PTSD
About the author: Elizabeth Bays, MS, LPC, NCC, EMDR Trained Licensed Professional Counselor National Certified Counselor Elizabeth completed her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Tarleton State University in May, 2015. She is a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society and Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology. During graduate school, her passion involved working with the geriatric population. She gained experience with group and individual counseling at nursing facilities in her area. Elizabeth currently serves adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups in the following areas: • Depression • Mood Disorders • Anxiety Disorders •Trauma and Abuse •Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder • Stress Management • Dual Diagnoses • Military adjustments and struggles • Teen Issues; Peer Pressure, Self Esteem • Parent/Child or Partner Relational Problems • Dating Violence/Abuse • Grief and Loss • Family and Relationship Issues • Suicide Assessment and Risk Reduction • Group Psychotherapy • Chronic Mental Illness • Self-image and Self-Esteem Issues Elizabeth uses an eclectic approach to therapy and uses a blend of Cognitive Behavioral, Solution Focused, Reality Based, and psycho-education. She has also been trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She continues to seek ongoing updates to her skills and knowledge base. Elizabeth is invested in an approach emphasizing a more integrative, dynamic, and holistic approach to mental health. She is particularly concerned with the impact of trauma and improving intervention to support trauma recovery for better emotional, physical and relationship health.
symptoms can come and go. You might feel fine, but then you hear a loud noise or smell a familiar smell and all of a sudden you feel afraid or angry. It’s almost as if a movie of a past traumatic experience is playing in your brain. It can feel like you are experiencing the trauma all over again. Your brain perceives that you are in danger and triggers the fight-or-flight response. The fight-or-flight response represents the choices that our ancient ancestors had when faced with dangerous situations. They could either fight their way out or flee the dangerous situation. It is the brain‘s natural way of protecting itself from danger. When the fight-or-flight response is triggered, the sympathetic nervous system is activated by the sudden release of hormones, including adrenaline and noradrenaline. It causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing to provide the body with the increased oxygen and energy needed to quickly respond to danger. The pupils become dilated to increase vision and awareness of surroundings. Blood flow to the skin is reduced while blood flow to the muscles, brain, legs, and arms is increased to facilitate fight-or-flight from the situation. This can cause flushed skin or the feeling of blood rushes. The blood flow to the digestive system is also reduced, which can cause digestive issues or dry mouth. The body’s ability to clot blood also increases to prevent excess blood loss in the event of injury. The muscles become tense to help with fight-or-flight, which can cause shaking. This priming of your body for action helps you be better prepared to perform under pressure or in a dangerous situation. The stress created by the situation can actually be helpful, making it more likely that you will handle a dangerous threat effectively. However, it can be triggered when you don’t need it. The brain has a difficult time distinguishing between real and perceived danger. Reminders of traumatic events can feel very real. Although they many not be dangerous, they can feel dangerous. Imagine walking out your front door and seeing a long snakelike object coiled up on your porch. At first glance, you might think it is a snake, which triggers your fight-or-flight response. After jumping back, you take a second look and notice that it is only a toy snake. After the threat is gone, it takes between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its prefight-or-flight levels. In this situation, you were not in any danger, but you perceived danger. Reminders can include sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts that remind you of the traumatic event or dangerous situation. It can be anything that reminds the brain of the past situation. Identifying triggers and learning coping skills to help decrease the symptoms of the fight-or-flight response can increase the relaxation response of the parasympathetic nervous system. Coping skills can also help create a pause for our brain, which allows us to decide whether or not the situation is actually dangerous. • Breathing exercises can work to calm the body and slow down the rapid breathing the occur during the fight-or-flight response. There are many different types for breathing exercises that can help. An easy skill to remember is a 4-2-4 exercise. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for 4 seconds. This turns your attention internally towards your breathing and helps with relaxation. • Grounding helps create a pause for your brain and turns your attention towards the safety of your surroundings. With this exercise, you use your 5 senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, to notice the things around you. This allows your brain to calm down and change focus from perceived dangers from the past to safety of the present. • Meditation is a wonderful stress reliever because it works by calming the body and mind. It also helps you to build resilience over time. It may be difficult to get the hang of meditation when you first start, but trying different techniques and practicing often can be helpful. Knowing and understanding symptoms of the fight-or-flight response can help you identify when triggers are occurring. Once you are able to identify triggers, you will be able to manage the symptoms better using coping skills. This can help decrease the symptoms of PTSD and lead to a more enjoyable life. Volume 2 Issue 3 | Our Hometowns 15
