PTSD Awareness Day
June 27 is PTSD Awareness Day! Understanding the aspects of PTSD can help us to feel more in control in navigating its challenges. A key concept within the understanding of PTSD is the “Window of Tolerance”. This idea contextualizes some experiences within PTSD and gives us a helpful visual to work with in treatment. The short of it is this – how much can we tolerate within this window before our symptoms are activated, we’re emotionally flooded, and we feel disregulated.
Care for ourselves is key to maintaining this balance within our window, insulating from things that would blow us outside of this window, and, over time, expanding our window so we can tolerate more and navigate challenges with more ease. If you are a caregiver or support someone experiencing PTSD symptoms, these skills can support you as well – in your own wellness and in supporting your loved one!
A few places to get started –
- Grounding techniques
- Bringing yourself into your physical present awareness can help to keep your mind less focused in thought patterns that are triggering. Discover your ways of staying in the present – mental focus, mindfulness, sensory strategies, body movement, mindfulness apps and recorded guidance.
- Good physical body care
- Healthy sleep habits, rest and rejuvenation, healthy foods, safe and healthy movement, along with many others, brings regulation to your physical body which aids in regulation of our emotional body
- Boundaries (physical, emotional, social)
- Who what and where are healthy and rejuvenating for your. Keep a balance and
- Schedule structuring – analyze your responsibilities and your “yes-es”
- Sometimes we can handle a full plate, and sometimes it can being more stress and activation to our systems. Take care in discerning what you say yes to.
- Staying connected with supportive others – mental health providers, natural supports, loved ones, chosen family, furry friends. Allow them to be a source of grounding and support
And overall, give yourself permission to comfort yourself and heal at your own pace. Being gentle with ourselves is key to ensuring we have the space and grace to heal and expand our window of tolerance. PTSD may be part of your story, but it is not the whole story of you. It is helpful to view it as a piece of the pie, parts of you that were awakened to keep you alert and safe so you didn’t experience this again. These parts helped you, protected you, and now that you are safe again they can be relieved from duty. Being gentle and comforting to ourselves is just the kind of acceptance we need to move forward.
