September 1, 2023
How i-Rest Helps Treat Mental Health Disorders
Many of our veterans face unique physical and psychological challenges resulting from their traumatic battlefield experiences. They continue to suffer from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. As such, transitioning back to civilian life remains a huge challenge for them.
Fortunately, treatments and therapies are available to help restore the mental health of our hurting former service members. In particular, integrative restoration therapy, or iRest for short, has proven its effectiveness in treating a variety of mental health conditions.
What Is Integrative Restoration Therapy?
iRest is a form of yoga-based therapy that combines guided meditation, breathwork, and gentle movement to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and improve the overall well-being of patients suffering from PTSD and other health conditions. The therapy encourages them to become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way.
iRest was developed by Dr. Richard Miller to help soldiers returning from combat with PTSD. It is used to help people with a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Through guided meditation and other techniques, it aims to help individuals learn how to regulate their nervous system, manage their emotions, and develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-compassion.
The practice typically involves lying down in a comfortable position, closing your eyes, and following a guided meditation led by a trained iRest teacher. The meditations may focus on different themes, such as body awareness, breath awareness, or emotional regulation, depending on the needs and goals of the individual.
The Benefits that Hurting Veterans Get from iRest
- Reduced anxiety
iRest has proven to be a helpful tool in managing anxiety by teaching veterans how to focus their attention and cultivate a sense of inner calm. By practicing iRest regularly, they learn how to recognize their anxious thoughts and emotions and respond to them more effectively and mindfully.
- Improved sleep
Sleep disturbances are a common symptom of PTSD and can have a significant impact on a person’s well-being. iRest has been found to help veterans with PTSD get better sleep by reducing hyperarousal and promoting relaxation. It teaches them how to calm their nervous system and regulate their sleep patterns, which leads to improved sleep quality and quantity.
- Greater sense of self-awareness
Trauma can leave veterans feeling disconnected from their bodies and their sense of self. Through the guided meditation and breathwork practiced in iRest, veterans learn how to observe their thoughts and feelings without judgment, which leads to a greater sense of self-awareness and self-compassion.
- Improved emotional regulation
PTSD makes it difficult for veterans to manage their emotions, leading to feelings of anger, frustration, or sadness. By practicing iRest regularly, they’ll be able to recognize emotional triggers and respond to them more mindfully and effectively, thus developing a greater sense of emotional resilience.
- Sense of community
Many iRest classes are specifically designed for veterans, and the community that develops around these classes provides a much-needed sense of connection and camaraderie among veterans. By practicing iRest with others who are also suffering from similar health issues, they feel less isolated and more positive on their journey toward healing.
You Can Help Vets Recover from Their Afflictions This Way
You can do your part in helping our hurting veterans recover from their afflictions. It’s easy to do so. All you need to do is donate any vehicle you no longer need to us at Veteran Car Donations. We will use your donation to improve the living conditions of the disadvantaged and neglected veterans in your local community.
Our team will sell your vehicle through an auction and use the proceeds to support the life improvement programs of leading military and veteran nonprofit organizations that are in partnership with us. These IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofits cater to veterans who are homeless and jobless as well as those who are suffering from service-related disabilities and other serious health issues, including mental health disorders.
Thanks to your donation, our charity partners will be able to provide more deserving veterans in your community with housing and financial assistance, employment and livelihood opportunities, family support, free quality health care and medical treatment, psychotherapy services, scholarships, and many other benefits.
Expect to be richly rewarded for your charitable contribution. We’ll provide you with a fast and free professional towing service anywhere in the country. Plus, your donation will entitle you to claim the highest possible tax deduction in the next tax season.
Best of all, you’ll experience the priceless joy of knowing that you’re doing something that can turn around the lives of the suffering heroes in your area.
We accept almost all types of vehicles regardless of their ages or conditions. Head over to this page to learn what else you can donate aside from your car.
For more information about Veteran Car Donations, including our quick and easy vehicle donation process, head over to our FAQs page. If you have any concerns or inquiries, feel free to call us through our 24/7 toll-free hotline at 877-594-5822 or message us here.
Photo by Frederik Sørensen under Pexels License
Let Our Hurting Heroes Know There’s Hope
Show our nation’s hurting heroes that they haven’t been forgotten. Your car donation can help them gain access to treatments and therapies, including iRest, that can help restore their health, enabling them to live healthy, decent, and dignified lives. Call Veteran Car Donations at 877-594-5822 or fill out our secure online donation form now!
Last Updated: September 1st, 2023