differ, responses to trauma have a similar underlying cause: a nervous system stuck in threat. Understanding what happens inside a person experiencing posttraumatic stress provides a pathway to compassion, clarity, and possible solutions. This article is not therapeutic advice, and the advice of a qualified psychotherapist should always be sought. Think of this article as a general guide for families who suspect that a loved one has been impacted by trauma.
Trauma and stress are not the same thing. Stress refers to the bodys response to threata physiological and biochemical cascade of bodily changes designed to ensure survival. Informally, stress can also refer to subjective experiences: how it feels to be experiencing the challenge in the environment and in the bodys responses.
When stress happens, deactivation is possible. Traumatic overwhelm makes deactivation nearly impossible.
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Living With Someone Coping With Ptsd
Living with a person who is struggling with PTSD is a challenge, but you shouldnt feel alone when supporting the person you love. You should never take these symptoms personally because PTSD hijacks the nervous system and causes a constant state of hyper-awareness.
Consider the following strategies to help you cope with another persons PTSD. These include:
- Writing out your feelings and thoughts that you want to work through or discuss during therapy sessions
- Having a plan for setting boundaries, such as expressing discomfort with topics
- Writing down questions or goals for improvement that you have about PTSD, which could be coping with it and healing from it
Written by: Christopher Schumacher
About Vista Pines Health: Vista Pines Health is a mental health treatment program that is dedicated to providing quality care to those who are suffering from mental disorders. Conveniently located in sunny Pembroke Pines, Florida, we help clients, from all over the country, find healing from conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. Our programs are designed to put the client first every step of the way, helping them conquer the struggles they deal with on a daily basis.
Talking To Your Loved One About Ptsd Triggers
Ask your loved one about things theyve done in the past to respond to a trigger that seemed to help . Then come up with a joint game plan for how you will respond in future.
Decide with your loved one how you should respond when they have a nightmare, flashback, or panic attack. Having a plan in place will make the situation less scary for both of you. Youll also be in a much better position to help your loved one calm down.
How to help someone having a flashback or panic attack
During a flashback, people often feel a sense of disassociation, as if theyre detached from their own body. Anything you can do to ground them will help.
- Tell your loved one theyre having a flashback and that even though it feels real, the event is not actually happening again.
- Help remind them of their surroundings .
- Encourage them to take deep, slow breaths .
- Avoid sudden movements or anything that might startle them.
- Ask before you touch them. Touching or putting your arms around the person might make them feel trapped, which can lead to greater agitation and even violence.
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Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing
With EMDR, you might not have to tell your therapist about your experience. Instead, you concentrate on it while you watch or listen to something they’re doing — maybe moving a hand, flashing a light, or making a sound.
The goal is to be able to think about something positive while you remember your trauma. It takes about 3 months of weekly sessions.
Stress Associated With Support
Receiving support from others is a healthy and effective way of dealing with a stressful event. It’s no wonder that during times of stress, people often turn to their loved ones first.
It is important to realize, however, that providing support requires energy and can also be stressful in and of itself.
Watching a loved one struggle with a problem can be upsetting and stressful. It is possible to support your loved one without getting overwhelmed and sacrificing your well-being. But when the stress from being another person’s support system is constant and draining, you can experience what is known as caregiver burnout.
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How Canada Is Helping
Canada is committed to addressing PTSD. We passed the Federal Framework on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act in June 2018. The Act recognizes that all Canadians can be at risk for PTSD and that a great number face higher risks because of the nature of their work.
The Act led to a National Conference on PTSD in April 2019. Experts from across the country, including people with lived experience, shared their knowledge and views. With their involvement, we have developed Canadas first Federal Framework on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Tip : Reach Out To Others For Support
PTSD can make you feel disconnected from others. You may be tempted to withdraw from social activities and your loved ones. But its important to stay connected to life and the people who care about you. You dont have to talk about the trauma if you dont want to, but the caring support and companionship of others is vital to your recovery. Reach out to someone you can connect with for an uninterrupted period of time, someone who will listen when you want to talk without judging, criticizing, or continually getting distracted. That person may be your significant other, a family member, a friend, or a professional therapist. Or you could try:
Volunteering your time or reaching out to a friend in need. This is not only a great way to connect to others, but can also help you reclaim your sense of control.
Joining a PTSD support group. This can help you feel less isolated and alone and also provide invaluable information on how to cope with symptoms and work towards recovery.
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How Does Therapy Help
Trauma therapy gives people a way to safely share their feelings, tell their story, and get support. In therapy, they learn coping and calming skills to help them deal with anxiety after a trauma. This makes it easier to talk about what they have been through.
In therapy, people learn how trauma can affect their thoughts, feelings, and actions. They learn ways to adjust some of the difficult thoughts about the trauma. They learn to let go of any guilt or shame about what happened.
Slowly, people learn to face things they used to avoid. Therapy helps them gain courage and confidence. They use their strengths to cope and move forward.
