Raising PTSD Awareness
Photo credit: S:US
Most of us have heard of PTSD – the acronym has made its way into common vocabulary over the last decades. For someone with post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic experience – like combat or sexual assault – has imprinted itself on the brain so seriously that it affects everyday life in very painful, debilitating ways.
According to NAMI, PTSD affects 3.6% of the U.S. adult population—about 9 million individuals. About 37% of those diagnosed with PTSD are classified as having severe symptoms. Women are significantly more likely to experience PTSD than men.
June is PTSD Awareness Month and June 27 is National PTSD Awareness Day. Our remarkable staff assist veterans and individuals challenged by PTSD as well as other life-altering obstacles like homelessness, substance use, and mental illness.
Check out selected resources from the National Center for PTSD for coping strategies and self-help tools.
Learn about Coping
Coping with Traumatic Stress Reactions – When trauma survivors take direct action to cope with their stress reactions, they put themselves in a position of power. Learn about healthy coping strategies that you can use after a trauma.
Negative Coping and PTSD – If you have the symptoms of PTSD, you may try to deal with problems in ways that cause more harm than good. This is called negative coping. Negative coping means you use quick fixes that may make a situation worse in the long run.
Other Self-Help Strategies
Mindfulness Practice in the Treatment of Traumatic Stress – Grounding yourself in the present moment can help you cope better with unpleasant thoughts and emotions.
Peer Support Groups – Locate and learn more about peer support groups to help those diagnosed with PTSD or caring for someone with PTSD.
Dogs and PTSD – Learn about the role of dogs in managing symptoms and PTSD recovery.
Tools to Help Manage Symptoms
PTSD Coach: Mobile App – This mobile app has self-assessments, symptom-tracking, and coping skills to help you address and monitor stress. Available for iOS and Android.
PTSD Coach Online – A series of online video coaches will guide you through 17 tools to help you manage stress. PTSD Coach Online is used on a computer, rather than a mobile device, and therefore can offer tools that involve writing.
Mindfulness Coach: Mobile App – This app includes mindfulness exercises to practice on your own or with guidance and strategies to help overcome challenges to mindfulness practice. Includes a log and reminders to support your mindfulness practice. Available for iOS and Android.
Coping with Unwanted Thoughts: RESET for Active Duty Soldiers – RESET is a one-hour video training to teach active duty soldiers strategies to manage unwanted or intrusive thoughts after a trauma.