In my blog written earlier this week we got an understanding of causes and triggers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is defined as the development of certain symptoms following a mentally stressful event that involved actual death or the threat of death, serious injury, or a threat to oneself or others.
This sometime insidious disorder can also put a person at risk for other mental health conditions such as depression, substance abuse (drug, alcohol, foods) eating disorders or even suicidal thoughts. This happens because PTSD can interrupt a person’s ability to conduct normal daily activities like going to work, managing family responsibilities or other activities.
There is great stress in dealing with the categories of behavior: hyper-anxious state, reliving the event, intrusive memories or bad dreams, and finally avoidance and numbing behaviors to prevent intrusive memories. This can deplete the body of essential nutrients and affect hormone and other chemical reactions in the body.
The stress of dealing with these symptoms can put a person at greater risk for other health conditions such as heart disease, chronic pain, autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid) or musculoskeletal conditions.
All of this information makes it clear that addressing post-traumatic stress disorder with treatment is important for overall health and connection with family, friends and work relationships. The first step to treatment is being seen by your naturopathic physician, family physician or mental health practitioner to evaluated for the right treatment for you.
PTSD is hard to treat on your own. Working with a qualified practitioner can make all the difference in getting back to a normal life.
Diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms found the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association.
Examples of treatments may include a combination of conventional and alternative or natural treatments. Your physician may prescribe antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-anxiety or prazosin. These drugs are used depending on your symptoms of anxiety, nightmares, depressions, sleeping problems, or emotional outbursts.
Psychotherapy is an important part of the treatment plan and there are many different methods of psychotherapy that have benefitted people with PTSD like cognitive therapy, exposure therapy or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Other therapies that may included as part of your treatment plan are working with a support group, meditation, yoga, or emotional freedom technique.
My recommendation is to get treatment as soon as possible to re-create a healthy normal life.
Live Vibrantly,
Dr. Dae
Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.com
Dr. Dae's book: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living can be purchased @ www.healthydaes.com
Dr. Dae's Bio:
“Dr. Dae" (pronounced Dr. Day) Daemon Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who treats the whole person using safe and effective combinations of traditional and natural methods to produce optimal health and well-being in the lives of her patients.
Sources:
"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2011.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246
"Post-traumatic stress disorder - PubMed Health." National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923
Reviewed November 10, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith