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Integrative Therapies for PTSD

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Integrative Therapies for PTSD Empty Integrative Therapies for PTSD

Post by Tee Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:31 pm


By Jingduan Yang, M.D.Created: Sep 5, 2011Last Updated: Sep 5, 2011

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that some people suffer after seeing or living through dangerous events that generate fear. This fear triggers fight-or-flight responses to defend against the danger or to avoid it.

In PTSD, this reaction is generalized and sustained. As a result, people who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger.

People with PTSD may have the following symptoms:

• Flashbacks: reliving the trauma repeatedly, including physical symptoms such as a racing heart, sweating, nightmares, and frightening thoughts. Anything that reminds a person of the event, such as thoughts, words, objects, or similar situations can trigger these flashbacks.

• Avoidance: avoiding places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience; feeling emotionally numb; a strong sense of guilt; depression; worry; losing interests in previously enjoyed activities; and having trouble recalling the dangerous event or trauma.

• Hyperarousal: being easily startled, feeling tense or anxious, having difficulty sleeping, or having angry outbursts.

Children living with abusive parents or family members, adults living with abusive spouses or partners, or those working in abusive environments can also develop PTSD. Children perceive danger very differently from adults. Due to their sensitivity, children are more vulnerable to traumatic experiences.

Many people with PTSD also have more physical health problems of the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems.

Traditional Chinese medicine has the capacity of viewing the human body at its energy level. This form of medicine developed the meridian system, also called Jing-Lo.

There are 14 regular meridians and 8 extraordinary meridians that are responsible for optimal mental and physical functioning. Each meridian system centers in specific organs, has a specific distribution, and is in charge of specific physical and mental functions. As an energy system, meridians are very sensitive to emotional distress, and each meridian system is particularly sensitive to specific emotions.

For example, the kidney-bladder meridians are very sensitive to danger and generate fear. When danger is present, the physical functions of the kidney and bladder meridians will suffer.

The patient will experience pain in the large bones like the lower back, hips, and knees as well as dysfunction in the brain, poor production of blood, sexual dysfunction, and compromised fertility. Early-morning diarrhea and poor bladder control can also be seen.

When people have been repetitively traumatized, anger and resentment accumulate. These emotions primarily affect the liver and gallbladder meridians. As a result, symptoms may appear such as chest pain, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, neck and shoulder pain and spasm, premenstrual syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), uterine fibroids, and breast tumors.

Patients may also suffer from anger outbursts, depression, or panic attacks, and have trouble planning and making decisions.

The above disorders occur at not only the physical level but also at the energy level. The energetic level is most affected, and this results in both physical and mental abnormalities. Therefore, interventions targeting the energy level are needed. In other words, the therapy needs to reach not only the heart and the gut but also the mind.
An integrative approach is required to adequately treat people with PTSD.

First, we need to clearly identify and diagnose the condition and recognize its primary causes through a thorough evaluation.

Second, a trusting therapeutic relationship between the treating physician and the patient has to be established.

Third, any cognitive distortion and maladaptive behaviors have to be recognized and corrected using cognitive behavior therapy.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/health/integrative-therapies-for-ptsd-61184.html
Tee
Tee
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