Having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a lonely and daunting experience for many of us. Often triggered by memories that suddenly resurface, these incidents lead to an intense emotional response for many.
You can experience traumatic stress after a tragedy like COVID-19 or you may be dealing with childhood anxiety trauma symptoms. Regardless of what causes it, we respond to it differently depending on who we are and how we have learnt to deal with things (or not).
Irrespective of where your traumatic stress may be coming from, it is essential to know how to deal with trauma healthily to heal and move on in life.
In this article, we will explore practical strategies to help you overcome your trauma and find healthy ways to deal with PTSD.
Are you ready to embrace strategies that lay the foundation for your healing and growth?
1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
The first thing one has to do when dealing with unresolved trauma is acknowledge the feelings you are wrestling with. As hard as it may sound, these are the most efficient ways of overcoming your trauma.
If you are someone who suppresses your emotions or ignores your feelings; then you will end up feeling overwhelmed at some point. Whether you’re feeling annoyed, guilty, shocked or confused with your state of affairs, you must allow yourself to feel these emotions without being judgemental.
If you find yourself overwhelmed with your emotions, you can reach out to an online hypnotherapist who can help you explore and process intense feelings and emotions with ease. Such professional help can pave the way for you to process traumatic memories in a safe and controlled environment, leadig you to understand yourself better.
It takes time to heal from trauma, so don’t expect to get better right away. Moreover, it’s acceptable to be experiencing strong or volatile feelings. Don’t pressure yourself to return to your previous state of affairs.
Rather, exercise patience and allow ample time for your recovery as you pay attention to your body’s cues and its response.
2. Regain Focus Through Holistic Practices
For many of us who struggle with overcoming trauma, losing focus and feeling overwhelmed is normal. To help you regain control and focus on your present, it is essential to undertake holistic practices.
With the help of holistic therapy practices, you can undertake a comprehensive approach towards regaining your focus and mental clarity. Such practices are well-integrated with your body, mind and spirit, providing you with the ability to take a step back and process things.
Techniques such as meditation, yoga and following a proper nutrition regime can help in addressing underlying stressors and imbalances that might lead to irregular periods of focus.
For instance, meditation and mindfulness promote awareness about being present in the moment whereas yoga enhances mental focus and control by combining breathing techniques with physical postures.
By using these techniques, holistic treatment helps people get rid of mental clutter and regain their focus and engagement with the job at hand.
3. Make Self-Care A Priority
When you’re dealing with trauma, it’s easy to forget about your essential needs. Poor eating habits or lack of sleep can exacerbate the symptoms of traumatic stress disorder. However, when you love yourself enough to prioritise self-care, then it will be possible for you to heal.
Taking care of oneself contributes significantly towards maintaining a healthy mind-body connection. This for example includes many individuals suffering from insomnia after going through traumatic events.
In that case, having good sleep hygiene helps in both: sleeping well and mental health being closely related to each other.
Furthermore, exercise can also improve your mood and provide you with a restful night’s sleep. The moral of the story is : if you’re trying to learn how to deal with trauma, don’t ignore your health.
4. Build A Supportive Community
Although it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and withdrawn after a traumatic event, your social connections can actually make you stronger. Indeed, various researches have shown that social backing can reduce cortisol levels in the body during times of anxiety or stress.
Supportive communities can exist as support groups, online chat rooms or rekindling relationships with friends and family, helping you feel more like yourself.
Talking to others who have had similar experiences may provide you with different viewpoints and make you feel like you are not alone. Meanwhile, these communities form a part of the recovery process by providing support and encouragement.
5. Try Aromatherapy
When it comes to aromatherapy, wellness and health are the main benefits of this technique using natural plant extracts. Psychological symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be reduced with essential oils as indicated by research.
The aroma of essential oils is hypothesised to stimulate particular receptor sites in the brain, leading to an immediate calmness and relaxation response.
People who suffer from PTSD can use aromatherapy as a remedy for their condition’s effects such as insomnia, depressive disorders and anxiety issues. To illustrate, lavender oil has calming properties that soothe your nervous system as well as enhance sleep quality.
Including essential oils in your everyday life will help you create a soothing atmosphere which helps in recovery and fosters psychological toughness.
To Sum It Up
PTSD is often an overwhelming condition that requires a unique approach that works for you and your needs. From aromatherapy grounding techniques to online hypnotherapy, there is a path to healing that works for you.
By exploring different approaches, you can find the best ways to manage your symptoms, regroup and regain control of your life. Remember, trauma can be healed.
With patience and persistence, resilience and peace can be found!
