Hope for PTSD

Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose –

— Michelle Rosenthal

PTSD can affect anyone at anytime, male, female, old, or young. Many link PTSD to veterans only, but PTSD also affects civilians and those who are currently serving today. According to the statistics seven to eight out of 100 adults will have PTSD sometime during his/her lifetime and approximately eight million adults will have PTSD during a given year.

PTSD is often caused by a traumatic that one has experienced and/or witnessed. This event can be sexual abuse, a car accident, etc., but when it comes to PTSD within the military it often times is caused by the stress and experiance of combat. While only a professional can and should diagnose PTSD, there are classic symptoms asocciated with PTSD. 

* Severe anxiety

* Irritability

* Outburst of anger

* Depression

* Loss of appitite

* Difficulty sleeping

* Nightmares

* Change in behavior and/or personality

With PTSD also comes other health concerns such as cardiovascular disease, heart failure, endothelia dysfunction, and an increase risk in suicide.

The standard treatment of care for those with PTSD include counseling, psychotherapies, and anti-depressants. For some individuals these types of therapies work and that is great, but for others they either only get short-term relief, drop-out of treatment early, or have already chosen to seek alternative therapies.

If you have chosen to seek out a more holistic and integrative approach to PTSD then you have come to the right place. There is a whole lot that I do not know and a whole lot that I do. This blog is just in the begining stages so I hope you will join me on this journey and allow me to help you achieve holistic health.

If you or someone you know is experienceing any symptoms of PTSD then please contact your Primary Care Physician (PCP) and/or councelor. If you believe you are in a crisis contact the Military Crisis Line at (800) 273- 8255 *press 1

Resource Links

National Center for PTSD: https://www.ptsd.va.gov

Wounded Warrior Project: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org

References

How common is ptsd in adults?. (n.d.). Understand PTSD, PTSD. PTSD: National center for ptsd. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967

VA national suicide data report 2005-2016 [PDF File]. (2018). Office of mental health and suicide prevention. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/OMHSP_National_Suicide_Data_Report_2005-2016_508.pdf