Shining a Light on Post Traumatic Stress
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a real issue for millions of people in Canada and the United States and quite literally, robs people of their lives. It can leave sufferers with severe anxiety, flashbacks to life-altering, traumatic events, reclusiveness, and sleep disturbances to name just some of the symptoms. It also puts sufferers at a much higher risk of suicide, but this doesn’t have to be the stark reality.
There is hope and there is help. In fact, one of the most advanced tools in the treatment of PTSD has received both praise and recognition from the medical and scientific communities for its effectiveness in dealing with trauma. It is known as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or more colloquially as tapping. In one study, war veterans participated in six, one-hour EFT sessions resulting in a staggering 65 per cent drop in clinical PTSD symptoms.
What Is EFT and How Does It Work?
EFT has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine and is sometimes referred to as “emotional acupuncture without needles.”
When someone is suffering from stress or trauma, the body’s built-in fight or flight response is triggered and the brain releases a plethora of stress hormones. Put in simple terms, this stress response gets stuck on and can leave the affected person in a hyper-vigilant state, wracked with intense fear, anxiety and other unpleasant symptoms. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that actually intensifies these symptoms causing sufferers to relive the event that triggered their trauma over and over again. Many associate PTSD with the military and horrors witnessed on the battlefield but the reality is it can strike anyone who has experienced, witnessed or been impacted by traumatic events.
By using EFT, and tapping on points associated with acupuncture, the stress response, along with emotional upset, can be released so that trauma is minimized or often completely neutralized.
In my own practice, I’ve had the honour of witnessing these remarkable results time and time again as demonstrated in the points below.
A mother who lost her youngest child was not only able to find peace, but awe-inspiring meaning and purpose in her life
A deeply-traumatized first responder who was able to let go of haunting memories, a misplaced sense of responsibility and instead was filled with awe as she realized the gift she had given in a tragic situation
A refugee facing deportation due to an inability to work because of multiple chemical sensitivity, realizing his extreme hypersensitivity was his body’s response to feeling powerless and angry over how he was treated as a prisoner of war
EFT is an invaluable tool that promotes real recovery from PTSD and it does so gently without re-traumatizing sufferers.
I invite you to do a little research on the subject. Whether you or someone you love is impacted by PTSD, know that help is out there and the end of the tunnel is not a dark and scary place but filled with light.
