Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychological condition which occurs in people who have undergone some terrifying stressful trauma (for example, sexual assault, road accident, domestic violence). Most people who face a traumatic experience undergo fear, anxiety, shock, and nervousness. These are the common reactions in response to stressful events and do not usually result in PTSD. If anxiety or the stressful condition persists for more than a month and hinders social functioning, then it is indicative of PTSD.
The main symptoms of PTSD are flashbacks of horrifying events in the past, nightmares, and hallucinations. Patients with PTSD want to be left alone and are indifferent to life. Disturbed sleep and difficulty in concentration are also common complaints of PTSD. Homeopathic treatment for PTSD helps remove the imprints of trauma and brings about natural recovery.
Homeopathic Treatment for PTSD
Homeopathy remedies are made up of natural substances and are very safe. The advantage of homeopathy treatment for PTSD is that it does not make a person dependent. Homeopathy cures the person without any side effects. These natural remedies do not slow down the body’s natural processes and make it dull, as might be the case with other treatments.
Top Homeopathic medicines for PTSD
Top recommended medicines for PTSD are Ignatia, Natrum Mur, Kali Phos and Staphysagria. Ignatia, an excellent medicine for PTSD, is of great help when depression frustration and hopelessness accompany PTSD. Ignatia also works well when a person is quarrelsome and exhibits mood swings. Natrum Muriaticum acts well for PTSD when a person tends to dwell on past unpleasant memories. The person wants to be isolated and is afraid of new relationships. Kali Phosphoricum is a well-indicated medicine for PTSD when night terrors accompany it. In such cases, patients have an aversion to meeting people and talking to them. Staphysagria is considered when there is history of some physical or sexual abuse of the sufferer.
In homeopathy treatment for PTSD, the patient is considered a whole entity. Thus, the cure acts at all the levels, including the psychological level.
1. Ignatia
Ignatia is a leading medicine to help persons having PTSD. It is well indicated when the sufferer has flashbacks of past incidents. The thoughts of that event keep crossing the person’s mind. There is sadness, depressing feelings, weeping spells, desire to be alone and aversion to talk. The person feels angry about himself/herself. There is anxiety, terror and fearfulness. Hopelessness is marked as well. Other symptoms include moodiness and aversion to any amusement. Due to thoughts of terrifying events crossing through mind, sleeplessness prevails. It is best for PTSD that follow unexpected death of a loved one.
2. Natrum Mur
This medicine is of great help for cases of depression in case of PTSD. Those needing it frequently recall the trauma faced in the past. They feel sad all the time along with weeping spells. They isolate themselves after the traumatic event. They have no desire to do work, either mental or physical. They get irritable frequently. They feel afraid to form relationships, with a trust deficit in others.
3. Kali Phos
Kali Phos is helpful in managing various issues in PTSD cases. Firstly, it is very effective in managing sleeplessness. It is also useful for excessive restlessness during sleep. It is well indicated to manage nightmares (frightful dreams). Its use is also suggested to deal with depression, sadness, anxiety, memory issues.
3. Staphysagria
This medicine is most suitable to persons who developed PTSD after some sexual or physical abuse. It acts well when a person keeps dwelling on past unpleasant incidents. There occur spells of anger. During anger outbursts the sufferer tends to throw or break things. Additionally, feeling of guilt and self-pity also predominates. Worthlessness, depression may attend.
4. Sepia
Sepia is very useful in persons who become indifferent and show an aversion to family, friends, company, and sympathy. They do not wish to do any work. They feel helpless, weeping episodes occur often. They have anxiety along with fear, flushes of heat especially in evening. They get irritable and offended easily.
5. Aurum Met
It acts well when the sufferer is intensely depressed, has no hope and has self harming or suicidal thoughts. Future seems dark to them. They have no love for life and desire death. They get offended easily. They overreact to any situation that seems to hurt their feelings.
6. Coffea Cruda
Coffea Cruda works well in cases where there is sleeplessness with a continuous flow of ideas in mind. Mental activity keeps a person awake and makes him restless. It is also indicated for restless sleep with tossing and turning in bed from side to side. The person may wake up frequently from sleep with a sudden jerk.
7. Opium
Opium acts well in cases of PTSD when a person is sleepy but is unable to sleep. Some noises coming from far away distance keeps the person awake. The person develops fear after the fright (sudden feeling of fear or shock) which remains for a long time.
8. Aconite
This medicine should be considered to deal with anxiety and panic attacks in cases of PTSD. The persons who need this medicine are terror stuck and are afraid to go out. During anxiety spells, they feel very restless. They have fear of death. It is also indicated when the thoughts of an unfortunate event haunt the person with marked anxiety and restlessness. Aconite is also well indicated to manage nightmares in PTSD cases.
9. Nux Vomica
It is a very effective medicine for PTSD when the patient shows violent anger spells. The person gets offended easily, may get angry even without provocation.
Symptoms of PTSD
The symptoms of PTSD can be triggered by words or situations reminding of trauma faced in the past. These may begin in the first three months after the traumatic incident, however in some cases may not occur for years after the event.
These symptoms are as follows:
1. Emotional distress and Intrusive memories
It includes
unwanted unpleasant memories of trauma faced
flashbacks of horrifying events in the past as if these are occurring again
nightmares about trauma
physical reaction to things which remind the sufferer of trauma faced
hallucinations
2. Avoidance symptoms
Patients with PTSD want to be left alone. They avoid talking about the terrific event faced. They avoid going to places or people that remind them of the trauma.
3. Thinking and mood changes
Negative thinking
Feeling indifferent to life, and detached from their family and friends
Difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships
Hopelessness
Loss of interest in activities that in past were loved and enjoyable
4. Arousal and reactivity
Getting startled easily
Irritability and anger outbursts
Lack of concentration
Self-harming behavior
5. Others symptoms
Problems in sleeping
Guilt, self-blame
Difficulty in remembering things
Depression and panic attacks
In females: Anxiety, depression, getting startled easily, feeling emotionless are marked
In males: Symptoms of avoidance, mood, arousal predominate
Cause behind PTSD
A person may go on developing PTSD if he / she has actually gone through or just seen or heard about some terrifying event for example sexual assault, serious injury.
1. The exact reason behind PTSD is yet not fully understood. However, it is thought to arise from interplay of some factors as follows:
Stressful trauma
Family history of depression or anxiety
Personality traits inherited from parents
How the chemicals and hormones released during stress is being regulated by brain
2. PTSD tends to develop in persons who have gone through some terrifying or traumatic events in past. For example
sexual assault
an accident
childhood physical abuse
a natural disaster
warfare
domestic violence
sudden unexpected death of a loved one
having someone in family suffering from life threatening illness
Having miscarriage
Though not everyone who has faced any event like the above develop PTSD because everyone handles stress differently but such incidents increased PTSD risk
3. It has been observed that persons who have PTSD have small Hippocampus (a part of the brain which controls memory and emotions) but it is not clear whether their hippocampus is already small before trauma or it shrinked following trauma. It requires further research for clarification.
4. Stress levels may be abnormal in persons having PTSD that leads to excited fight or flight response.
Risk Factors
Though anyone can develop PTSD but some factors as follows put a person at risk:
1. Already suffering from depression or anxiety or family history
2. Men and women, especially those who are emergency front line and rescue workers, are often affected by PTSD
3. History of childhood abuse
4. Excessive alcohol drinking and drug abuse
5. Medical conditions like cancer, stroke, heart attack are linked with increase risk of PTSD
Complications
PTSD hinders relationship with family members, jobs and day to day activities. It puts person at risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and drug abuse or alcohol abuse.
