When you’re inflicted by significantly traumatic life events that induce post-traumatic stress disorder, this can be life-altering. It can feel overwhelming as you struggle to reconnect with who you were prior to the onset and attempt to manage new symptoms which are still unfamiliar. Heightened levels of anxiety and depression can make us feel helpless, as if we cannot regain control over our emotional state.
The good news is, there is hope. You can heal. The healing process is a lifelong journey and a commitment to self that needs to be renewed with each new day. It takes establishing a plan that works for you and every journey is different. This is because the way each of us experiences potentially traumatic events is different. And, this is why there is no “threshold” event-wise for experiencing PTSD. It does not depend so much on the event itself as our individualized reaction to the event.
There are some strategies that are commonly used for rebuilding in the aftermath. Of course, what works for someone else may or may not work for you. But, you can use the suggestions of others to find the one that works with you and stick with it. Here are some strategies for moving forward and coping with PTSD in healthy and sustainable way:
Because trauma leaves you feeling very vulnerable, it’s important to re-establish coping skills that may have seem gone to the wayside. It can be very cathartic to share your truth. In sharing your experience and the reality of the aftermath, you are refusing to allow trauma to define you. You are separating this toxicity from yourself and voicing that you are more than what you went through. Join support groups, establish a therapeutic partnership with a counselor, discuss how you’re feeling with family and friends. You can also consider joining online groups of fellow survivors and blogging or journaling.
As you begin to feel more empowered by voicing your truth, consider helping others. You can volunteer your time at a nonprofit dedicated to helping trauma survivors rebuild. You can start an online forum yourself. Give back to charities that fund resources for those who’ve experienced trauma or volunteer at a shelter.
Being able to speak out and give back will allow you to re-establish confidence and eliminate inevitable feelings of helpless caused by PTSD. It is vital to rebuild a healthy sense of self, so you become more determined than ever to “beat’ PTSD rather than turning to unhealthy, temporary coping mechanisms which commonly make things worse in the long run.
Part of your journey should be to rebuild yourself physically as well. When you commit to taking care of your physical being by eating right and exercising as well as practicing other methods of self-care, including mindful meditation, yoga, or simply spending a few minutes alone to “clear your thoughts,” this will also translate to a healthier mental and emotional state. You will have a clearer picture of where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going simply by taking care of yourself and ensuring you can think optimally and have enough energy to stay on track.
Remember, living healthfully is all about creating and maintaining balance. You must take the time to rest and relax despite your busy schedule. You may want to give back in a million different ways because of the passion that will no doubt develop for helping others rebuild as you do, but you must keep a centered mind and ensure you are stopping along the way to refuel. Otherwise, you will crash and burn and have to start all over again at square one. Once you’ve moved past all of the icky feelings of PTSD that you originally felt you had to live with, the last thing you’ll likely want to do is continue reexperiencing these things.
While you’re trying out each of these new methods at home, you should also consider seeking professional help. Therapists will be able to help you strengthen your at-home routine by making suggestions and ensuring you stick with a set treatment plan. It can be extremely beneficial to get the perspective of a mental health clinician who is trained in trauma recovery.
There are many different therapeutic approaches available for PTSD and, oftentimes, these can be used in tandem with drug therapy, which will help the mind re-balance and heal. Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy will allow you to confront, in a gradual way without inducing harm, the emotions you are experiencing and challenge these. It can help you better understand which thoughts are irrational and why. It will allow the mind to clear distorted thinking and see a more realistic picture.
Sometimes, family therapy can be beneficial. You might invite trusted loved ones to go through the therapeutic process with you so they can offer support and feedback. Trauma can affect family systems rather than one only person if others experienced it, too. And, this approach can be used when PTSD was derived from strained relationships which need a structured forum and professional guidance to heal and strengthen.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is often recommended to allow the brain’s information processing system to get back on track and flow as it should. It incorporates CBT with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation. It is a newer therapy that has been proven to be highly beneficial. Before beginning EMDR, a clinician may recommend you start an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication in order to get to a certain baseline for the therapy to be effective rather than detrimental. This is very common, and it is important to listen to what your physician suggests. Everything that is part of a proposed treatment plan is meant to help you feel better and eliminate toxic symptoms.
Living with PTSD can be extremely difficult, particularly if you do not make a commitment to move beyond the initial stages of feeling especially helpless and vulnerable. If you are determined to reestablish what was lost and empower yourself once again, employ conscious manifestation! By taking action steps to better yourself, you will feel like yourself again!