How To Thrive After Trauma - Living With PTSD

The friendly skies

In 2011, I found myself jumping out the rear of a plane.

Before then I was the happiest of fliers. I actually loved flying solo. I was happiest and at peace some 35,000 or so feet above the world.

What a high!

I would settle into a window seat, read a good book, nap, or ponder life's great mysteries.

On that fateful night in 2011, I was on a plane with several members of my family. My grandmother, the matriarch, had passed two years earlier.

We decided to return to the country of our birth to have a memorial and a family reunion.

We boarded the flight at JFK airport for a destination in South America. As we got close to the destination airport, I realized something was very wrong. Suddenly we were off the runway, bouncing on the ground at breakneck speed towards the edge of a cliff.

The plane miraculously came to an abrupt and violent stop a reported 100 feet from the edge. I then found myself jumping out the back and helping my children and mother out.

I exited the broken plane with my handbag, and we trekked to safety in the rainy dark South American night through an unfamiliar trail eventually ending at the airport terminal.

You could say this was not the trip I envisioned.

Since that time I have been plagued with post-traumatic anxiety, especially at the prospect of flying.

My heart begins to race once the ticket is paid for because now I am committed!

I have a home in South America, my mom semi-retired there, many of my favorite relatives reside there.

I also plan to retire there, so flying is a must.

But how do I deal with post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

What is PTSD

PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder  -  is an anxiety-inducing condition that can happen to people who see or live through a traumatic experience.

A traumatic event is one that involves a serious injury or death or the perceived potential for the same.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of PTSD can materialize as physical events. One can feel like they are having a heart attack. Surgical interventions or treatment in a hospital setting can also elicit symptoms of PTSD.

Symptoms include but are not limited to; -

●Reliving the trauma through thoughts and feelings.

●A feeling of numbness and disassociation.

●Avoidance of certain places they associate with the traumatic event.

●Being on an emotional rollercoaster, experiencing feelings such as anger, fear, or worry.

● You startle easily and have an inability to fall or remain asleep.

Coping strategies

●Stay physically active and try to exercise often.

●Try to sleep 6 to 8 hours a night, with rest periods during the day.

●Eat a balanced diet.

●Practice mindfulness by being aware of the present. Accept and allow your thoughts and feelings to pass without clinging to them or pushing them away.

●Join a supportive peer group

●Adopt a pet. Animals give unconditional love and support thereby reducing stress.

●Avoid alcoholic beverages as these can actually increase your feelings of anxiety.

Recap

Science does not understand why some people get PTSD and others don't. Symptoms can manifest immediately after an event or take months or even years. It is important to know, PTSD can happen at any age.

Look for ways to lower your stress. Take long walks, find a hobby, love on a pet, or just spend quality time with your family and friends.

Recovery is an ongoing, daily process, so take it one day at a time.

*****

Whenever I face the prospect of flying, I stay up late the night before so that I feel tired and am able to get some shut-eye on the flight.

I ensure my phone is fully charged and I even take a portable charger. I carry books and other forms of entertainment.

I write.

I speak positive affirmations and, last but not least I have my go-to sustaining scriptures, they calm my nerves and soothes my soul.

*****

Originally posted @https://medium.com/@justpene50