PTSD

It's no secret that individuals who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prone to living with intense symptoms of anxiety. I am no exception. Throughout my whole life, I just assumed I worried too much and I was insane. Prior to my PTSD diagnosis, I had no idea that I was struggling with a mental illness. I truly believed that I was the only person in the entire world that could not make it through one day without crippling anxiety and irrational fears. As my symptoms of PTSD increased, the only way I knew how to mitigate them was through the unhealthy method of self-medicating. I began coping with drugs and alcohol, unhealthy relationships, and utter avoidance. Over time, my unhealthy coping skills got the best of me and it wasn't long before I was exasperating the symptoms of my PTSD. My addiction affected my mental health in all the worst ways by inflaming the symptoms of my anxiety and PTSD. Once I was finally properly diagnosed and educated on post-traumatic stress disorder and I began to seek therapy, I learned that there are a number of healthy ways of coping with the symptoms of this mental health disorder. Here are a few of the coping skills I have learned in my recovery.

Mindfulness Meditation

Prior to properly diagnosing and treating my PTSD, I often heard many people talk about mindfulness meditation and to be honest, I thought it was a scam. After all, how can anyone master the art of sitting completely motionless, in the lotus position, without fleeting thoughts, and successfully meditate while experiencing extreme anxiety? My contempt, prior to investigation, kept me from practicing this life-saving coping skill for far too long. Mindfulness is not a spiritual ritual in which perfection is expected. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being in touch with and aware of the present moment—no matter what that looks like. In the midst of anxiety, we get stuck in our heads and caught up in the stress of daily life. This exercise has revolutionized my life, by helping me focus on where my feet are and let go of the future and all of the things I cannot control. Being aware and connected to the present moment relieves my stresses and cultivates peace.

Self-Monitoring and Awareness

For as long as I can remember, I have tried every method to avoid looking inward at myself or the pain I've experienced. Self-monitoring and self-awareness were not a part of my routine, ever. However, after experiencing enough pain, I realized that I was the common denominator and it was worth looking at myself. Self-monitoring is a helpful way of bringing awareness to symptoms of our anxiety and behaviors that may be contributing to our stressful feelings. We are all "creatures of habit." Most of us go through the day without thinking and we are often unaware of many things going on around us. For a long time, that was a useful tool for me—until it wasn't. Lack of awareness eventually made me feel like my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors were completely unpredictable and unmanageable. As expected, this created a total internal chaos. Once I began writing down and addressing the uncomfortable symptoms of my PTSD, I was able to begin practicing skills to mitigate my anxiety.

Expressive Writing

Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved to find myself drifting away in the plot of a book or casually journaling down my innermost thoughts. Although I was still seeking to avoid painful feelings, I was actually processing them in a healthy way. I would spend hours purging my darkest, most painful feelings. As my PTSD worsened, I began to drift away from my passion for writing. Subsequently, I began to run further away from processing what I was actually going through. Expressive writing has been proven to enhance physical and psychological health. In regards to PTSD specifically, writing improves coping, encourages post-traumatic growth, and reduce PTSD symptoms, tension, and anger. I am super passionate about expressive writing today. I have come to find that sharing my experiences with others has given a purpose to my pain.

Today, I still deal struggle with my PTSD sometimes. However, I no longer have to self-medicate to find relief. I implement these simple coping mechanisms and healthy habits to help myself slow down and breathe a little easier. Through therapy, education, and treatment, I have learned that there is no overnight cure for PTSD. This mental health disorder can be absolutely mitigated through seeking help and proper diagnosis. I am so grateful for the life I live today and the tools I've acquired to deal with the looming symptoms of PTSD. If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD, seek help—it's never too late.