RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

Many of the symptoms of PTSD include anxiety, stress, depression, anger, inability to sleep and even low energy. One of the things that is so great about holistic health is that it addresses the whole person and uses a variety of CAM modules that can be used together or alone. For example, relaxation techniques like yoga, mindfullness/meditation, or deep breathing can be used with aromatherapy to address issues with sleep, depression, and/or anxiety and stress. It is important to understand that alternative therapies are not a substitute for a mental health counselor as a councelor as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been proven to be beneficial for those with PTSD.

Mindfullness Therapies for PTSD

Studies show that mindfullness-based exposure therapy improves PTSD symptoms. These mindfullness-based thereapies include meditation and breathing exercises. The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) gives a good breakdown of how to use meditation in the treatment of PTSD. 1. Create a safe place to meditate. 2. Focus on slow-deep breathing and clear away the mind of unwanted thoughts. 3. Consider art therapy as a way to meditate. More detail can be found on ACHS’ blog posted listed below. Please take the time to read it as it is very informative.

Other Relaxation Techniques

Yoga can be beneficial for PTSD as yoga focuses on breath and mindfulness while improving flexibility. Yoga helps to improve sleep and reduce stress and anxiety by calming the mind and relaxing the body. Tai Chi is another form of relaxation used to treat anxiety, stress, and depression. According to a study by Boston University Medical Center Tai Chi helped patients with PTSD feel engaged, helpful in the management of PTSD symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, concentration difficulties, and physiological arousal with 100 percent of the participants indicating that they would like to continue participating in future Tai Chi programs (Niles, Mori, Polizzi, Kaiser, Ledoux, & Wang, 2016). The fact that 100 percent of the participants indicated that they would like to participate in future Tai Chi programs is a huge plus in that it is often difficult for those with PTSD to continue with therapy programs.

How to Practice Deep Breathing – U.S. Department to Veteran Affairs

1. Sit comfortably or lie down.
2. Place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest.
3. Breathe in slowly through your nose.
4. Feel your stomach expand as you inhale. If you are breathing from the stomach, the hand on your chest shouldn’t move.
5. Focus on filling up your lower lungs with air.
6. Slowly exhale, releasing all the air out through your mouth.
7. Use your hand to feel your stomach fall as you exhale.
8. Practice breathing four to six breaths per minute (about one full inhale and exhale per 10-15 seconds). 
9. Repeat this up to 10 times.

Resources

Mindfulness Meditation & PTSD: https://info.achs.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-ptsd

Yoga for PTSD: New Research Points to Potential Benefits: https://www.yogauonline.com/yoga-for-depression-and-anxiety/yoga-for-ptsd-new-research-points-potential-benefits

References

King. A., Block, S., Sripada R., Rauch, S., Giardino, N., Favorite, T., Angstadt, M… Liberzon, I. (2016). Altered default mode network (DMN) resting state functional coggnitivity following a mindfulness-based exposer therapy for Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combat veterans of afghanistan and iraq. Depression and Anxiety, 33(4)289-299. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22481

Niles, B., Mori, D., Polizzi, C., Kaiser, A., Ledoux, A., & Wang, C. (2016). Feasibility, qualitative findings and satisfaction of a brief Tai Chi mind–body programme for veterans with post-traumatic stress symptoms. BMJ Open, 6(11).  doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012464

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. (2015). Relaxation exercise: Deep breathing. Retrieve from https://www.va.gov/vetsinworkplace/docs/em_eap_exercise_breathing.asp