June is PTSD Awareness Month, a chance to deepen understanding and extend compassion toward those who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD affects a diverse range of folks, not just veterans or survivors of disasters. Understanding PTSD is complex, but this blog will break down the intricacies of finding trauma healing support. This blog will also explore common myths behind PTSD, offer trauma-informed self-care strategies, and share some basic mindfulness and grounding tools for supporting PTSD healing.
Common Misconceptions About PTSD
Since our understanding of PTSD is ever-evolving in the clinical community, it’s understandable that there are many myths about PTSD. This section will walk you through some common misunderstandings so that you can educate not only yourself, but share with others to combat PTSD misinformation.
Myth 1: PTSD only happens to veterans or after extreme events, like disasters.
Truth: PTSD can happen as the result of many types of trauma, including domestic violence, car accidents, emotional or physical abuse, medical trauma, sexual abuse or assault, or even being told you have a life-threatening illness.
Myth 2: If the traumatic event happened a long time ago, you can’t have PTSD.
Truth: Untreated PTSD can linger long after the event and sometimes symptoms surface weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic event occurs.
Myth 3: PTSD is just having flashbacks or nightmares.
Truth: Types of trauma responses vary when you have PTSD. The four symptom clusters of PTSD include intrusive thoughts or flashbacks, avoidance, negative mood and cognitions, and hyper-vigilance or other changes in arousal.
Myth 4: If you didn’t experience the trauma firsthand, you can’t have a PTSD diagnosis.
Truth: Vicarious trauma, secondary trauma, and witnessing traumatic events are valid and common sources of PTSD. In fact, many caregivers, medical workers, first responders, therapists, and even children who grow up in unsafe and chaotic environments experience traumatic events which lead to PTSD symptoms.
Myth 5: Having something traumatic happen to you means that you will automatically develop PTSD.
Truth: PTSD is about how someone perceives and internalizes the traumatic event. This explains how two people can experience the same traumatic event, internalize differently, and one may develop trauma symptoms while the other does not.
Now that you know more of what PTSD really looks like, you can expel these 5 common PTSD myths. If you are diagnosed with PTSD yourself, read on to gather some trauma-informed self-care practices to regulate your nervous system.
Trauma-Informed Self-Care Practices
Trauma-informed self-care is about building safety from a place of gentleness and compassion, not pressure. Trauma-informed self-care centers your voice and choice in deciding what coping strategies and tools are best for your individual needs. When engaging in trauma-informed therapy, self-care practices are centered on regulation of your nervous system.
Here are some everyday strategies to consider adding to your routine:
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- Creating a soft landing routine: To engage in this strategy, use a simple and soothing ritual at the end of your day to help your body recognize it is time to settle. Examples might include dimming lights, playing soft music, or using a calming scent. Trauma-informed self-care means taking control of your transitions during the day and teaching your nervous system the pathway to rest.
- Choosing movement which matches your nervous system needs: To engage in this strategy, you will need to determine whether you are leaning toward either hypo- or hyper- arousal. Hypo-arousal typically comes with symptoms such as feeling spacey, disconnected from others, or numb. Hyper-arousal generally shows up as racing thoughts, restlessness, irritability, or exaggerated startle responses. In hypo-arousal, you might choose movements which are high intensity to raise your blood pressure and heart rate, such as running or HIIT workouts. In hyper-arousal, you might choose movement which forces you to slow down, such as low intensity yoga, gentle swimming, or mindful walking.
- Identifying and asking for co-regulation when you need it. Our nervous systems are wired for relational connection and scanning for safety in relationships. When our nervous system is dysregulated, we can “borrow” another person’s nervous system to regulate our own. Start by asking a trusted person “Can you keep me company while I calm down?” Sometimes you might practice deep breathing next to your trusted person, or ask for physical comfort while you regulate.
Although healing from trauma can feel like a complex task, you can break it down to everyday strategies. Engaging in trauma-informed self-care is self-care for PTSD, a valid form of learning to regulate and tend to your nervous system.
Mindfulness & Grounding Tools for Gentle Healing
Mindfulness and grounding are two essential techniques for practicing somatic healing. Through somatic healing, you can cultivate a better connection between your mind and body.
Why Mindfulness Helps
Mindfulness and trauma recovery go hand in hand. Mindfulness is not about clearing your mind of thoughts, but rather relating to thoughts in a neutral manner. Through mindfulness, you become an observer of your thoughts and emotions with curiosity and gentleness. For people diagnosed with PTSD, mindfulness can be a pathway toward safety and stabilization.
A consideration for those with PTSD: If you decide to engage in mediation to practice mindfulness, you may want to use a grounding stone to prevent dissociative episodes. You may also want to consider lowering your gaze rather than closing your eyes if closing the eyes feels triggering.
Grounding Tools to Try
Grounding strategies are techniques which bring your body and mind back into the present moment. Grounding techniques are helpful during triggering episodes, such as panic attacks or during general anxious discomfort due to PTSD symptoms. Here are some simple grounding strategies to try:
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- 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Technique: Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, etc.
- Weighted blankets or holding an object with texture or hot/cool recognizable temperature.
- Oriented breathing: “I am inhaling safety. I am exhaling fear.”
- Mindful walking: Feel your feet, notice your surroundings, and move with intention. Slow your pace and focus on sensations.
Relational Anchoring
Relational anchoring is a strategy where you use a safe person or their memory to anchor into the present moment. To practice relational anchoring, you can look at a photo of a safe person, listen to a recording of their voice, or bring to mind a core memory of this person and let your mind and body experience the safety they represent for you.
Remember that healing happens in the small moments where you choose to turn inward and listen to what you need. Feeling safe in your own body again is the key to healing from PTSD.
Conclusion: Living a Compassion-Based Life
Your PTSD healing journey may look different from others you know; this is valid, as you are a unique person with your own needs around how you internalized trauma. Remember that there is no timeline for healing. Trauma recovery support is available at Lotus Counseling Group, where we understand how to help you live a compassion-based life. Healing from trauma is possible; with time, safety, and connection, your nervous system can learn a new story of resilience, hope, and peace.
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