Did you know that roughly 15 million American adults suffer from PTSD each year? That means about 6 percent of the US population is affected by the disorder. PTSD management has become crucial for the mental health of many.
Are you considering PTSD therapy or other tools to ease your symptoms? Are you not sure where to look or how to get started?
The following guide will explain several effective tools used to relieve symptoms of PTSD. Read on to learn how to start controlling your post-traumatic stress disorder and start improving your overall wellness.
- EMDR Therapy
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a therapy in which a patient is asked to remember distressing situations.
Next, a therapist guides the patient to use bilateral stimulation hand tapping or side-to-side eye rapid movement. In theory, this stimulation bypasses the part of the brain responsible for processing stuck memories caused by trauma.
A traumatizing stuck memory prevents the brain from properly processing and storing the memory. So, working past these stick memories has helped many cope with PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks.
- Medical Cannabis
Medical marijuana with high doses of THC is an effective treatment for PTSD management. It helps to relax patients and ease their anxiety.
Cannabis is becoming more available with growing legalization across America. Dispensaries such as Harvest House of Cannabis in Arizona are able to legally and conveniently provide marijuana for both recreational and medical use.
A new study found that those with PTSD who used marijuana saw reduced PTSD symptoms. In fact, they were 2.57 times more likely to fully recover from PTSD because of cannabis use.
- Physical Activity
Physical activity is good for those with PTSD because exercise helps your nervous system move out of its immobilization stress response.
Activities that engage both your arms and legs like walking, running, swimming, or dancing help relieve PTSD symptoms. Most physical activities direct more focus on physical feelings and movement rather than thoughts.
- Expressive Writing
Journaling helps to cope with PTSD and express thoughts and feelings to reduce anxiety. It has also been found to make those with PTSD feel less tense and angry.
Expressive writing improves post-traumatic growth. This gives the ability to find meaning in life and experience positive changes after a traumatic event.
- Purposeful Distraction
Purposeful distraction techniques help to cope with intense and uncomfortable emotions like anxiety and fear. A distraction is anything done to take attention away from strong emotions.
Temporarily and purposefully distracting yourself gives unwanted emotions time to reduce in intensity and makes them easier to control. Likewise, overly focusing on a heavy emotion makes its intensity grow and worsen.
Applying PTSD Management Techniques
Now you know several PTSD management techniques you can use or recommend to others. You can apply many of these tools at home. Remember this guide the next time you’re overwhelmed by PTSD symptoms.
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