Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects around 8 million people in any one year in America alone. Are there alternative treatment options for PTSD? PTSD is a debilitating illness that has a range of symptoms from angry outbursts, nightmares, depressive episodes to having a constant reminder of the past by experiencing flashbacks.
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Who Gets PTSD?
Most people think of ex-soldiers or veterans when they picture PTSD, and that is certainly true. Between 11 & 20% of ex-veterans who served in Iraq and the Gulf War reported they experience PTSD in a given year. But it is not only soldiers who can experience PTSD.
Lesser known but just as significant are victims of violence. Domestic violence typically occurs where men are inflicting harm on women, although while less likely to occur, the reverse can also be true. Outside of relationships are the victims of violent crimes such as robberies and rape.
A study into PTSD completed by Picking Up The Peaces in 2009 revealed that most respondents of the survey were females in their 20’s, while most men with PTSD were in their 50s.
Some PTSD counselors report that they are now seeing more clients who have experienced PTSD as victims of domestic violence than they are from war zones. Sadly these people are living in their own war zones, but they are hidden for the most part from the rest of us.
When Does PTSD Happen?
Maria from Relationships PTSD explains PTSD happens when your brain gets stuck in danger mode. It is like the first time you had to face a spider, snake, or other creature that made you jump. Your body responds to the perceived threat by going into “fight” or “flight” mode.
A study was completed in America after the Twin Towers were destroyed in 9/11. The study found 44% of Americans reported having at least one symptom of PTSD after 9/11, yet only 30% of those who were in the building or injured during the 9/11 did.
Could the difference be due to the support offered to the people of New York, and the common bonds that formed during this horrific period? 30% of people having PTSD is a terrible statistic, however having people to talk to who had shared the experience may have helped some residents of New York.
PTSD Can Be Triggered After Several Events
It’s easy to see how those who have experienced violence, death, and destruction can develop PTSD, but there are lesser-known ways to also develop this illness. A combination of experiences can build up, where one thing on its own might not be so hard to bear, but all together and the effects are cumulative.
Someone close to me experienced the following over two years:
- Financial difficulties, almost losing their house.
- Redundancy after working in a job for seven years
- The death of their much loved elderly mother
- Three months later, their 16-year-old cat passed away.
- A robbery occurred at their house.
- Two days later the robber returned and tried to steal her car at 2 am
While the earlier events caused grief, distress, and anxiety, it wasn’t until the robbery and later visited at 2 am that triggered the full-blown PTSD. Once that occurred, any car driving down the street would cause her heart rate to race, and Sleep was near to impossible. She was living in a constant state of dis-ease.
Can PTSD Go Away Without Treatment?
Treatment of PTSD is critical for long term success. But with there being so many treatment options available, it can be challenging to know which one will help? PTSD does affect the way the functions of the brain. During PTSD, your mind puts typical tasks, such as short-term memory, on hold. Therefore, having PTSD can make a decision about how to get help more difficult.
According to Maria from Relationships PTSD, the development of effective treatments is limited by the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms involved in PTSD. Without treatment, experiences such as flashbacks, nightmares, and poor concentration become a regular part of life for the person who has PTSD.
5 Alternative Treatments For PTSD
So let’s go down the path less traveled and look into some alternative treatments for PTSD. While counseling is considered the first recommended treatment option, it does rely on finding someone you can trust who is experienced in treating people suffering from PTSD. Some people simply find it too distressing to have to re-live their past trauma and prefer alternatives to talking about it.
A Change Of Diet
The types of food we do and do not consume can have a significant impact on our state of mental health. Moving over to a more natural diet can be beneficial. Diets such as Keto and Paleo can be helpful as they do not include chemicals and foods that tend to cause inflammation.
One of the first signs of the Paleo diet helping is that brain fog is lifted often within just a few days. There are many recipes that can be found online, and getting started can be quite simple. Luckily there are even takeaways available for special diets, and some even do take out!
Vitamins Which Help The Brain
There is a range of vitamins, minerals, and supplements that benefit healthy brain function.
- Coenzyme Q10 is found in organ meats, fatty fish, and some vegetables.
- Magnesium is used in over 5,000 enzymes. Found in fruits, dark chocolate, and nuts. Magnesium baths are a useful way to up your magnesium intake.
- Zinc can be found in shellfish, oysters, and legumes. Zinc supports the immune system, eye health, and has antioxidant properties.
While vitamins can be taken as supplements, you can add more real food like the above to improve your diet to support better brain health. In addition to the above many leading neurologists also recommend having both coconut oil and turmeric.
CBD Oil To Relieve PTSD Symptoms
People often think of getting high when thinking about CBD, but it is possible to just take CBD for health reasons, where there is no THC in the CBD oil. One of the benefits of taking CBD for PTSD symptom relief is that it can help people sleep soundly.
Many people take CBD about two hours before Sleep. If choosing a CBD oil, it pays to source it from a reputable company that uses organic hemp and has no additives and has its CBD oil tested by a third-party lab.
Neurofeedback With A Specialist
By having neurofeedback, you are able to have your brainwaves checked out by a professional using an EEG device. Other than having your brain scanned, this is an ideal way to see what’s going on inside there and then getting a personalized plan.
Treatments are then delivered via brain training, and after a certain number of sessions, another EEG is run, so the neurofeedback specialist is able to compare the before and after data, and that should tally with an improvement with how you are feeling. This is probably going to be your most expensive option, but it could also be the most effective.
Try The Bellabee PTSD Program
The Bellabee has a program that was developed just for PTSD. The program is located in the Preset Health menu. The program is designed to run for one hour at a time and starts running at 7.83 Hz (which is pretty specific!).
There are other programs that would be beneficial to someone with PTSD, including Anti-Anxiety, Anti-Stress, Meditation, and Improve Sleep. It’s a very cost-effective solution for someone that would prefer a natural way to improve PTSD, which does not involve any talking.