Natural PTSD Treatment

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a lasting consequence of traumatic ordeals that cause intense fear, helplessness, or horror and people are treating PTSD naturally. Everyone reacts to traumatic events differently and people are unique in their ability to manage fear and stress which is why it is important to have a variety of options to treat PTSD.

PTSD is a condition that people develop after they experience a traumatic event. It is estimated that 8% of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. The traumatic events associated with PTSD are combat exposure, childhood abuse, rape, physical attack, being threatened with a weapon, car or plane crash, and witnessing a violent crime or incident. About 30% of the men and women who have spent time in war zones experience PTSD.

Symptoms of PTSD

* Flashbacks which is acting or feeling like the event is happening again

* Nightmares of either of the event or of other frightening things

* Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma

* Difficulty falling or staying asleep

* Irritability or outbursts of anger

* Difficulty concentrating

* Hypervigilance and feeling jumpy and easily startled

* Anger and irritability

* Guilt, shame, or self-blame

* Depression and hopelessness

* Suicidal thoughts and feelings

* Headaches, stomach problems, chest pain

Natural Ways of PTSD Treatment

It is strongly suggested that people who experience PTSD symptoms avoid stimulants, such as caffeine from chocolate, coffee, black tea, colas as well as alcohol. Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels helps stabilize moods. People will need to smaller and frequent meals and try to avoid processed, refined, and simple sugars.

Nutritional Supplements, Vitamins, and Herbs

* GABA is an amino acid that is known to play a role in the physiology of anxiety.

*  Amino acids like GABA help very well however,  Taurine, Theanine, Glycine, Glutamine, and 5-hydroxy Tryptophan;(5HTP) work very well.

* B-complex helps reduce anxiety associated with PTSD.

* Kava is an herb that is used widely for nervous anxiety, tension, agitation, and insomnia. Kava works in a similar way to prescription benzodiazepine drugs such as Xanax and Valium.

* Omega-3 fatty acids, can nourish brain cells and reduce inflammation that increase the stress hormone levels. Also helps aid in depression. 

* Valerian is an herbal tranquilizer that is best known as a remedy for insomnia. It calms the nervous system, balances mood swings, and is not habit forming.

* Other calming herbs that are frequently recommended for anxiety include chamomile, hops, lemon balm, passion flower, skullcap, and suma.

* Homeopathy remedies have been shown to have a profound effect on children and adults suffering from PTSD.  Stramonium is effective for nightmares and night terrors, and Staphysagria helps children and adults deal with nightmares after violence. 

Other Alternative PTSD Therapies

* Physical activity such as exercise is perhaps the safest and most effective method of managing stress.

* Biofeedback – Where a person is attached to an EEG machine and, by listening to the kind and amount of brain waves produced, learns to change them in ways that ultimately affect both behavior and feelings.

* Aromatherapy – Essential oils that are used for PTSD can include; bergamot, cypress, geranium, jasmine, lavender, melissa, neroli, rose, sandalwood, ylang-ylang.

* Bodywork – Massage therapy, shiatsu, and other forms of bodywork can relax muscle tension, relieve stress, and improve sleep.

* EFT (emotional freedom techniques) or “tapping” operates on the premise that all negative emotions are a disruption in the body’s energy system and can work well with PTSD.

* Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which requires one to make several sets of side-to-side eye movements while recalling a traumatic incident, seems to help reduce PTSD symptoms.

* Stress-Reduction Techniques – Mind/body breathing exercises, physical exercise, yoga, tai chi, self-hypnosis, massage, meditation, guided imagery, and biofeedback are just some of the stress reduction techniques also used for relieving anxiety.

People who suffer from PTSD have a wide variety of healthy alternative besides harmful medications to deal with this disorder and can begin to see the effects of this disorder dissipate. 

Medical Conditions Not Depression

Most doctors who treat patients suffering from depression use conventional medicines to treat the symptoms which we now know only work about 50% of the time. In today’s world and modern medicine, doctors are quick to diagnose depression, and then medicate.

The use of pharmaceuticals to address depressions and to stabilize moods can lead to significant side effects, and many patients find themselves having to choose between living with these unpleasant effects or discontinuing medications. Others find that despite the exhaustive switching back and forth process involving different combinations of drugs, their depression continues to present major problems for them and are turning to alternative methods to treat their depression.

Alternative methods include treating the body as a whole and looking for the alternate explanations for what psychiatrists may have labeled depression. For example, food allergies may cause severe mood swings, depression and insomnia in some people, and untreated endocrine problems are widely recognized as causing depression Some other causes of depression that could be caused by health reasons includes;

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Lack of exercise

• Hypothyroidism

• Hyperthyroidism

• Poor adrenal function

• Other hormonal disorders

• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

• Hyrperglycemia (high blood sugar)

• Food Allergies

• Heavy metals (such as mercury, lead, aluminum, cadmium, and thallium)

• Premenstrual syndrome

• Sleep disturbances

• Infections

• Influenza

• Menopause

• Certain medications

• Somatic disorders

• Chronic pain

• Heart disease

With so many health factors that can cause depression, people experiencing depression should first consider having a complete physical exam to eliminate any possible health problems. Unfortunately, in our society, many doctors treat depression with medication before performing a full physical evaluation. Part of the reason for doctor’s quick action for medicating a depressed person is insurance protocol. It is far cheaper to medicate the depressed person rather than spend thousands of dollars running a series of tests and procedures.

