PTSD is a disorder characterised by failure to recover after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event.
The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.
Symptoms may include nightmares or flashbacks, avoidance of situations that bring back the trauma, heightened reactivity to stimuli, anxiety or depressed mood.
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Here are some ways in which you can help yourself get through the trying times you may be experiencing:
• Identify a suitable mentor and/or coach who has been through similar events. Channel via open-ended communication with that person to take you through the myriad emotions that will persist over any length of time.
• Get very busy with work, preferably manual labour. Occupy your day time hours with physically stimulating activity. This helps with the grounding process coupled with the focus on getting your mind right and back into the flowing action of the main stream.
• Eat good food. Fruit and vegetables digest very easily. Eat a balanced diet over the recovery period. It is recommended to eat slowly and effectively, chewing food properly instead of eating in haste. Learn to cook with your spouse to make life more interesting and supportive.
• Do physical exercises. Martial arts like karate and tai chi do wonders for the mind. Doing the actual arts enables one to channel pent-up mental energy in a constructive manner. Yoga exercise and stretching habits also work very well.
• Meditate and do breathing exercises properly. There are no time limits, but generally start by 10 minutes per day.
• Develop a sense of humour and a cheerful disposition. Many other persons are not actually interested in what you have been through. Most people will not even know what you have experienced. If you can still crack a smile or two under any situation, it is half the battle won already. Developing good humour generally winds down the anger aspect of stress and makes immediate light shine down on any given situation.
• Relax in the moment you find yourself in at that specified time. Slow your breathing and movements to a controlled motion. Control the movements from your mind.
• Keep a diary, activities you do can be logged. A diary is a personal item nobody is entitled to see. This will help you keep a sane mind when you are trying to work through any negative emotions that will plague you over the recovery period.
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• Do research on various topics that interest or may become interesting in your daily life. Read those inspirational books that nobody likes. You may find that the information will nurture you and will not break you down any further.
• Take walks in the parks or any natural setting that takes your fancy, taking walks in nature certainly clears the head and slows down the onslaught of depression.
• Try stopping bad habits like drinking excessively. A drink or two certainly holds a lot of benefit, but over indulgence will just tip the scales the other side. Try to quit smoking and/or cut down on consumption. It is a known fact that smoking is one of the major causes of depression.
• Take more road trips and little weekend breaks. Staying in far-flung places does wonders when you are doing intensive soul searching.
• Take up positively enhancing hobbies and activities suited to the season you would like to do. Lots of outdoor activity works wonders during spring, summer and autumn. Winter hobbies are more passive in nature. We are blessed to have so many natural land tracts in South Africa. One can also merely take time to sit underneath a tree and just enjoy the floating moments.
Sean Byrne
