Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is characterized by the inability of an individual to forget past traumatic events. The individual suffering from this disorder continues to get flashbacks or nightmares of a terrifying experience after months or years it happened.

Some of the experiences that can lead to PTSD include war, domestic violence, sexual abuse, examination failure, loss (death) of someone close, and so on. The person who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is susceptible to some triggers that bring back the remembrance of a traumatic event. Some PTSD triggers include thoughts, sounds, smells, and sights that can bring back terrifying memories to the victim. These triggers come with flashbacks of the event, and the patient’s response is usually visible as a disproportionate emotional reaction is typically elicited.

The overall effects of PTSD can be detrimental to the wellbeing of the patient, so some medications can be prescribed to manage this disorder. However, these medications come with their side effects. Therefore, many medical professionals advocate a natural approach to managing PTSD.

Fortunately, some lifestyle changes and physical therapies are effective treatments for PTSD. Below are effective natural ways to help someone recover from Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.

5 Effective and Natural Treatments for PTSD

1. Massage

Massage helps to relax the muscles and tissues of the body. A massage session can help loosen tightened trigger points in a patient’s muscle and tissue. This helps those who have severe PTSD to remain calm during panic attacks. A good massage session helps reduce susceptibility to stress, anxiety, and depression.

2. Yoga

Practicing Yoga helps enhance the connection between the mind and the body. For this reason, Yoga is used to treat a variety of diseases and has proven to be one of the effective treatments for PTSD. Since Yoga can be done individually, it helps the patient create a sense of safety from which they can draw support.

3. Graded Behavioral Response Therapy

Graded Behavioral Response therapy is a form of PTSD treatment in which the patient is gradually exposed to the causative event to control the fear at each point. It works by slowly revealing the victim to the traumatic experience, but consciously trying to disassemble the heightened emotions and feelings attached to it. Graded Behavioral Response Therapy helps to get an appropriate response to the trigger over time. Exposure to the event begins from mild to stronger happenings of the situation, until the patient regains emotional control.

4. Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)

Stress Inoculation Training is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that therapists use to identify and change negative thoughts that influence a patient’s behavior. It prepares patients to quickly go on the defensive when they are exposed to a semblance of the traumatic experience. SIT has proven to be one of the effective treatments of PTSD over the years.

5. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a very effective treatment for PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, phobias, and several other psychological and medical illnesses. It is a psychotherapy that has proven to offer its lasting benefits faster than other psychotherapy treatments. EMDR works by letting the patient reimagine the events for proper processing. Reimagining entails the patient having a series of flashbacks to the causative event, which could be a rape ordeal, domestic violence, or some others. EMDR helps reduce the emotional attachment to the event by recounting the day’s happening from a pleasant angle with the help of a therapist to lessen the effect of the trauma.

Intensive Therapy Retreats in Massachusetts are firm believers in the lasting benefits of EMDR, and they use it to treat all sorts of psychological disorders. The method is different from other psychological treatments for many reasons. It is faster (within days), doesn’t require the patient to recount or share extensively unwanted memories, suitable for children as it only requires the ability to remember and process the event, and no assignments to complete between sessions.

In conclusion, PTSD can be a drawback on the way a person interacts and maintain social relations. The effects can be long-lasting without appropriate treatment, leading to a life of depression and anxiety. Embracing one of the procedures mentioned above can help you get your life back. It is also important you seek help from experts that have helped many people overcome issues like this. You can contact us at Intensive Therapy Retreats; we will be happy to help.

Joyce Laroche