Holistic Approach to PTSD: Masters Capstone Project American College of Healthcare Sciences

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Hope for PTSD

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

PTSD: The Basics

This post gives an overview of what PTSD is, the mental and physical symptoms, who is at risk, and a brife touch on suicide.

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

Links and Resources

Crisis Hotlines

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or TTY: 1-800-799-4889

Real Warriors Live Chat: Call 1-800-273-8255 or Log On— 24/7 — for Real Warriors Live Chat

Veterans Crisis Line:

Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone.
Send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder.
Start a confidential online chat session at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
Visit MilitaryCrisisLine.net if you are an active duty Service member, Guardsman, or Reservist.
Connect through chat, text, or TTY if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

Therapies

Art Therapy: http://www.arttherapyblog.com/c/ptsd/#.XVzpCS3MxsM

Bravemind Virtual Reality Therapy: http://medvr.ict.usc.edu/projects/bravemind/

Online EMDR therapy – Treating PTSD and Trauma Online and Face-to-face: https://barendspsychology.com/online-emdr-therapy/

Overcome Your PTSD with Online Therapy: https://www.online-therapy.com/ptsd

Online Relaxation Exercises and Techniques

Music Therpy Helps to Relieve PTSD Symptoms: https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/news/research_news/music-010614.cfm

Relaxing Music with Nature Sounds: https://youtu.be/lE6RYpe9IT0

Tai Chi 5 Minutes a Day Module 1 for beginners: https://youtu.be/cEOS2zoyQw4

The Neurology of Music for Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder Treatment: A Theoretical Approach for Social Work Implications: https://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1526&context=msw_papers

Yoga for Complete Beginners: https://youtu.be/v7AYKMP6rOE

Published Research

Orange Essential Oil May Improve Symptoms of PTSD, Say Researchers: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317098.php

Research-Aromatherapy Helps PTSD: http://www.ptsdessentials.com/research.html

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

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

Diet and Nutrition

Diet

We often think of diet as a way of keeping or loosing weight but it is so much more than that. Diet refers to the foods we eat and affects energy levels, moods, stress levels, and ones overall health. We have all heard it but processed foods are not good for our body’s. Not only does it affect out physical health but our mental health too. Processed foods impair the brain and cause mood disorders, such as depression. Process foods disrupt the gastrointestinal tract affecting emotions and disrupting sleep. Harvard Health Publishing posted an excellent article explains how the foods we eat affect our brain, which in turn affects are emotions. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626 Those suffering from PTSD would benefit from cutting out processed foods and eating more wholesome foods such as fresh organic fruits and vegatables. Suggestions can be found under resources below.

Nutrition

Nutrition refers to the vitamins and minerals that we take into our body. Most of the nutrition our body receives should come from the foods we eat. Unfortunately the food we eat today is not the same as the foods our great-grandparents or even our grandparents ate. The fresh vegetables and fruits that we eat today have less nutritional value due to the depletion in nutrients within our soil used to grow them. The lack of vitamins and minerals in our food causes a need for supplements. Lakhan and Vieria address the need for proper nutrition with those with mental disorders. While they do not address PTSD specifically, they do address issues related to PTSD such as major depression. For example, the authors note that the lack of omega-3, vitamin B, and magnesium deficiency have been linked to depression (Lakhan & Vieria, 2008, sec.3). I realize that PTSD is caused by a traumatic event and depression typically is not, depression is still a symptom of PTSD and addressing the depression itself can help ease PTSD.

When it comes to the actual use of supplements there are too many to choose from, but how do you know if they are any good. Many of the supplements are filled with synthetics and/or ingredients that cannot be absorbed by the body. Whole food supplements are more easily absorbed into the body but then again one has to be careful of synthetics and contaminants. Information of specific supplements can be found below under resources.

Resources

dōTERRA Life Long Vitality Supplements in detail [PDF file]: https://media.doterra.com/us/en/brochures/lifelong-vitality.pdf

Whole foods diet can decrease high cortisol levels associated with post-traumatic stress disorder”. https://news.therawfoodworld.com/whole-foods-diet-can-decrease-high-cortisol-levels-associated-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/

Multivitamin review comparison: https://www.multivitaminguide.org

Neuro Nutrition for a Health Brian – PTSD Association of Canada: https://www.ptsdassociation.com/nutritional

Nutrition and Depression:
The Effects of dōTERRA’s Lifelong Vitality Pack on Depression and Anxiety [PDF file]. https://3stepsolutions.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/custom/000660/documents/Essentially_Happy_interior_FINAL2%20(1)-pages-135-163.pdf

The Whole 30: https://whole30.com

Whole 30 recipes: https://whole30.com/category/recipes/

https://news.therawfoodworld.com/whole-foods-diet-can-decrease-high-cortisol-levels-associated-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/

Reference

Lakhan, S., & Vieria, K. (2008). Nutritional therapies for mental disorders. Nutrition Journal, 7(2). doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-7-2

AROMATHERAPY

Aromatherapy has been around and used for thousands of years to treat a variety of illnesses and diseases and for use as perfume. Despite the historical uses of essential oils there is very little scientific studies and clinical trials showing their effectiveness. Often time studies may contradict one another making it difficult to know if something works or not. Some of this may be due to many of the studies not always being done with unadulterated essential oils making it difficult to have consistent results. One of the reasons for the limited number of studies and clinical trial is due to the lack of funding is available to essential oil research. There is no financial gain for studies related to essential oils as they cannot be patented unlike pharmaceutical drugs.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils whether it be topically, internally, inhalation, or in baths. There is a lot of information on the internet today that often time leads to confusion. Aromatherapy is often misunderstood and miss used. When it comes to the use of essential oils education is everything. Essential oils are volatile compounds and are extremely powerful, they are often described as the immune system of the plant from which they come. Pure essential oils are powerful. Many essential oils labeled 100 percent pure are in-fact not. Essential oils only have to contain 10-15 percent pure essential oil to be called 100 percent pure. The rest can be filled with fillers and chemical constituents. It is estimated that 80 percent of essential oils are adulterated in some way. So when I speak about the use of essential oils whether topically, internally, or through inhalation I am not talking about just any brand of essential oils. An independent study of eleven essential oil companies, including the two largest companies in the industry resulted in only three companies coming back with their essential oils containing no adulteration while the other eight companies did not fair so well. (Best essential oil brands based on in-depth review, 2019). Education, purity, and quality is very important when it comes to essential oils.

