When you have PTSD, it can take over your life at times, especially if you haven’t gone to treatment for it yet. Getting help from a trained mental health professional for support makes such a big difference in your care!
For me, having a good therapist and being able to do EMDR made all the difference. So does taking daily medications. It allows me to function in a normal way most of the time, unless something happens that is particularly triggering.
If you have PTSD, alternative healing practices like Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga can help you to feel better because they help you achieve a lower baseline of stress.
When You Have PTSD Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga can help.
These are all Buddhist practices that I use in my own life which help me a great deal with coping. Also, their usefulness has been validated by scientific studies.
Also, if you have PTSD and you are unable to work, there is still help out there for you! In many instances in the US, you will be able to get on disability for your PTSD. Here are some tips:
In the US You can get Disability for PTSD
The main criteria is that you have to be unable to work, so if you are working and making a life for yourself, then you wouldn’t qualify. I was in that situation myself a few years back. Here are some tips to help if you need disability.
It may feel disappointing but,
Healing Your Mental Health is a Lifetime Journey
This is something that many of us struggle with. A diagnosis means that your life has been changed by events beyond our control. This can be difficult to accept. But when you have PTSD, your brain function has been changed by trauma, and it doesn’t function in a normal way anymore.
We need to take care of ourselves in a kind and gentle way so that we can heal and move forward.
It is possible to have a life that doesn’t revolve around your trauma. I have gotten there, and you can too! I know that it is still always possible for me to have another panic attack, but I do the best I can to prepare for them, and to live a lifestyle that is less stressful, so they are less likely to occur.
There are things you can do to heal your mental health, and to protect yourself from triggering situations. You can also lower your stress level so you are triggered less easily. All of these things can help you long term.
I hope that you are able to get the help you need for your PTSD so that you can go from being a survivor to a warrior too!
All the best,
Nicole Dake