Stress and PTSD: Causes, Symptoms and Natural Healing Remedies

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stress-related mental disorder that occurs when you experience or witness a psychologically terrifying event.  

People with PTSD tend to have abnormal levels of stress hormones. PTSD can be debilitating and have profound effects on your day-to-day activities, relationships, work, and your overall well-being.

Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Stress and trauma associated with PTSD can be triggered by traumatic events or situations that induce feelings of extreme anxiety, helplessness, or fear, such as:

●      Natural disaster

●      War

●      Severe accident

●      Violent sexual or physical assault

●      Traumatic birth

●      Terrorism

●      Chronic illness

●      Early childhood abuse and neglect

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Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is often accompanied by a cluster of several recurring symptoms, which include:

a. Avoiding reminders of the traumatic experience

This can include:

●      Avoiding people, places, thoughts, feelings, or activities that trigger the memories of the trauma.

●      Avoiding thoughts, feelings, and memories that remind you of the event

b. Reliving the memories of your traumatic experience

This can include:

●      Having recurrent, distressing, and unwanted memories

●      Vivid flashbacks

●      Nightmares

●      Intense psychological and physical distress, especially when reminded about the traumatic event

c. Negative thoughts and feelings

This can include:

●      Intense and overwhelming fear, anger, and guilt

●      Feeling flat and numb most of the time

●      Blaming yourself and others for the traumatizing experience

●      Feeling cut-off from friends and family

●      Loss of interest in everyday activities

d. Feeling wound-up

This can include:      

●      Insomnia

●      Difficulty concentrating

●      Irritability

●      Anger outbursts

●      Reckless and self-destructive behaviors

●      Being easily startled

●      Hypervigilance

e. Mental health problems

PTSD can also increase your risk of developing mental health problems like:

●      Depression

●      Anxiety

●      Drug and substance abuse

●      Eating disorders

●      Suicidal ideations

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What Are the Natural Healing Remedies of PTSD?

Natural healing remedies can include:

a. Breathwork

Working with a trauma-informed breathwork practitioner can help you unravel buried traumas and pain in a safe and controlled manner while simultaneously releasing the stress and anxiety that is associated with confronting these traumas.

Regular deep breathing exercises can also help you alleviate anxiety and panic responses.

Here is a link to a breath work routine video from our YouTube channel:

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b. Sentient foods diet

PTSD has also been linked to unhealthy dietary habits, as well as stress-related eating disorders. Eating sentient foods like vegetables, legumes (beans), fruits, and grains can relieve your symptoms of PTSD and improve your state of mind.

Click here to learn more about Sentient Foods

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c. Embodiment and somatic practices and healing

Embodiment Practice

Embodiment practice uses your body to promote healing through mindfulness, self-awareness, connection, self-regulation, achieving balance, as well as developing self-acceptance. It guides your body into trauma healing mode.

Somatic healing

Somatic practice helps you pay attention to your bodily sensations rather than your thoughts and emotions, so you can release traumatic energy.

It helps you release the thwarted survival energy stored in your body and turn off the threat alarm that leads to severe dysregulation and dissociation.

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d. Meditation

Meditation can help you cope with symptoms of traumatic stress and PTSD by reducing stress hormones and enhancing the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Meditation can help you cope with intrusive thoughts and memories related to natural disasters, sexual abuse, and even assault. It can also reduce PTSD symptoms like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

Here goes a meditation video to help you relieve stress and find the light in your traumatic experience or event that may still be lingering unresolved.

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e. Sound healing

Listening to different sounds, such as vibrations, sound baths, singing bowls, and binaural stimulation, can enhance your ability to cope with trauma or PTSD.

Listening to relaxing sounds when feeling extremely anxious and stressed can improve day-to-day functioning and reduce PTSD symptoms. Sound healing can rewire your brain to learn new skills and reprogram old habits into new ones.

Here goes a short 7 minute sound healing video to help stimulate love and overcoming fear, bringing you to a state of ease and more peace.

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