Individuals who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as “PTSD,” often struggle with extreme anxiety. Extreme anxiety symptoms typically lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, which can negatively impact not only your mental health but also your physical health.
Fortunately, there are a lot of healthy and effective coping mechanisms you can try to help reduce your PTSD and anxiety symptoms.
Social Support
Several research studies have found that having a strong support system can help people overcome the negative effects of PTSD. They mention how being able to talk about your anxieties, stress, and fears and having someone available to talk to can be very helpful to get through your PTSD. Moreover, having someone to talk to with whom you’re comfortable can also fulfill your need for emotional validation.
But, of course, having someone to talk to about your PTSD isn’t as simple as it sounds. For it to be helpful, there are a few factors they must possess. They simply can’t be a random person or group. A support group that a professional leads is the ideal support group you have to look for in order to get the positive results you’re looking for.
Having a professional support group will be able to give you the encouragement, support, and advice you’re going to need.
Mindfulness Techniques
Being mindful means paying attention to and being present in the moment. We get mired in our thoughts and the stress and problems of everyday life far too frequently. You can become more in the moment and less preoccupied with your thoughts by practicing mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness techniques is one of the best ways to healthily cope with PTSD.
However, practice this technique with caution because this type of self-reflection can also bring up negative emotions.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing can play an important role in a person’s stress response, and unfortunately, not everyone breathes properly when put in a stressful situation. When you’re feeling extreme anxiety and PTSD symptoms, make sure that you’re aware of whether or not you’re still breathing properly. If you’re not, try breathing exercises to help calm you down.
Art Therapy
Another healthy way to cope with PTSD is art therapy. This type of therapy will help individuals to externalize their feelings and emotions of stress, anxiety, and any other negative energies through art.
Art is known to be a way of releasing your emotions into the piece you’re doing. So, coping with your PTSD through art can help calm your mind because you begin to release your stress onto the art you’re doing.
Muscle Relaxation
Relaxation techniques can be helpful coping mechanisms for PTSD since they offer a means to lessen tension and anxiety. The goal of muscular relaxation is to alternately tense and relax various muscle groups all over the body.
Writing
Lastly, similar to art therapy, writing down your emotions can be an effective way of coping with PTSD. Writing down your emotions can help individuals process and express their thoughts and feelings, which is a great source of release.
Bottomline
Dealing with PTSD can be difficult, however, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any ways to cope with it healthily.
