*Disclaimer: This article is based on personal experiences and should not be considered as medical or psychological advice.*
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a serious mental health issue and many people fight with it on a daily basis, while not everyone deals with it successfully. Some people take the proper medication or they know how to cope with it. And for those who don’t know how to, it can prove to be one of the most difficult things in the world.
In most cases, if a person has been in a road accident and that is the reason for their PTSD, then it can be very hard for them to drive or even sit in a car again. Not only can it ruin half of their life experiences, but it may also ruin human relationships. PTSD is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly at all. It is very important to cope with this problem, otherwise, it might prove to be severe in the future.
While many consult doctors and psychiatrists and cure their PTSD with the help of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and medication, some people don’t feel good while doing these things. Other, more natural ways of coping might be beneficial in these cases.
Here are 5 ways that may help you to naturally cope with PTSD:
Meditation
You don’t have to join a yoga class or anything. What you need to do is just get rid of all the distractions, close your eyes, and meditate for 15 to 20 minutes in a day. That’s it! Just think about your good place and imagine yourself being there in peace. Keep doing this for some days and you might just make a habit of it which is not a bad thing. Not only will it make you feel positive, but it also tends to help you cope with stress and anxiety associated with some mental health disorders.
Start Exercising
Exercising daily doesn’t only build your physical strength/fitness, it also works a lot on your mental wellness. Again, you don’t have to join a gym, if you just go for a 30 minutes jog daily, you’ll start to feel that a lot of stress is leaving you. Just keep doing this to improve your physical and mental health. Also, it might help you cope with your PTSD.
Aromatherapy
“Aromatherapy can form part of a healing regime as well as being a preventive therapy in its own right. It gives pleasure through the sense of touch (massage), the sense of smell (aromatic oils), the sense of sight (pleasant surroundings) […] By so doing, it helps to create favorable conditions in body and mind for healing to take place quite naturally.”
-David Kinchin, ‘Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Invisible Injury’
Art Therapy
It might sound silly but indulging yourself in art and craft may actually help you in coping with PTSD and a lot of other mental health disorders. When you distract your mind from the main reason for stress and focus it on something innovative and creative, you might soon notice that you’re not stressing about that thing anymore. Well, isn’t that just great and simple? Yes, it is.
Get A Little Non-Human Friend
I am sure you must have heard a lot of people saying “pets are awesome” and you might just agree with them. Well, not only are they a man’s best friend, they may prove to be a cure for many mental health disorders. Especially for those who have no one in their lives and need a companion.