Alternative Therapies Valuable in Reducing Symptoms of PTSD

The event may vary: abusive relationship, war service, traumatic death of a loved one. Whatever the cause, the result, for some, is the inability to cope with life and reliving of the event or events later as if they happened yesterday. According to the PTSD Alliance website, while 70 percent of Americans will experience a traumatic event at some time in life, only 20 percent will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While the reasons why some cases advance into PTSD and not others vary, for those suffering with the debilitating disease, life as they knew it seems over.

More and more people in search of happiness, health and healing turn to alternative therapies including Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, and yoga just to name a few. Hope and help for many can be found here. Alternative therapies have come into the mainstream seeking out people with anxiety disorders and successfully calming troubled minds. The website www.holisticonline.com states that because PTSD is an anxiety disorder, the practice of any exercise or any relaxation technique is extremely valuable. Choosing one or a combination of many may lead to a more peaceful and rested mind.

Ultimately, the process is about taking care of one’s self and that may mean trying something completely new. How does someone begin to find the right alternative therapy to assist in the healing process? The best answer is just to try one. Close family and friends can be great resources if any have enjoyed a particular modality or therapist. A local resource of holistic practitioners is http://SIPN.info – the Saratoga Integrated Practitioners Network.

If just trying one out doesn’t feel quite right, perhaps you could begin with one that seems to fit best with a set of symptoms.

For example:

            Try Acupuncture if suffering from traumatic dreams or dreams.

            Try Massage Therapy if anxiety and stress are high in general

Try yoga if the body needs to be strengthened in addition to high anxiety and stress levels

This is by no means an exhaustive list of alternative therapies available but they are the most common and easy to find in most communities. One final important step in the process is selecting the right therapist. Be sure the therapist is experienced in general and has worked successfully with clients with the same or similar symptoms and/or experiences. This can help ensure a successful relationship between client and practitioner from the start and create the foundation for a life of truth and freedom. To quote Alan Alda, “You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.”