Living and Coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Having had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder nearly all of my life, I fully understand the pain and frustration of having to live with the unexpected ways that it shows itself. My learned ways to cope with it include keeping a diary, using affirmations, positive self-talk and other helpful techniques. There are many treatment options available for anyone who is troubled by PTSD. Each case is unique, so make sure to work with a therapist that you trust to see what healing methods are best for you. Here are some of my thoughts on the condition, after years of working to control it.

Work to identify when PTSD is affecting you

By understanding how PTSD manifests, you can learn to recognise it whenever an episode crops up. Knowing what is going on is the first step to getting through the situation. Do you wake up in the middle of the night with a bad dream? Are you hypervigilant about everything? Do you overreact to situations that don't bother others at all? There are many ways to experience PTSD. It's easy to think we're going crazy inside, but we aren't. Our reactions tell us that something is upsetting, and put our bodies into extreme, self-protection "overdrive" mode. Ask yourself, what situation is bothering you? Why does it make you feel uncomfortable? Identify your triggers.

When training for a promotion at my company headquarters, I found myself feeling freaked out during class at times. A friend of mine who knows psychology told me, "Your PTSD is causing you to stress." He was right. It was a relief to know that I wasn't going crazy. I was very uptight due to being out of my normal comfort zone. My body was tense, and I felt very on edge whenever making mistakes. Even if mistakes are part of learning, my inner thoughts about my work were unforgiving, and harsh. With the knowledge that it was my body being over-reactive, I then was able to cope with it and work through my stress.

Remove emotion and calm your mind

When emotion overwhelms you, stop and think about what is happening. It takes practise to recognise when PTSD is flaring up. For me, it's a feeling of momentary panic at high stress situations like taking a test or training for a new job. When out of my comfort zone, all heck can break loose inside me. To combat this, I've learned to notice the reaction, then think of a rational response to my irrational or troublesome thoughts. Instead of thinking "I can't pass this test," the new thought is, "I will give it my best shot, and if I don't pass, I'll just take it again." This is still hard for me to do but it gets easier with practise. When I am able to calm the negativity and looking at the issue for what it is without judgment, my emotions are more manageable.

Don't beat yourself up for having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Having PTSD is due to witnessing violent and disturbing situations. The best way to deal with its symptoms is to learn as much as possible about the condition and help yourself by working through it with a qualified therapist. He or she can help you explore ways to cope with unpleasant symptoms like night sweats, flashbacks of violent events and others using cognitive therapy, for example. An excellent resource on PTSD is The National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at:

http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_lay_assess.html

When life is going well, it can show itself whenever stress or a peace-threatening event crops up. Be gentle and understanding with yourself when this happens. You never asked for this condition, and there are things that can be done to help yourself through each and every uncomfortable episode. With time, help and a positive outlook, you will get through it. If I can do it, so will you.