It may seem impossible to manage PTSD and maintain a normal life. PTSD can lead you to avoid other people and isolate yourself from friends and family; you may be afraid to go to normal places and even experience anxiety attacks. If you have PTSD, you can take steps to manage your symptoms and ultimately be able to live a happy, healthy life.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Getting Professional Help
Step 1. Get an appropriate diagnosis
The first thing to do to fight PTSD is to check if you actually suffer from this mental illness. It is an anxiety disorder and the symptoms can often coincide with those of other similar conditions.
- Talk to a psychologist to get an accurate differential diagnosis so you can find the right treatment based on your condition. To be diagnosed with PTSD, you must have suffered a traumatic event in the past that must meet specific criteria.
- For example, you must exhibit the symptoms of each of the following four groups for a specified period of time: 1) nightmares of intrusions, flashbacks, and recurring memories; 2) remove / avoid thoughts, people, places and things that remind you of what happened; 3) negative alterations of cognition and mood / state of mind that makes you feel alienated, constantly negative beliefs and opinions towards the world, inability to remember certain details of the event, and so on; 4) alterations in excitability and irritability-reactivity, hyperexcitation, sleep disturbances, etc.
- Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event can end up suffering from PTSD. Children who have been abused, people who have been sexually assaulted, war veterans, and those who have survived car accidents or natural disasters are all at risk of developing the disorder.
- Acute Stress Disorder (DAS) is associated with anxiety and can often develop into PTSD. DAS occurs within a month of the traumatic event and can last from 3 days to 4 weeks. Symptoms lasting more than a month indicate that the disease is evolving into PTSD.
Step 2. Talk to a therapist who has previously treated trauma victim cases
Talking to parents or close friends can certainly help you process feelings after a traumatic event, too, but a therapist has been specifically trained to help people like you. Contact your doctor for anything! Even omitting details that seem insignificant to you can actually make it more difficult to resolve the problem. If you feel the need to cry, do it.
- Psychologists can implement cognitive treatments that focus on trying to identify and change thoughts and opinions regarding the terrible event. Survivors often tend to blame themselves for what happened; talking about the trauma with a mental health professional can instead help you understand how little control you had of the situation.
- Some therapeutic procedures involve gradual or complete and sudden exposure to the place or situation that caused the trauma. One of the diagnostic criteria - the tendency to avoid everything related to the trauma - leads people to refrain from speaking or thinking about the event; however, working through what happened and talking to a therapist about it can help you get over it.
- The doctor should be open to the possibility of changing the treatment according to your specific needs. Different people heal in different ways, so it's important to choose the options that best suit your situation.
Step 3. See a psychiatrist for drug treatment
If some symptoms of the disorder significantly affect your normal daily activities or functions, for example, you are unable to sleep or suffer from so much anxiety that you are afraid to go to work or school, the therapist may refer you to a psychiatrist for a treatment with drugs. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the drugs most often prescribed for PTSD, but other antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and other medicines are also helpful. Keep in mind that each active ingredient has its own side effects, so you should review them with your doctor.
- Sertraline (Zoloft) helps in case of serotonin deficiency in the amygdala by stimulating its production in the brain.
- Paroxetine (Paxil) increases the amount of serotonin available in the brain.
- These two drugs are the only ones that have been approved by the US FDA to date for the treatment of PTSD.
- Sometimes, fluoxetine (Prozac) and venlafaxine (Efexor) are also used. Fluoxetine is an SSRI, while venlafaxine is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), meaning it is capable of increasing both hormones.
- Mirtazapine is a drug that can affect both serotonin and norepinephrine and may be useful for treating the disorder.
- Prazosin, which helps reduce nightmares, is sometimes used as an "add-on" treatment, meaning it is prescribed in combination with other therapies and medications such as SSRIs.
- Patients undergoing SSRI and SNRI therapy may sometimes experience thoughts of suicide as a side effect of the treatment; talk to your doctor about these risks and how to deal with them.
Step 4. Join a support group
If you are having a hard time fighting the fear and anxiety that accompany PTSD, it may help to join a support group. While this type of group does not specifically aim to cure the disease, it can help you manage symptoms by making you feel less alone and by offering encouragement from other participants who are facing the same difficulties as you.
- Being diagnosed with this disease can be a hard blow to "digest". By joining a mutual aid group, you can realize that there are countless other people who are struggling with the same problem as you and you can regain contact with the outside world.
- If your spouse or loved one is having trouble accepting your diagnosis, they may find helpful advice and support by participating in a recovery group for partners or family members of a patient with PTSD.
- You can search online to find a support group in your area or contact the relevant ASL.
- If you are a military or veteran, contact your district.
Part 2 of 3: Living with PTSD
Step 1. Take care of your body and mind
Many people have found that getting adequate physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and getting proper rest can significantly affect the disorder. Furthermore, all of these strategies have been shown to be effective in combating both stress and anxiety, which are obviously very intense in PTSD patients.
- By changing some elements in your lifestyle, you can reduce symptoms or manage them better. When you engage in regular physical activity and eat healthy, nutritious foods, you can feel stronger to deal with negative mental patterns or overcome an anxiety attack faster.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs. Find healthier ways to overcome stress and negative feelings; for example, take a walk outside, read an interesting story, or call a friend to talk.
