When a person suffers in their own skin a very violent act , such as kidnapping, sexual abuse, mistreatment at home, or even a terrorist act, their pain may not end there. Apparently, ninety percent of people who are victims of such an event end up suffering from what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder .

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that can affect all areas of the life of the person suffering from it , turning their life into a maze of obstacles. Because it can affect you at work, academic, family, sentimental and even social level. And it is that the most characteristic of this disorder is that everything in itself arises after having felt a great panic, after having been subjected to a particularly worrying situation . An example of this is the terrorist attack that took place in New York in September 2001; following this event, many of the survivors began to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Although you can talk about ways, tricks and little tips to overcome this disorder day by day, it is essential that you have the help of a professional . Both a psychologist and a psychiatrist are essential to overcome this disorder; Without proper therapy, all the work may be worthless. And it is that just as we go to the family doctor when our head hurts, when we have some type of disorder that affects our psychological health, it is necessary to ask for help from a specialist. There should be no complexes or taboos in this regard, since these would only harm ourselves.

Dr. Pau Pérez-Sales spoke about this in an interview , explaining that one of the challenges of psychotherapy with post-traumatic stress disorder is to get the patient to place himself in the world again, to feel comfortable in it . When a person notices how all the foundations of their safe world are cracked, when they understand that practically anything could happen to them, they can generate a disorder of this type. It is necessary to overcome this disorder to resume a happy life.

Some tips that might help

To overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, as we have said, the first thing is to go to a specialist who gives the necessary medical treatment; it will usually be therapy with some assiduity to help the person detect the trauma. But there are also other tips that can help the person feel much better, and gradually overcome it.

The tasks to follow are not easy, they are not simple, because many of them involve reliving the traumatic event over and over again in order to understand that it does not have to happen again. One of the tips that is usually given in this regard is, precisely, to write a story about the experience in question, trying to add as much detail as possible. This is extremely complicated, especially in the beginning; Perhaps you would prefer to start by writing small sentences, or words that remind you of the event, and write everything little by little. This way you will feel more comfortable with the story , you will assume it and, above all, you will be able to overcome it.

There are other activities that could be much more enjoyable for you. For example: it would be a good idea for you to start writing down in a notebook everything in which it could be useful to have lived that event . Perhaps it has made you stronger as a person, it has made you learn how to take care of yourself, it has taught you to ask for help when necessary, or it has made you value your days more. Any small detail can be important, and it will make you see that you should not suffer for something that you cannot change, if you do not appreciate that you continue day by day.

Consider joining a support group

If writing is not appealing to you, and despite how positive that can be in helping you overcome PTSD, you can always turn to other activities. For example, you can learn relaxation and meditation techniques ; Although at first it may seem absurd or useless, little by little you will see how your mind empties itself of all toxic thoughts during this meditation. And this state will last for hours, making the disorder go into the background. If we add to that that it will allow you to learn self-control, and that it will help you control any type of anxiety that your disorder may cause, you will see how it is not such a bad idea.

You can also try exercising outside . You don’t have to run, walking will do you good, as long as you do it regularly. Going out to nature will also be useful, because it will allow you to relax in conditions. And avoid any substance that can alter your mood! No alcohol, no drugs: stay healthy, because only then can your mind heal completely.

If you don’t have a trusted person you want to turn to to tell about all your problems , you can always join a support group. If you meet more people who have gone through the same thing as you, you will understand that you are not alone in this battle, and that if others have been able to overcome it, you will too. Ask for help whenever you need it; that does not make you weak, but smart. Because you have to know when you need help, when it is impossible to heal yourself. Do not count only on your family and friends, remember that you should also discuss all this with a specialist. Post-traumatic stress disorder can be overcome with work, effort, and proper treatment; No matter how much effort you make on your own, you will always need the guidelines of a professional to heal you completely.

It is not impossible: there are many people who have overcome a disorder of this type and have continued with their lives, even taking positive things out of everything they have experienced. So do not give up, fight for yourself, and you will see how every effort has its reward.