Living With PTSD

LIVING WITH PTSD

(Post-traumatic stress disorder)

’It didn’t start with you but it can end with you’’

PTSD is an anxiety disorder that involves the over-activation of the fight and flight response.

What the fight and flight response is or in some cases flight or freeze, is the response your body has when reliving past trauma, you may experience similar feelings you had before, this is common for someone with PTSD, and the important thing to work on is becoming aware so that we can ‘’Kill the monster while it is little’’

PTSD symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma through flashbacks or nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, and avoiding people and places that may remind one of the trauma.

I have learned that you can’t stop thoughts and feelings from happening but can choose how you respond to them. How do you allow them to make you feel in the future? Feel the feeling, allow it in. Then wait for it to pass.

Later on, in the article, I will go into methods you can use to overcome these feelings and take control.

But First, let us understand the process.

Stage 1 Understand triggers so that you’re not surprised.

PTSD, Anxiety, and Fear are not reserved for you. They are simply familiar patterns & results of how we respond to those patterns.

Triggers can include sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts that remind you of the traumatic event in some way.

Some PTSD triggers are obvious, such as seeing a news report of an assault. Others are less clear. For example, if you were attacked on a sunny day, seeing a bright blue sky might make you upset without you realizing why,

All of sudden you're filled with this rush of emotions that you don’t like or understand and so your initial reaction is to get out of that environment, this can do more harm than good.

Stage 2 Managing PTSD

Countless mental health professionals and patients alike point to books as an important part of the healing process for PTSD. A book dedicated to this condition can help you better understand your own experience, relate to the experiences of others, and develop strategies to cope however reading isn’t the only option and is also not for everyone ( although maybe if you are reading this far then that could be a helpful solution )

Know what your triggers are. Knowing what situations are likely to trigger you can help increase your sense of control and when you build this type of self-awareness you can prepare ahead of time.

‘’ “Never begin the day until it is finished on paper.” - Jim Rohn

5 Steps That Can Help Cope With Triggers

1. TV ( Transformational Vocabulary) Changing the words to describe the events your going through and feelings you are having. Anxious = sweaty palms, unsure of the outcome, hearts beating quicker. Excited = sweaty palms, unsure of the outcome, hearts beating quicker
2. Have a plan to regulate yourself. "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail" - Benjamin Franklin
3. Tell your loved ones.“We don't heal in isolation, but in community.”
4. Use your tools. “We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us. We make our tools, and then our tools make us” - Marshall McLuhan
5. Get into therapy with a Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) specialist.

A recommended book is

The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole

What happens if you leave it untreated?

Like with anything if it’s avoided or left untreated, it will cause you many problems further down the line. Keep spending you’ll run out of money, avoid sleep you’ll burn out, keep running you will lose energy. PTSD is different though because you don’t physically see it so a lot of people are unaware it’s there. While PTSD can be difficult to treat, when left untreated, the mental health condition can cause significant psychological, physical, and social issues so if anything you have read here resonates with you, I employ you to try one of the following.

Treatments for PTSD

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT):

CBT is a type of psychotherapy that has consistently been found to be the most effective treatment of PTSD both in the short term and the long term. CBT for PTSD is trauma-focused, meaning the trauma event(s) are the center of the treatment.

I can connect you with specialists in this area

Prolonged Exposure Therapy.

This therapy allows you to work through painful memories in a safe and supportive environment. It also allows you to participate in activities you have been avoiding because of the trauma

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.

Stress Inoculation Training.

Stress Inoculation Training, or SIT, is psychotherapy for PTSD. It is one specific type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). By teaching you coping skills, SIT can help you find new ways to deal with PTSD symptoms. These skills can also help you manage other stressful situations or events in your life

Medications

Now I am not particularly a supporter of medicines although I know they have come a long way, I still opt for natural remedies… however this article isn’t written with my bias in mind, it has been written with facts and information to assist anyone that may be struggling with emotional states they believe to be out of their control

Here are well-known known medications for dealing with PTSD, again I believe medication does not solve the root cause of the problem but can be a starting point for some.

• Sertraline (Zoloft) is FDA-approved for treating PTSD, and it's one of the most common medications prescribed for this condition.
• Paroxetine (Paxil) is the only other FDA-approved medication for PTSD.
• Fluoxetine (Prozac) is used off-label for treating PTSD.

I am in no way qualified to prescribe any medication however I am a student of life, connect with specialists in these areas, and have experienced dealing with anxiety/PTSD in the past I have used medication in the past, and since then I have decided to study the brain and will continue to do so as I find uncovering the truth behind how those beliefs and emotions got there, intrigues me. And following these choices and help from others my health, brain health, levels of production, and confidence have skyrocketed, now I simply try and pay it forward, to help you understand that you are not broken, you are not alone, and your past doesn't define your future. Only if you continue to live there will it continue to keep eating away at you.

I also recommend this book

“Get The Life You Want” by Richard Bandler

I hope some of these tools have brought you value and we can go into much more detail if you are interested in learning more then reach out

Master Your Own Mind & Believe There’s A Way Out

Daz Boyes