Post traumatic stress disorder can be an extremely debilitating condition. Here we take a look at some of the methods of dealing with PTSD anxiety.
Living with post-traumatic stress disorder can be challenging. The people who go have to live with it, very often struggle with the frequent and intense undesirable symptoms of heavy anxiety. If left untreated, these anxieties can manifest very badly for the person who is going through this. A proper treatment method must be devised or else the person afflicted can easily start to self medicate with harmful drugs or alcohol.
It is very fortunate then that there does exist several healthy ways of coping with anxiety that comes from PTSD. These coping methods can help in reducing the intensity of these anxiety attacks, make these anxiety attacks occur much less frequently and these methods have also been proven to make the whole experience of anxiety much more tolerable.
Breathing Deeply
It may come to you as a surprise but know that there are many people out there who do not breathe properly. Breathing naturally involves making use of the diaphragm which is a large muscle in the abdomen. The simple rule is that when you are breathing in, your belly should be expanding and when you are breathing out, your belly should ideally fall.
Many people, over the course of their lives, often forget how to breathe properly and instead start doing it with their shoulders and chest. The result is that they are breathing short and very shallow breaths. This has a direct effect on our stress and anxiety levels, it worsens it.
If you are one of those people who has forgotten how to breathe properly, just know that it is a very simple thing to relearn how to breathe deeply from the diaphragm and help yourself in combating stress. If you practice simple deep breathing exercises, you will find that you are soon breathing in in the correct manner and this will very significantly affect your stress levels in a positive manner.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Performing exercises that promote relaxation can be an incredibly effective method in reducing the stress and anxiety levels of a person. This type of relaxation exercise, the progressive muscle relaxation exercise, is a relaxation technique that alternated between tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in the body.
This method of relaxation is very much like a pendulum. It is important to understand that complete relaxation of the muscles can be achieved by making the muscles go through the opposite extreme of relaxation, i.e. tensing the muscles. This type of relaxation method where tensing of the muscles is immediately followed by relaxing the muscles, can quickly become a signal to the brain that this is the time to relax over a period of time.
Mindfulness
This is another very effective method of relaxation and stress reduction. Taking up mindfulness can be an extremely effective way to deal with stress and anxiety. This practice of mindfulness has been around for literally centuries. It is, however, only recently that mental health professionals have realized how helpful the practice of mindfulness can be in dealing with anxiety and depression.
The essence of mindfulness is to be in touch with and also to be “present” in the present moment. It is very likely that in many times of our lives we will be lost in our heads with our thoughts. The “monkey mind,” as it is called, can be a source of great distress to those who have the tendency to overthink things and have a tendency to get lost in thoughts.
The never ending barrage of thoughts can seem like hell to anyone who is lost in them. People who have had to go through traumatic experiences are much more likely to indulge in negative thought patterns if their thoughts and inner monologue is not addressed. Mindfulness can be an extremely powerful tool in fighting these tendencies. Research has shown that mindfulness can help ease anxiety and help people equip themselves to better deal with themselves. It can get you out of your head and get you into the present moment.
Light Therapy
Light therapy can make a real difference in the lives of those suffering from PTSD. The University of California has reported a significant improvement in the lives of 16 soldiers who underwent this therapy for 30 minutes a day. Due to the fact that bright light therapy is a comparatively safe, self-administered and also inexpensive method of treatment that has almost no side effects, the results obtained in the aforementioned study is a significant step in establishing bright light therapy as an alternative or add-on treatment for PTSD that is combat-related.
The study was able to find some very noticeable effects on sleep. The improved sleep patterns also lead to relief from depression and anxiety. The researchers noted that sleep and the other symptoms of PTSD can come to resemble a vicious cycle. Another reason why this treatment method is very much needed is due to the fact that the regular treatment options for depression can in a lot of cases cause insomnia and also lead to other undesired side effects. The best part about light therapy is the fact that it is completely natural and a safe method of treating a lot of mental health disorders.
Support from social groups
Time and time again, a lot of research has suggested that one of the best ways to treat PTSD is to have a very strong social support network. Finding support from others is a major way to help someone struggling with PTSD ease their symptoms of the disease. It is very beneficial to have someone trustworthy to talk to when they are experiencing the intense emotions that PTSD can bring about.
PTSD is a complex illness that needs to be treated with respect in terms of how we are approaching dealing with this complicated issue. The methods listed above can go a long way in helping people better cope with their troubles with PTSD.
