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Anxiety, Depression & PTSD Can Be Resolved
When Do You Want Your Life Back?
- Are you suffering from anxiety, depression or stress attacks?
- Does anxiety stop you going into crowded places?
- Do you have problems or habits of an addictive nature: smoking, drugs, over-eating, gambling, drinking?
- Are you anxious and “hyper-vigilant” prepared… just in case ‘X’ happens?
- Does suffering from anxiety or sleep disturbance stop you coping with normal everyday stress?
- Are you a Victim of domestic violence or bullying?
- Have you had suicidal thoughts?
- Have you been diagnosed with PTSD?
- Are you so crippled by anxiety, depression or stress you can’t even dream of a normal future, it’s just too hard to IMAGINE !!
If you answered yes to 3 or more of the above and have had symptoms for longer than 3 months then it is possible you are experiencing issues relating to unresolved trauma, grief or guilt.
How does Anxiety, Depression or stress happen?
When someone experiences a stressful event the brain goes into survival mode called “Flight, Fight, Freeze” (FFF) response. Immediately survival kicks in. The brain tells the body to (1) run away, (2) to fight, (3) but if the event is so overwhelming, too horrible and simply is too much to “comprehend”, the mind tells the body to “freeze”. This “Flight, fight, freeze” reaction triggers a flood of cortisol and adrenaline to be released, the stress levels to rise, until the danger is passed. At that stage, the person relaxes as the event finishes and the brain processes the action and turns the event into a memory. The person returns to being calm.
Occasionally, the brain does not, or cannot, process the event and doesn’t finish the process of turning it into a memory. When this happens, “you re-live this event or events” constantly and it’s like re-running a movie, over and over! The mind starts “looping” which results in your body feeling revved up, tense and anxious all of the time.
FIGHT, FLIGHT, FREEZE
Your mind is stuck in “flight, flight, freeze” so suddenly, you begin to experience severe stress, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. You develop phobias, experience bursts of anger or rage, and behaviours like smoking, drinking become ‘a crutch’ to get you through the emotional roller coaster. Over time, the persistent flashbacks, the nightmares, and the nervousness takes control of the ‘Your’ life and the person cannot cope emotionally. The desire to avoid sets in. The person stays away from things that remind them of the event, they shut down emotionally and often begin to self-medicate with alcohol, smoking, eating or drugs (prescribed or others).
The F.F.F. reaction is a natural and necessary reaction to keep us safe and is ‘triggered’ by emotional and stressful events many times during a normal day.
SO HOW DO WE ‘STOP THE CYCLE?’
For the body and mind to process “un-resolved stress” it needs to know two things:
- That “It’s Over” and you are “Safe!”
- You are and feel “empowered” over the events and/or perpetrators.
To find out more on TRTP – The Richards Trauma Process and how we resolve these issues click here.