If you have been diagnosed with depression, be sure to ask your physician about a complete physical, Which includes blood work for a variety of ailments. As a patient, you have the right to a complete physical. Many holistic practitioners now perform a series of tests that can help diagnose food allergies, nutritional deficiencies and a variety of other health related issues that can contribute to depression. 

Is It Gossip or Venting?

I had several people ask me question from my last post. They were wondering what the difference is between gossiping and venting. Basically gossip serves no purpose other than to cause harm. We all have been guilty of gossip. Everyone has done it. Bottom line is words have wonderful power and gossip is a misuse of that power.

I believe that when we make a choice to gossip we are coming from our ego selves. More than likely it is because we are doing it to judge or at least get a reaction. We gossip to make us feel good or to try to turn others against someone. We want people to see someone the way we see them. We try to change people’s minds with gossip and hope they judge others.

Is there a difference between gossiping and venting? Of course there is. I enjoy a good vent. I trust a closed mouth friend, let them know I am venting and I say, “This is not to gossip, I need to talk and perhaps get some direction or feedback.” I try to talk without disrupting the other person’s reputation. I do not put the person down, and on most occasions, I tell the other person I talked about them to other person for insight or just needed to vent. Most spiritual people get it and thank me for telling them.

How do I know if it is venting or gossiping? The first thing I do is look at the person who is talking to me. Is this a pattern? Are they cutting someone down with intent or are they showing concern?  I then try to listen for the focus of the conversation if any of it involves “putting the person down” they are not venting, they are gossiping.

It may be confusing, try to remember that venting is talking about someone with the sincere hopes a finding positive solution while gossiping focus on the other person with intent to cause a negative reaction about the person.

Another question I get asked often is why do people gossip. The answer is simple. Gossip is weapons of mass distraction. People who need to gossip and say things about another person are not walking a spiritual path and are frightened to look at their own selves. These people often tend to have a public outlook that they are healthy and kind and loving, however, deep inside, they are afraid to look at their own self because they are frightened as to what they may find. People who gossip really need to make others look bad so they look good.

It is okay to vent. Share with a closed mouth friend what frustrates you and look for a positive solution. Friendship should be treated with respect and wanting to find positive solutions show you what kind of friend you really are. If someone does gossip about you, tried to tell others that you are such and such way in hopes others will side with you, that is gossip and time to get some counseling and try to connect with yourself and your self-esteem.

If you are in the path of someone who gossips, remember, your friendship circle more than likely has positive people in it and most your friends will not judge you and might even suggest to the gossiper to spend time looking at their own needs rather than others. Most important, do not let gossip anger you. Send the person gossiping lots of energy love and light because they lack it in their life. Perhaps through your actions, you might be able to help the person redirect their need to use hate and anger towards others. Make sure people know there is no room in your heart for gossip but plenty room for venting.

How To Deal With People Who Cause Harm

I see it all too much in my private practice where clients are upset because people are trying with intent to cause harm. I too, have been a person that has been affected by people who try to cause you harm. I am always amazed that people really try to create harm with intent. My clients often ask, why do people cause harm with intent and what we can do to not let it affect us?

Great question! So why would people cause harm with intent? The first thought is these are emotionally insecure people. These type of people have low levels of self-esteem and self-confidence and consequently feels insecure. In order to counter these feelings of insecurity they create situations in hopes to alleviate feelings of  inadequacy.

 Another reason is there could be a personality disorder which often create chaos and drama and the person creating it gets some sort of reward for it. They may need people to side with them so they can somehow feel a sense of security at the risk of harming others. Importantly, people who try to cause harm are people who suffer from being loved and lack of love for themselves. Truth is, they could just be bullies.

I cannot help but think, the biggest reasons people try to create harm with intent is their lack of spiritual self. To create harm with the pure intent of creating harm, really shows that there is no sense of spiritual self. The spiritual path is one of inner self-discovery. Its total focus is based upon one’s personal process of self-discovery and the search for greater meaning. The only requirement for spirituality is a willingness to commit oneself to total self-honesty and personal responsibility. People who cause harm with intent are people who are unable to take responsibility for their actions.

The question remains, how do we deal with people who cause harm with intent? Try to resist the urge to be defensive. This is what they want. They want to know they created harm and want you and others to become defensive. The solution would be just not to feel defensive. This alone defeats their harmful intent.

Try to count on your intuition. Our intuition is the GPS to our soul. So listen to what you souls GPS is saying. People who try to create a negative situation with intent are trying to create a whirl of emotions for others. Let your intuition guide you away from the situation and bless these people. They are showing their colors, which is often frightened and unaware of self-love rather they self-loath.

Do not to take it personally. These people are wanting to cause harm. It is their battle, and their inability to walk a path of peace. It has nothing to do with you. If others cannot love and accept you for who you are, send them love. They clearly are lacking that for themselves. Offer them kindness.

Finally, I have to say bless them. You may be angry, hurt, however, use this as an opportunity for spiritual growth. These people are in your life to teach you wonderful lessons. I once had a professor say, “Have no enemies, just allies.” Hold them close and realize these people are suffering. The real test is not what they do, it is what you do so walk the path of peace and move ahead of such people and be the peace.