Over the last few decades, our society has been subjected to an increase in traumatic events. Extreme weather, mass shootings, and terrorism to name a few. Veterans and first responders are known to have a higher incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, but a study published by the JAMA Network showed an increase in people being diagnosed with PTSD from 3.4% in 2017 to 7.5% in 2020, nearly double the number of people. Currently, college students are the population with the highest incidence of PTSD. Given the state of world relations and climate change, it's difficult to imagine a decrease in traumatic events, which is why it is more important than ever to know how to process traumatic events in a healthy manner.
Talk therapy and techniques such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, also known as EMDR, are proven to be extremely helpful in recovering from PTSD. However, some people need additional tools for support. Below are several things that evidence has shown to be helpful in relieving PTSD symptoms and stress after traumatic events.
1. Acupuncture. Acupuncture is excellent at resetting the nervous system response to stress. Acupuncture can decrease a rapid heart rate, relieve insomnia, and calm the mind. Organizations like Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) establish temporary clinics in areas impacted by natural disasters, civil unrest and economic hardship. I volunteered with AWB after Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy and saw firsthand how much treatments helped those who had lost their homes. Color returned to their faces, they reported sleeping better and many shared they were able to move forward with better focus.
2. Writing. As soon as possible after a traumatic event, write it down. Write down exactly what happened and every detail you remember. Describe what you saw, smelled, heard, tasted and felt. Evidence shows that doing so can provide relief from the stress and possibly decrease the development of PTSD. Use a notebook and a pen rather than a computer since evidence also points towards writing with your hand is more effective than typing.
3. Yoga. Traumatic events can imprint tension patterns in the body, essentially causing your body to physically hold the trauma. Often times these areas of tension can cause problems, but yoga is excellent at releasing this tension and realigning the soft tissue in the body. Additionally, yoga is a practice that includes deep breathing, which is also helpful in relieving the symptoms from trauma. A wonderful book that dives deeper into this topic is The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk.
4. Activity in Nature. Evidence also shows that time in nature can calm the mind, deepen the breath and decrease the heart rate. Heroes on the Water is an organization for veterans that provides opportunities for kayaking and fishing, two outdoor activities that also require a mindfulness practice. Start with an activity that you know you can do rather than challenging yourself too much.
5. Meditation. Sitting still and meditating can be very difficult to do immediately after a traumatic event. Meditation may be best to incorporate once symptoms have settled down a bit. Guided meditations can be a great way to start.
6. Volunteering. This is also very difficult to do immediately after a traumatic event, but once any symptoms after a traumatic event have eased significantly, giving back to others who are experiencing hardships can be incredibly rewarding. Start slow by helping out with an organization that you feel drawn towards.
All of these things are also very helpful to do on a regular basis even if a traumatic event didn't happen. The more self care one practices, the better prepared the body is for when the time comes when a traumatic event needs to be processed.
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