Essential oils can be used to help reduce anxiety, depression, stress, improve quality of sleep, help one to fall asleep, provide energy, and more. While there seems to be no specific research on the use of essential oils for PTSD specifically, there is research on the use of essential oils for depression, sleep quality, anxiety, and more. A article written in the Military Spouce (2009), Kate Harmon discusses the use of aromatherapy and other forms of holistic health for those suffering with PTSD. Some of the essential oils Kate suggest are Bergamot citrus aurantium var. bergamia, chamomile chamamaelum nobile, lavender Lavandual angustifolia, and a few others.

When seeking the use of essential oils it is important to work with an aromatherapist, naturopath, qualified health and wellness coach, or someone else who is experienced with essential oils and someone you trust as essential oils come with cautions and contraindications depending up how the essential oils are used. For example, the internal and/or topical use of bergamot can cause possible skin cancer when exposed to the sun due to the constituent of bergaptene (Peterson, 2016, pp.81)

Hanna’s Anxiety Diffuser Blend

Frankincense Boswellia sp. : 1 drops Bergamot Citrus aurantium var. bergamia : 2 drops Lavender Lavandula angustifolia : 2 drops Spikenard Nardostachys jatamansi : 1 drop

Place essential oils in a ultra sonic or cool mist diffuser and/or humdipher that is made for essential oils.

Blend created by Bethany Orvis

Resources

American College of Healthcare Sciences Blog: https://info.achs.edu/blog

Aromatherapy Uses and Benefits: https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy

Aromatic Plant Research Company: https://www.facebook.com/AromaticPlantRC/

For a personalized aromatherapy support plan, to learn more about essential oils, or other health and wellness coaching please email Essential Living with Beth at bethany.orvis@achs.edu

References

Best essential oil brands based on in-depth review. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.consumersadvocate.org/essential-oils?fbclid=IwAR24PJdA9EFnb0nUFlpqeEypJKUrg9Up8rIYmQR_0D6Y_UknHD7x521Fl1M

Harmon, K. (2009). Aromatherapy can help PTSD [PDF file]. Military Spouse. Retrieved from https://achs.edu/mediabank/files/aromatherapycanhelpptsd.pdf

Peterson, D. (2016). Aromatherapy materia medica essential oil monographs. Portland, OR: American College of Healthcare Sciences

The Holistic/Integrative Complementary and Alternative Approach to PTSD

Health should not be defined merely as the absence of disease but rather by ones mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and financial health.

The terms holistic, integrative, complementary and alternative can all be confusing and are often used interchangeable. To get a better understanding of these terms it is best to define them.

The holistic approach does not define the individual by parts such as the heart, lungs, etc., but rather takes the view of one as a whole. The holistic approach looks and considered the spiritual, mental, physical, and social health of the individual. For example, if an individual suffers from headaches on a regular bases and his/her doctor cannot find any medical reasonings behind the headaches he/she will often be given medication or the suggestion of ibuprofen will be made. However, the holistic approach would look at the individuals stress levels, social health, possible food intolerances, and more.

The integrative approach is much like the holistic approach in that it addresses the person as a whole: mental, physical, social, etc.. Duke Integrative Medicine describes integrative medicine as “putting the patient at the center and addressing the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health. Treating the patient as an individual and not as a collective taking into consideration the he/she has his/her own unique conditions, needs and circumstances. The integrative approach uses the most appropriate interventions from an array of scientific disciplines to heal illness and disease and help people regain and maintain optimum health” (What is integrative medicine, n.d., para.1).

What is The Principles of Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) envelopes the belife system of holisitc and integrative medicine in that CAM looks and treats the patient as a whole: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.. The term Complementary medicine is alternative medicine used in conjunction with allopathic/conventional medicine such as massage, chiropractic, etc. Alternative medicine means instead of, meaning that the use of herbs and essential oils would be considered alternative if they were used instead of and/or as a replacement for prescription medication.

The benefits of CAM is being able to have a sense of control over your health and find what works for you and what makes you feel better. CAM addresses every aspect of health and in turn this helps to make you feel whole again. The nice thing about CAM is that there is something that will work for you, it is just a matter of finding it and not giving up.

When it comes to the holistic approach to PTSD through CAM it is important to understand and remember that the suggestion and education given here are tools to help you in whatever treatment program you or a loved one may be in. It is important that when alternatives are suggested it is not meant for you to take yourself off of any medication but rather to work with an expert and inform your doctor of what you are doing and/or taking.

Different Types of Therapies

When it comes to CAM use for PTSD there are a number of therapies and alternative medicines that can be used depending on the need. Below is a list of different types of alternative therapies that can be used alone or in conjunction with your treatment plan. Specific issues and uses for the listed therapies will be discussed in the next post.

Aromatherapy/Essential Oils
Herbs
Diet & Nutrition
Exercise
Relaxation techniques
Massage

References Holistic Approach defined. https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/holistic+approach

What is integrative medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dukeintegrativemedicine.org/about/what-is-integrative-medicine/