Coping with P.T.S.D

For many years everyone thought that the only way to get battle fatigue or shell shock was if you had gone away to war. Today it is recognized all over the world as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and all you need to develop it is to have suffered a trauma or assumed trauma. 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced a traumatic event. 20% of these will develop PTSD. There is no cure for PTSD; it is a process of continuing to cope with the symptoms and managing the event that was the trigger.

As with anything, there are positive and negative ways to cope with the symptoms. Positive coping skills will help by reducing your anxiety and other troubling reactions. Negative coping skills will not help.

The first coping skill to use is to empower yourself with knowledge of trauma and PTSD. Do research yourself and talk to your doctor about anything you may not understand.

Then a good idea is to seek out support. This can come from a trauma support group or just getting a therapist or counselor to suppose you. Most often, survivors will understand far better than friends or family.

Work and recreational activities prove as wonderful distractions from a panic attack. It causes you to re-focus your anxiety on an outside action.

If your doctor gave you medication for PTSD it is important to stay compliant. There are many medications that doctors may prescribe for PTSD such as: Prozac, Zoloft, Tegretol, and Remeron.

It is important you try to take care of yourself. You may want to avoid cigarettes and caffeine as these can make anxiety worse. Exercising, eating right and good hygiene will help you feel better about yourself.

Negative coping skills need to be recognized so we know what we need to avoid. These are self-harm, substance abuse, violent behavior, excessive working, social isolation, and avoidance.

With positive coping skills it is possible to begin the process of healing. The trauma will never go away, but it just might become a little easier to deal with. It is also important to know that you are not alone.

Resources:

http://www.PTSDsupport.net

http://www.mayoclinic.com


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