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Tips for Coping with PTSD

This will help you!

By Alyssa HornPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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I want to start by saying that PTSD by definition is a condition that is diagnosed to those who have either witnessed a traumatic or have experienced a traumatic event in their lives. For instance and I am going to be completely honest by saying this, I have been molested as a child and raped as an adult. I found my boyfriend dead on our bathroom floor when I was 19. At one point when I was in my early twenties, I was homeless and I saw a lot… that is when the rape occurred. Back then I was lost as well as broken. A broken empty shell of a person that jumped from one abusive relationship to another. The last abusive relationship damn near killed me, literally. There was one night I can remember even praying for death because the pain was just too much to bear. After I finally was able to leave I found myself at a shelter for the battered and abused women. It was then that I began therapy, started college, moved into my apartment, and was diagnosed with PTSD. I still struggle with the anxiety, nightmares, and depression. So I know what it is like and I am here to help with coping mechanisms.

I would recommend that anyone who is dealing with PTSD seek treatment right away. It can lead to various other risks. Behavioral behaviorist specializes in adjusting trauma filled thoughts and can guide the person who is affected by developing alternative interpretations as well as engaging in a new way of responding to negative or overwhelming feelings. There are of course medications such as mood stabilizers and antidepressants that can be prescribed to help. Personally, I am on a cocktail of antidepressants as well as sleeping pills; that is only after just plain meditation did not work. Medication isn’t for everyone… either way following whatever treatment plan put in front of you is very important. Also getting plenty of sleep and staying healthy is key.

Self-Medicating

Avoiding self-medicating is also a big thing. For a while, I had trouble with this and it led me down a dark path with booze as well as pills. That is until I was able to get cleaned up, but self-medicating is never the answer. It can be a destructive way to cope and can lead to even worse anxiety if that isn’t already an issue. Drugs and alcohol can also interfere with PTSD medications so be careful. And try to stay connected with your loved ones because even if they are just friends they will still worry about you. Plus staying connected will help limit your depression also.

Support

Joining a support group has also been proven to be quite helpful. However, some people don’t like speaking about their issues in front of a group and that is fine. There are alternatives to treatment with medication. You can research certain teas. There are certain homeopathy remedies that have been proven to be quite effective.

I attend therapy and have been attending for the past year. Therefore I can say that it does help. They asked me if I wanted to attend a group, but I am one of those that don't much care for sitting in a group of people, but hey we all have our preferences. So I hope that these tips for coping help someone out there because dealing with PTSD can literally be a nightmare!

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About the Creator

Alyssa Horn

I am a broke college student that is pretty much alone in the world. I'm working on my bachelor's in psychology and then I am going to start my Master's as well as a degree in anthropology. plus I love to write.

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