- Recognize that having PTSD does not make you weaker. Be aware that this disorder can affect anyone. In reality, strong people can be the very ones who find themselves in potentially traumatic situations, because they have worked to defend their ideals, have tried to help others or because they have overcome personal obstacles. If you suffer from PTSD after participating in any military campaign, you have been brave for participating and still are; facing the disease and seeking treatment is an act of courage in itself.
Step 2. Keep a personal journal
Write down anything that is bothering you during the day, because certain situations or details can be the factors that cause nightmares or flashbacks. Also write down how you feel, if your symptoms are particularly severe or if the day went well.
A diary helps keep track of progress, but it is also important for the therapist to understand how symptoms change as the days go by
Step 3. Seek support from family and friends
Avoid falling into the avoidance trap. While you may think that staying away from others may make you feel better, it actually tends to aggravate symptoms. Social support can help you relieve both the anxiety and depression associated with PTSD.
- Pay attention to times when symptoms are particularly intense and make a plan to spend time with loved ones who make you smile and make you comfortable.
- You can also find support with a peer / peer support group and connect with other people who suffer or have suffered from PTSD. Contact your local health authority or search the internet to find a mutual aid group.
Step 4. Become a support for others
When you learn how to manage a serious condition like PTSD, helping other people who are going through the same difficulties as you can contribute to recovery. By engaging in mental health policies and facilitating access to care, you can feel stronger on your path to recovery from the disease.
Becoming aware of the mental illness you have can help you and others in the process. Joining groups that fight for PTSD patients allows you to turn a terrible accident in your life into a positive message for doctors, politicians and those with mental illness
Part 3 of 3: Keeping Panic Under Control
Step 1. Recognize the signs of an impending panic attack
Persistent fear is an underlying aspect of the disorder. Excessive stress or fear can cause a panic attack, and this can often occur in conjunction with PTSD. The panic attack can last from 5 minutes to an hour or more; at times, you may feel terribly agitated without showing any obvious signs. Whenever you manage to react positively to panic or anxiety crises, you are striving to make them less and less frequent; practice makes it easier to manage future episodes. The most common symptoms of a panic attack are:
- Chest pain
- Difficulty in breathing or feeling short of breath;
- Sweating;
- Feeling of suffocation;
- Tremors or shaking
- Nausea;
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
- Chills or a feeling of extreme heat
- Numbness or tingling
- Derealization (feeling of not being real) or depersonalization (feeling of being outside of yourself);
- Fear of losing control or of "going crazy";
- Fear of dying
- General sense of impending catastrophe.
Step 2. Practice deep breathing
You can do this exercise to reduce anxiety, fear, and even annoying pain or discomfort. Mind, body and breath are all related to each other; So taking a few minutes to engage in mindful breathing offers you numerous benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, relaxing muscles, and increasing energy levels.
Generally, deep breathing consists of inhaling for a count of 5-8 seconds, holding the breath briefly and then exhaling for a count of 5-8. This helps reverse the body's instinctive "fight or flight" response and calm the mood
Step 3. Try progressive muscle relaxation
Another technique that has proved useful for controlling anxiety involves systematic and gradual contraction of all muscle groups, followed by relaxation. This method reduces stress and helps manage anxiety-related disorders, such as insomnia and chronic pain. Progressive muscle relaxation even improves the benefits of deep breathing.
Start from your toes and slowly move to other parts of your body. As you inhale, count to 5 or 10, contract your foot muscles and maintain tension. As you exhale, suddenly release the contraction, paying attention to the sensation you feel immediately afterwards
Step 4. Meditate
This relaxation technique is not easy to put into practice if you are in the midst of a panic crisis; however, it can be quite useful to prevent attacks from happening in the first place.
- If you are a beginner, start with just 5 minutes of meditation a day and progressively increase the duration of the sessions. Choose a quiet, comfortable place with very few distractions; sit on the floor or on a pillow with your legs crossed, or use a chair and keep your back straight. Close your eyes and begin to inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, exhaling through your mouth. Just focus on your breathing, bringing your attention back whenever your mind gets distracted. Continue this exercise for as long as you like.
- One study, which involved 16 participants in a stress-reduction program through mindfulness, involved 27 minutes of meditation each day. At the end of the research, the results of MRI scans conducted on patients showed structural changes in the brain, revealing an increase in compassion, self-awareness, introspection, as well as a reduction in anxiety and stress.
Step 5. Try to minimize worries
Constantly fearing that a panic attack might occur can actually trigger the crisis itself. Keep busy and distracted so you don't inadvertently start building up the tension from constant worry.
- Develop some strategies for engaging in positive self-talk whenever you notice that you are distressing. You may consider that everything is fine, that there is nothing to fear, and that this is a passing phase. Remind yourself that you have faced them before and surviving panic attacks makes them less scary; it might even help you prevent them.
- When you realize that you are worrying about the future, try to bring your attention back to the present. Write down some things you are grateful for or some positive characteristics about yourself, such as your strength. By doing so, you can be in control of anxiety and realize that life isn't as bad as panic makes you believe.
Advice
- If you are in therapy with a psychologist, but you feel there is no improvement, give yourself some time; some treatments take some time before the benefits are visible. Be persistent.
- You may feel uncomfortable talking about the traumatic experience with others. Do your best to open up to someone, namely the psychologist, because in this way you can resolve the sense of shame or guilt related to the disorder.
