PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder


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As I have mentioned in the website before, my resources are limited. Below are some sites that should be a help for those who are going through PTSD. When I get the materials that I need, I will update this page again.

Post traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individuals may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flash backs, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life.

PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms. PTSD is complicated by the fact that it frequently occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health. The disorder is also associated with impairment of the person's ability to function in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorces, family discord, and difficulties in parenting.
From: National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A helpful book, which I have a copy on tape is called Conscious Breathing: Breathwork for Health, Stress Release, and Personal Mastery by Gay Hendricks, Ph.D. This discusses breath work for health, stress relief and personal mastery.

Remember that people who suffer with PTSD can have panic attacks, you have to stay calm and learn how to breathe with all panic attacks.

Another helpful book is Why Am I Still so Afraid? (The Dell Guides for Mental Health) by John Barnhill, M.D.

One of the things that helps me when a panic attack hits is to breathe from the diaphragm, this isn't very easy when you first start doing it, a good Psychologist will show you how to do this properly. I have been looking for a video that I can link to for this. If you are having an attack, you can lay on your stomach and you will be breathing through your diaphragm this way. When you lay on your stomach, your body automatically breathes this way and this has helped me in the past. The really severe attacks I still need to take a sedative, but I have been trying to get off the sedatives and I have been trying the breathing exercises first plus I am now working on relaxation techniques as well. This is all still so new for me. (Dec 1, 2006)

Something I would like to add to all veterans no matter how they were discharged. If you get this disorder in the military and you have had any previous experience of trauma or abuse in your life except for what happened in the military, you most likely will be denied any benifits. You will have an uphill battle on your hands. You should be aware of this and make sure you get copies of all of your medical records.

Helpful Links for PTSD.

VA National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD

NIMH: Reliving Trauma

Trauma Information Pages

SAMHSA ~ National Center for PTSD

HRSA ~ National Center for PTSD


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