December 17, 2020
Know 5 Ways of Managing PTSD Triggers
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that affects individuals who have witnessed or experienced traumatic events. The condition is often associated with people who have served in the military and been exposed to disturbing events on the battlefield.
However, this mental health issue is not exclusive to soldiers. Other individuals have also been diagnosed with PTSD. It’s because the mental disorder is a natural response to distressing events such as sexual abuse, physical assault, violence or accidents.
As a matter of fact, some 7 to 8 percent of the American population suffers from PTSD. Per year, some eight million adults are afflicted with this condition.
Symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, sleeplessness, moodiness, and reluctance to go to places that trigger the condition. Left untreated, many sufferers spend their lifetimes being tortured by this mental health scourge.
What Triggers PTSD?
Things that cause episodes of this mental disorder are called PTSD triggers. These are common people, places, and events that bring back memories of the trauma. They are divided into two categories, namely internal and external.
- Internal triggers
These comprise of memories tied to the traumatic event as well as feelings of anxiety, anger, sadness, pain, muscle tension, and a sense of being overwhelmed, vulnerable, abandoned, or out of control.
- External triggers
These are actions like seeing someone related to the trauma, encountering someone with the same physical traits as the person who caused the trauma, watching television shows, movies or reading news articles that bring back memories of the traumatic events.
Aside from internal and external triggers, there are also hearing triggers that cause episodes of PTSD. They include ambulance and car sirens, fire alarms, fireworks, or smelling smoke and other items related to the traumatic events.
How to Manage PTSD Triggers
There are at least five ways of managing PTSD triggers. They are:
- Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation-based relaxation techniques are seen as an effective way to reduce avoidance and self-blame among people who suffer from PTSD. Among the common methods being employed for the condition are mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based exposure therapy, meditation-relaxation, and mantra repetition practice.
- Relaxation
This is one of the best ways to deal with PTSD triggers in calming down one’s thoughts, remembering where one is at the present moment, and not reliving the traumatic event from the past.
- Self-soothing
In dealing with PTSD, it is important to rely on others. However, a sufferer can also develop self-coping strategies. These include the soothing effects of touch, taste, sound, and smell that they can use to ground themselves to the present and distract themselves from the triggers they encounter.
- Expressive writing
Expressive writing, often through journaling, has been found to be an effective way to deal with PTSD, especially in terms of managing anxiety and anger. It can be done with just the use of paper and pen. It can be done anywhere and almost at any time.
- Social support
Having strong social support is considered an important factor in reducing a PTSD patient’s psychological distress. It gives the patient a feeling of love and care in an accepting environment, which is crucial to recovery.
PTSD Among Veterans
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PTSD is commonly associated with soldiers and veterans because their work puts them directly in the face of conflict and traumatic situations. Unfortunately, even years after they hung up their uniforms, thousands are still suffering from this mental health condition.
This is one of the reasons why we at Veteran Car Donations have teamed up with reputable nonprofit organizations. We are on a mission to provide former servicemen and servicewomen ample support to address their mental health problems as well as other issues that hinder them from living a fulfilling, meaningful, and productive life.
In this regard, we need your help. If you have an unwanted car that’s just gathering dust in your garage, donate it to us at Veteran Car Donations and we will turn in into a fund-generating tool for the benefit of the struggling veterans in your local area.
We’ll auction off your donated vehicle and use the proceeds to support the critical programs of our charity partners. These IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations use the funding they get from us to provide their veteran beneficiaries and their families with financial assistance, free medical treatment, employment opportunities, family support, and other essential services.
You don’t have to worry about the removal of your vehicle since we’ll provide you with our fast and convenient pick-up and towing services absolutely for FREE!
Even better, your donation will entitle to a hefty tax deduction!
You can donate almost any type of vehicle regardless of its age or condition. You can do so wherever you live in the United States since we have vehicle donation programs in all 50 states.
For more information on our vehicle donation program, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, you can call us at 877-594-5822 or send us a message online.
Make a Difference Now!
Your old car may seem like junk to you, but it could make a huge difference in providing the mental health needs of our heroes who risked their all to defend our liberty and protect our security. Call us at 877-594-5822 or fill out our online donation form to get started with your car donation now!
Last Updated: May 8th, 2023