Keywords: How to treat PTSD.
In the midst of feeling overwhelmed by post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, it seems as though there will never be a way out of suffering; the more so when it is recurring.
Your emotional state influences how you perceive reality; therefore, it is normal that at these times, your felt experience is that life has no meaning.
You have also noticed, fortunately, that your intense moments of suffering pass over. You have days that are better than others. Our consciousness appears cyclic in that regard.
In the midst of feeling overwhelmed by post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, it seems as though there will never be a way out of suffering; the more so when it is recurring.
This movement of going through tough days followed by better days gives us an opportunity. It gives us a "breather" that allows us to get some things done, or connect with friends, or be with nature.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and How to Treat PTSD
It also gives us the opportunity to observe our reactions when we are going through triggers, withdrawal periods, and suffering. I am not talking here about analyzing. Analyzing is something you are likely to be doing already, to no avail. I am talking about observing your approach, which is the essence of PTSD treatment recovery.
Instinctive reactions, when we suffer, are "wanting to forget it all" or "attempting to get over it" or "trying to understand" or "fixing it". This avoidance or problem-solving attitude works well on a practical level, but fails miserably when we deal with our minds and hearts.
Something else seems to be needed, and this is really how we approach our emotional issues.
Dissociating or disconnecting, consciously or unconsciously, works only temporarily. It makes our psychological symptoms go away for a while, but they might start showing up as physical pain or immune system issues.
Similarly, a problem-solving attitude has a tinge of judgment about it; that something is wrong and needs "fixing". This prevents you from observing that your reactions, in the wake of trauma, are normal.
How to Treat PTSD: Exploring Ways of Treatment for PTSD
Once you neither disconnect, dissociate, go numb nor get too focused on what you suffer from, that energy will be able to move into awareness.
It is the ability to contain deep wounds with awareness that dissolves our emotional suffering. While we learn and expand in awareness, we are re-establishing our boundaries, our resilience and our capacity to contain. Adversity challenges us. It pushes us to learn how to contain and hold more of ourselves, increasing our resilience and ability, and thereby sets us free.
How is treatment for your PTSD going? Leave your comment below.
This article resonated with me. Especially what you say about unresolved emotional trauma affecting the immune system. I have an autoimmune disorder, which my rheumatologist said was caused by PTSD. So part of my healing plan involves addressing the PTSD. So many physical chronic illnesses have a trauma-related cause. You have to treat the cause, not just the effects.
Great to hear it resonated with you. ‘You have to treat the cause, not just the effects’ – amen to that!