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THE DYNAMICS OF PTSD: A positive approach to coping
with trauma
PART 3: In the longer term
The immediate nightmare is over. Your are left with your thoughts:
- Talk to supportive peers - The self-help movement recognizes
that no one understands your situation better than others who have
suffered the same thing. If you have suffered a loss, you will likely
find a bereavement support group in the community (check with your
funeral director). There are also numerous groups for other problems,
from adult survivors of incest to parents of murdered children.
If there are no resources in town, use a good search tool like Google
or Yahoo! to search for online support.
- Learn about trauma and PTSD - The first thing to understand
is that you are not alone, not weak and not 'crazy.' Trauma assaults
our emotions in the same way that a physical blow assaults our body.
Healing the damage takes time and it can require treatment. The
more you know, the better you can take care of yourself.
- Lean on your personal support systems - Humans are social
animals and most people want to help. Talk with famuly, friends
and (somteimes) co-workers, as your own pace. There are times in
life when we will all need a shoulder to cry on and the good people
in our lives take pride in our willingness to call upon and trust
them.
- Practice relaxation techniques - Now is a good time to
explore meditation or yoga. Look
into muscular relaxation, breathing exercises, swimming, stretching,
prayer, listening to quiet music
and spending time in nature. The National Center for PTSD wanrs
that, for some people, disturbing physical sensations can intensity
when you are relaxed, so experiment to find what it tolerable for
you. To find a healer in your area, click
here.
- Expand your positive, creative activities - Learn to paint.
Take a course on flower arranging. Keep a journal. Visit a museum.
Play with children. Distraction alone cannot rebuild our lives,
but these activities can be positive forces in the right direction.
- Start an exercise program - After getting your doctor's
OK, embark on an exercise program.
Not only will it help you generate good brain chemicals that can
drive out depression, but you will end up in better health and therefore
better able to cope with whatever else life throws your way.
- Take care of your physical self - Eat regularly and eat
well. Take time to sleep. Get a massage. Structure time away from
the telephone. Say no to new responsibilities for now.
- Seek help sooner rather than later - Don't buy into the
argument that you should tough it out as long as possible. Talk
with your physician about what you have experienced. Seek references
to counselors from family, friends and physicians. There is no shame
in taking good care of yourself.
- WARNING SIGNS FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR PTSD - You
should seek help if:
- You are experiencing any symptoms that are causing distress
or are causing significant changes in your relations or
your functioning at work.
- You are self-medicating with alcohol or other drugs.
- You are unable to find relief with the strategies we've
offered.
Tell us what works for you - and what doesn't
Monday, November 14 at 07:19 PM:
Julie from London wrote:
" Integrated Energy Therapy combined with Reiki and sound healing helped me. Talking always made it worse and I could talk around the pain but i was always keeping the lid on the pot. "
Sunday, April 19 at 08:48 PM:
Thursday, January 12 at 10:17 AM:
Antonio from North Jersey wrote:
"
Feeling is What works for me, not thinking about feeling. Feeling in my human body, my human heart. Not focusing on thoughts or sensations, feeling in my human body. I do this by choosing my Love first, then feeling my Love, now that I feel my Love I receive my Love. This is my choosen path for me, beacause I enjoy it and have fun with it."
Tuesday, May 18 at 12:44 PM:
Danny from Delray Beach, FL wrote:
" Finding a good support system, reading as much info as I can on true methods that work ie.(somatic experiencing, body psychotherapy, penniston protocol etc.), in implementing one of the methods it has proven to me through confidence and experience it is possible to heal fully. Learning about spiritual insights, esp. authentic yoga traditions etc...reading about NDE's OBE's to learn more about consistent life/death data for psychospiritual reassurance, coast to coast radio show for knowledge and wisdom, turning will over to creation or the universe helps me. Just trying to holistically let go. Safe non-judgemental environment essential for me. When in denial and lost; looking/observing my thoughts without getting sucked in or away removes denial and grounds me(remvs denial because thought patterns are consistent with event(and dreams too)reminding me I'm not crazy.
Being open to synchronicities and their meanings."
Saturday, January 3 at 01:17 PM:
Caron from southern Illinois wrote:
"If Pete ever comes back to this site, can I talk to him?
I am suffering from really severe ptsd and I am working with Peter Levine's tapes but I sure would like to talk to someone who has used and understood them successfully. I just seem to be getting more and more depressed and anxious, probably because the nlp I have tried is just making things worse.
thanks,
caron
caroncat@moose-mail.com "
Thursday, October 30 at 12:32 PM:
Robin Toler from Baton Rouge, LA wrote:
" Making art and sharing this experience with others. "
Saturday, October 18 at 06:19 PM:
anne from california wrote:
" BREATHE I've noticed that breathing is shallow or holding the breath in ptsd experiences. Paying attention to breathing helps calm and center me. "
Saturday, May 24 at 03:29 AM:
lindy from NJ wrote:
" These guys are right on, never look Medusa(PTSD) in the face unless you want to turn to stone..look towards positivity and light and learn to renegotiate the trapped energy for release and try to connect with healthy individuals that care. The thoughts will go away as you renegotiate and feel vitality. Take care all!"
Saturday, May 24 at 03:18 AM:
pete from Utah wrote:
" what I meant was buy the book not but the book:) "
Saturday, May 24 at 03:16 AM:
Pete from Utah wrote:
" I think it can be good to talk with others who have PTSD for support and such, but you have to be careful of getting to entangled in conversing about trauma...this actually fuels it.
Learning about Trauma is one of the best things you can do, however it took me years of sifting through antiquated beliefs and a mental health system which falsly claims PTSD as incurable and/or you have to talk about the trauma to resolve it; you have to learn about the way trauma is stored energy and when the mind is properly aligned then catharsis automatically takes place....this is why you feel so much pain because the traumatic energy is trying to resolve itself constantly but our rational minds(unknowingly) override this process causing constriction and dissociation. Talking about it as a brief explanation or when in real need can be okay but when you start delving in blindly all you are doing is adding to arousal, constriction and dissociation.
As the first post mentioned the book Waking the Tiger is the best place to start, I also have had severe PTSD and due to this book and its principles, I am cured. Don't give up, but remember if the system really wanted PTSD to be healed in people it would not ignore wholistic and proven methods such as biofeedback that have been working for 50 years in the healing of PTSD. They know about this they are simply greedy for money off of pharmaceutical companies and such...anyway you can do it..just remember the body/mind and spirit must be in sync for healing..try to feel the positive energy with in, locate it and keep it close, start getting your mind away from the trauma vortex in your mind. Feel the positive energy. Let the natural movements of energy flow. This is the beginning of healing...but the book.(I have nothing to do with the seller of the book)
Ofcourse seek professional help if needed"
Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 PM:
Jimmy from usa wrote:
" The only thing that has ever helped in the 13 years of having true PTSD is reading, knowing and trying to integrate the genius of the book Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine. Almost everything else you mention here on this site has at best been little help for me. This book and the methodology presented based on fact has enabled me to change my relationship with my trauma and has put me in a position of empowerment where I am confident that full healing will occur. "
Bonnie Bucqueroux, webmaster for The Healers website,
has spent the past 30 years working to reduce violence and trauma in our
society, through her teaching, writing and training.
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