We all come across things that trigger difficult memories, but for people with PTSD, these memories jumpstart a cascade of internal events that washes on panic, horror, or rage. Then there are the triggered thoughts. Sometimes they’re clear and distressing (“it’s happening all over again” or “I deserve this”), at other times a jumbled […]
PTSD: conquering nightmares
People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often suffer from debilitating nightmares. The dreams can be so terrifying the person is afraid to sleep. If this sounds familiar, here are six nightmare-busting methods that might help you conquer those bad dreams. (1) Talk about the nightmares. Share your dreams with someone you trust, ideally a therapist […]
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More than one kind of anxiety problem
We’re all anxious at times, especially when stressed or facing something unpredictable. Anxiety and fear help us pick up on threatening things in our environment and react – often before we know what that “thing” is. But anxiety becomes an illness when it starts controlling and ruining one’s life. There are many different types of […]
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Stepping outside yourself: dissociative disorders
Okay, let’s start with the formal definition: dissociation is a disturbance in one’s experience of reality. It occurs any time there’s a disruption in the normally integrated functions of a person’s consciousness. Dissociation can vary from distortion of perception to total shifts of identity. This phenomenon is often triggered by severe, repetitive psychological trauma. Some […]
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Trauma doesn’t always equal PTSD
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” — Khalil Jibran It’s normal to feel afraid during a catastrophic event. Emotions can be numb or painful, senses are heightened, and the “fight or flight” response kicks in. Some people want to run. Others find themselves shutting down […]
