PTSD is a developed mental health disorder as the result of experiencing trauma. The symptoms of this condition are debilitating and sometimes, even life-threatening. It can make a person feel powerless and hopeless, leaving them unable to perform daily tasks and responsibilities. Therefore, it’s important for people living with PTSD to understand that recovery is possible. PTSD recovery involves therapeutic outlets that can help a person to better understand their traumatic experiences and ways in which to cope. Furthermore, there are revolutionary treatments available that allow for symptom relief that can also be used. However, outside of therapy and available treatments, there are some other things that people living with PTSD can do to better control symptoms of trauma. Some of these things are simple, daily steps a person can take to enable the process of trauma recovery even further than therapy and available treatments might.
While in treatment, you may have group therapy resources and the opportunity to meet peers who also struggle with the impacts of trauma. Establishing a community of support can be a great outlet when things get hard. So, reaching out to those that support your trauma recovery can be a great tool to use when you’re feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. Talking to people who have been through therapy and treatment for trauma can provide you with the hope you need to keep going. Furthermore, it can offer you a safe and encouraging outlet to release and process your feelings. Some things you can do to reach out to supportive people can include calling or texting, setting up weekly meetings for lunch or coffee, or going to alumni events or group therapy sessions.
One thing that can help people in recovery from the impacts of trauma is to make and keep to a routine. Having a set schedule to rely on every day will keep you accountable to stay on track with your recovery efforts. This way, you’re less likely to revert back to behaviors that can make the symptoms of PTSD worse. Certainly, things will inevitably come up and you may not be able to stick to every piece of your daily routine. But, creating a routine will help you get back to a set schedule when this happens so you can get back on track as soon as possible. Some helpful tips to establishing a routine include setting an alarm for when you want to start getting ready for bed, scheduling time for self-care activities (like going out in nature or exercising), planning healthy meals, and going to therapy sessions every week.
Nature has a way of healing the mind in ways we don’t even necessarily understand. It can help us take a break from our mental health recovery, our daily routines, and our lives and simply exists. Going out into nature is a great way to enable mindfulness, which is a great tool to use in PTSD recovery. Mindfulness is the ability to remain in the present moment. This can help us to realize our current goals and not worry about the past or future, which is a positive tool to use during recovery and healing. So, try to evoke mindfulness yourself by making time to get out into nature, whether it’s hiking trails, going to nature preserves, kayaking, swimming, or sitting on the beach.
Have you found that a traumatic experience or experiences have negatively impacted your life to the point where you can no longer enjoy the things you love? This may be due to the development of PTSD, a trauma-related mental health disorder. Delray Center for Healing offers outpatient therapies and treatment programs for people living with trauma-related mental health issues. Find out how we can help on our website by viewing our services.
Dr. Rodriguez founded the Delray Center in 2003 and built it on a foundation of core clinical, professional, and ethical principles that are adhered to still to this day. Dr. Rodriguez founded the Delray Center in 2003 and built it on a foundation of core clinical, professional, and ethical principles that are adhered to still to this day.