Post Traumatic Stress Disorder comes with a variety of symptoms that can wreak havoc on your mental wellness. Contrary to what you might think, these symptoms don’t necessarily start showing up immediately after the traumatic event or chain of events.
Instead, these symptoms can start within the first month of a traumatic event or they May show up a year after the event. These symptoms can cause significant problems in your work and social situations and relationships.
Post-traumatic disorder symptoms, generally fall under four categories: avoidance, intrusive memories, changes in emotional and physical reactions, and negative changes in your thinking and mood.
However, there are measures you can take to enhance your wellness and even amid these symptoms. The self-care wellness tips for PTSD will help you improve your overall well-being despite your prevailing mental condition.
Dealing with Flashbacks and Other Symptoms
Flashbacks are a big challenge to you if you are dealing with PTSD. They make you re-live the event or incident that traumatized you in the first place. To deal with this symptom, try the following:
- Focus on your breathing
Flashbacks trigger fear that makes you stop breathing normally. When this happens, concentrate on regulating your breathing. Calm down and breathe in and out slowly as you count one to five.
- Reaffirm yourself that you are safe
It might help to consciously tell yourself that you are safe and that whatever the event was, it’s now in the past. It won’t occur again. While it might not be that easy to do this during a flashback, it would help to write it down when you are feeling better and then reach out and read it aloud when the flashback occurs.
You can also comfort yourself, for instance, by curling up in a blanket, listening to soothing music, cuddling a pet, or watching a favorite movie. By all means, do something that will reassure you that you are safe and the danger is now in the past.
- Carry an item that reminds you of the present.
A flashback takes you back in memory lane. Having an item that reminds you of the present will help your mind bounce back to now. This object might be a photo you took recently when you were happy with friends. Or it might be a piece of jewelry or another favorite item that you acquired recently.
- Know and avoid your triggers
In most cases, you’ll find that certain situations, experiences, or people seem to trigger flashbacks and other symptoms. These situations might include specific things like smell words, sounds, particular books, films, or any other items and situations that act as reminders of past trauma.
While it might not be possible to avoid these triggers, it will help to take proactive measures to avoid them. And in case you encounter the trigger, remind yourself very fast that it’s nothing and concentrate on something else.
- Try Peer Support
You might find solace in knowing you are not the only one who has to live with PTSD. Peer support brings you to people who have had experiences similar to yours. When you share your thoughts and experiences with these people, it has a calming effect. In the process, you also learn other coping mechanisms and dew ways of dealing with the symptoms of PTSD.
- Seek Specialist Support
You’ll find it useful to seek professional help from mental health experts that specialize in support and providing wellness tips for PSTD. Such a facility has a team of highly qualified and experienced mental health professionals to help you deal with the symptoms of PTSD. What’s even better, this team of experts will help in treating this condition so that you can reclaim your life and mental wellness in the shortest time possible.
