It’s perfectly normal to experience physical and psychological symptoms after going through a traumatic event. In fact, these symptoms are just a protective mechanism your body exhibits in response to an abnormal or life-threatening event. However, the intense emotions and uncontrollable reactions that still occur despite the threat being removed can cause many people difficulties and unhappiness in their daily lives.
Fortunately, there are several safe and effective options for treating PTSD, including stress management therapy. If you or someone you know is struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event, please don’t hesitate to call Blair Wellness Group to schedule an appointment.
Symptoms of PTSD
When someone experiences a particularly stressful or traumatic event, it’s common for them to exhibit both mental and physical reactions. With PTSD however, these symptoms can appear weeks or months after the event and last indefinitely, even increasing in severity as time passes. The following are some of the most common symptoms, grouped into relevant categories.
Mental and Emotional Changes
Many people who are living with PTSD often experience negative changes in thinking and mood such as feeling detached from family and friends, hopelessness about the future, as well as increased irritability, difficulty concentrating, and paranoia.
Intrusive Thoughts
One of the most common and defining symptoms of PTSD-sufferers is intrusive thoughts. These are recurrent and distressing memories related to the traumatic event. They often manifest in the form of flashbacks and nightmares.
Avoidance
Another common symptom of those with PTSD is avoidance of any reminders of the traumatic event. They include not wanting to talk about what happened, avoiding certain activities, and detaching themselves from the world around them.
Hyperarousal
People who are struggling with PTSD are often in a constant state of increased anxiety. Their mind and body are always on the lookout for danger. This makes them unable to relax and they are easily startled, have difficulty sleeping, and can inhibit aggressive behavior without provocation.
How Stress Management Therapy Works
Stress reactions are protective mechanisms designed to evade or overcome a threat. They are normal responses to life-threatening situations that have helped humans survive when faced with imminent danger. For those who have experienced something traumatic, this adaptive reaction can work a little too well, keeping their brains on guard and at high alert, long after the threat has passed.
The key to stress management therapy in being able to “turn off” the overactive response is in its ability to reset how your brain reacts both in and out of distressing situations. Stress management therapy works by first allowing you to recognize and deal with the triggers that are signaling your body to react. Although it may sound counterintuitive, the acknowledgment of stress, rather than the avoidance of it, is beneficial for reducing stress reactions that occur.
The second step in stress management therapy is to learn how to think and react in times of increased stress. It can be difficult to think about anything other than your fear, how hopeless things seem or how you may never feel “normal” again. However, by learning to change your thinking and instead focusing on the meaningful and positive things in your life, you can stop feeling like a victim of your emotions and start controlling them.
Contact Blair Wellness Group For Stress Management Therapy
If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD, it may seem like things will never be the same. Get the help you need to overcome your symptoms and regain control of your life once again with stress management therapy. Call Blair Wellness Group at 310-999-4996 to schedule an appointment.
