Who Suffers from PTSD?
Survivors from war or violent attacks such as rape, car or plane accidents, natural disasters, suicide, or murder are all likely to suffer from PTSD.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
PTSD is an emotional and psychological reaction to trauma (a painful, shocking experience). PTSD is defined by its symptoms.

Symptoms include the following:

Intrusion, avoidance, arousal
• Somatic problems that are caused by traumatic experiences
• Re-experiencing the trauma
• Having memories or flashbacks
• Reliving the trauma in your mind
• Having recurring nightmares
• Emotional Numbing
• Depression, sadness, loneliness
• A lack of interest in those things that brought you happiness before the event
• Feeling guilty about surviving when others did not survive
• Increased Irritability
• Insomnia
• Jumpiness, it is hard to relax after a traumatic event, and you may feel like you constantly need to be on guard.

PTSD will be diagnosed if symptoms last more than one month. Symptoms can cause conflicts with people, abuse of alcohol or other drugs, and isolation.

Trauma can have a lasting effect.
Many survivors feel their lives have changed dramatically. A once normal world has now turned into an unpredictable and dangerous one. As a result a person suffering from PTSD will try to cope on his/her own. The most common coping method is to turn to alcohol or drugs. In reality, these methods will make coping with PTSD more difficult. Alcohol is not the only "unhealthy" way to cope; often time people will try to find solace in sex, relationships, gambling, spending money or eating/not eating. In order to steer clear from these forms of coping, it is extremely important to find a psychologist or counselor to help you. Support groups can also be helpful. Groups have been rated #1 by many professionals in helping survivor recover from PTSD.


Recovery Takes Time and usually happens in stages.
The stages are as follows:

• FEAR & SADNESS survivors often fear for their life and lose trust in themselves, the people around them and in the world.
• DENIAL Some may deny that they are effected by what happened to them, or may deny that it happened at all.
• WORKING THROUGH FEARS Survivors can learn to recognize their fears and anxieties and how to overcome them.
• GROWTH Most survivors accept changes in their lives, and feel stronger than ever before!

Tips in overcoming PTSD:

• Individual Therapy can help a survivor resolve problems with a psychologist or other mental health specialist.
• Family Therapy can work toward recovery by the family working together
• Vent your feelings about the experience instead of keeping them bottled up
• Relax and do something that you enjoy every day
• If possible, avoid major sources of stress
• Eat Right, emotional stress puts extra demands on your health, so eat a balanced diet
• Stay Involved with people
• Do thing for others
• Exercise
• Develop inner peace by joining or returning to a religious group
• Rely on family & friends
• Those that have been a victim of rape, incest, or torture have feelings of shame and guilt
• Talking about your feelings with friends, family, and professionals can be very effective in overcoming PTSD

Tips for family and friends of someone who has PTSD

• Be sympathetic: When the survivor needs to talk, listen, and be honest about your own feelings, too.
• Be supportive: Encourage the survivor to get help. Continue to give love and support even if he/she tries to push you away.
• Help with everyday chores

Tips for Anxiety Attacks

• Breath: Take deep breaths slowly in and out.
• Self Talk: Tell yourself you are having an anxiety attack, it is feelings only.
• Body Scan: Start at your toes, slowly examine all of your muscles, working upward, relaxing them.
• Cool Air: Open the windows of your car or turn on the air conditioning.

Tips for Depression

• Thought Intervention: realize you are depressed, change your thoughts
• Visualization: Develop a safe spot that you can mentally travel to and stay there
• Self-Talk: Talk positively to yourself
• Make A.M. Plans: Plan something in the morning so someone will be expecting you and you will have to get out of bed.

Resources

Web Resources:
http://pw1.netcom.com/~jpmouk/ptsd.htm
http://www.dartmouth.edu/dms/ptsd
Internet PTSD Support Newsgroup - www.alt.support.trauma-ptsd
CODA email support group - www.home.golden.net/~soul/coda.html
Incest & Sexual trauma Survivors - V.O.I.C.E.S - www.voices-action.org/index.htm

Books:
I Can't Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors (2nd Edition) By: Aphrodite Matsakis
Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society By: Van der Kok et al