Beautiful Lives by Susan

Post-traumatic Stress Self-help Advocate

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Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

Let It Go; What does that mean?

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Let it go! What does that mean? It seems to be a catch-all for unanswerable questions that come up in therapeutic settings. It’s also a cop-out people use casually when they don’t want to address the issue at hand. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told, “just let it go!” Ok! Poof! Magic! 🔮

Just let it go!

Let it go from Frozen

I’m so sorry. It doesn’t work that way. When we heal from PTSS, the process to ‘just let it go’ is a serious matter and it is not easy. It takes diligent effort through whatever tools are available to the victim to be able to finally ‘let it go’.

Live in the Solution

Once we realize that there is a solution to something that has plagued us our entire life, we are often in such bad shape that we could not possibly do this alone without assistance from techniques, books, or professionals. So, we then step forward and decide to seek out the tools necessary to help us move forward in our journey.

Jack Kornfield Quote

Some of the tools to accomplish this task are regular meditation, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), toxins elimination from our diets, holistic health habits, and one of my favorites; we take care of ourselves first so that we can be of service to others who still suffer.

Getting Past Your Past, Francine Shapiro, PhD

A Great Visual

I use an amazing visual that has helped me tremendously when I participate in EMDR therapy. When I watch the side-to-side motion, I visualize that there is a super high-speed train off to my side that is running from the front of me to the back of me and it is filled with the sore emotions of a past experience.

These experiences are rushed past me and go back, back, back into the past and eventually dissipate back into the energy of the universe to be swallowed up and re-energized as a warm, beautiful, light that heals all it touches.

Old Past Memories
Old Past Memories

Although I’ve spelled out my thoughts in detail for you, please note that this visualization takes place in nanoseconds as I experience the back and forth motions in front of me. And, this is my personal version of ‘let it go’. It is immensely effective for me so I sincerely hope it helps you as well. I don’t forget anything that happened to me. But after use of this technique, the intense pain and harsh emotions around the event are gone.

Change the Memories

“Changing the memories that form the way we see ourselves also changes the way we view others. Therefore, our relationships, job performance, what we are willing to do or are able to resist, all move in a positive direction.”
― Francine Shapiro, Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy

So, at least for someone with PTSS, I believe I’ve explained a bit of what it means to ‘let it go’. It enables me to erase the pain and move forward with a lighter step in my day and just a little bit more sunshine and happiness. I sincerely hope this helps you learn to let go of the pain and misery of your past.

Thank you for reading this blog. It means so much to me to share my thoughts, beliefs, and feelings with my readers. If anything I write about resonates with you, kindly contact me via Messenger.

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Feel Better Fast; 10 Easy Ways

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Do you want to feel better faster after an event that leaves you reeling? How do you get relief from sudden anxiety? I struggle with this on a regular basis and have necessarily sought out ways to relieve this and feel better faster than if I “pop a pill” or “drink a glass of wine”. There are so many immediate and short-range techniques to help us in our daily struggles. Here are 10 ways to feel better that are healthy, available, and effective.

Ways to ‘Feel Better’ Easily

Feel better woman in sunshine

Since I began my journey to heal from trauma, I’ve kept my eyes and ears open to new information. With this list, it is my hope that you will find something you can use to help you. Remember, it’s all about #Balance! This is my current list of favorite items you may have readily available or can purchase at a low cost that fits most budgets.

1. Get plenty of sunshine and fresh air

Work in the yard or go for walks every morning at the same time to get that fresh air to start your day right. I live in the Western side of Oregon where it rains A-LOT. Have you heard the term “Oregon sunshine”? Translated from Oregonian to English, it means “rain”. So, it’s very easy to procrastinate going outside as I get older which makes it even more important that I walk to feel better.

2. Eat more raw vegetables

Fresh green onions

Image Source

This won’t be a problem for vegetable lovers, but if you’re not – start experimenting by eating one raw vegetable per day. I find that if I eat one raw vegetable per day, it makes a huge improvement in how my days go.

Switch out the potato chips for lightly salted celery sticks (my grandson and I had some last weekend which we both enjoyed). I was talking to my grandson this past weekend and reminiscing about the fresh cut fresh vegetables that we had on our table each evening when I was young. This includes radishes, green onions, and yup, celery sticks.

My Great Aunt Madge and Uncle Jack still used the little salt dishes placed above the dinner plate to dip their fresh vegys into before eating.

3. Get Rid of the American Table Salt

Himalayan pink salt

Himilania Fine Pink Salt

Replace it with Himalayan and Sea salt. I like to mix mine together – I buy them at Winco in bulk – very inexpensive.

Salt is an essential nutrient that our bodies cannot do without. Additionally, sea salts contain a good deal of beneficial minerals whereas standard table salt is chemically altered to become a substance that your body no longer readily recognizes as salt.

via lifestyle dynamics

Ancient Fine Sea Salt

4. Avoid Processed Food

When you shop – stick to the outside isles – almost everything else is processed carbs and gluten. I don’t even buy canned food anymore. Frozen vegetables are inexpensive and loaded with fresh, live, vitamins. Frozen foods are sometimes better than the fresh because with food being shipped from South America and other places, we don’t know what we’re getting. But, the good news is, most packing plants that freeze food do it when the food is fresh. So, it’s perfectly ok to use frozen vegetables for your healthy diet. Of course, it’s always best to grow your own or visit a farmer’s market for local, fresh food. But, when that’s not possible – head for the frozen food section for the next best thing!

10 super easy ways you can choose to feel better now and over time
10 super easy ways you can choose to feel better now and over time

5. Eliminate Gluten from your Diet

If you follow step 5, up to 90% of the gluten will naturally be eliminated from your diet. But I know it’s hard, especially the snack food that we enjoy while we watch movies. That’s what really gets to me. Gluten, better known as wheat, when digested, soaks up all the good nutrients in your body and leaves you weak and tired. Grains are fillers and absorbents of vitamins. They are not good for the human body and they do not make you feel better, moreover, they make you sick.

6. Stop Eating Dairy Products

The human body does not need cow milk after the age of two or three. However, butter (by itself) is actually on the Paleo diet for scientific reasons that I will refer to Dr. Axe to explain.  Dr. Axe, Grass fed butter nutrition.

I didn’t grow up with poor eating habits and outside of potato chips, carb snacks were not really consumed much in our family. We ate good, fresh, largely home-grown food that included vegetables, fruits, and wild meat so the Paleo diet came rather easily for me.

7. Burn Incense or Essential Oils

Image Source

You can also use a pleasant room spray with lavender. My favorite is Glade Lavender/Peach. You’d be so surprised how relaxing a spray in the bedroom is just before bedtime. I open windows regularly to let my rooms air out – nothing better than fresh air, but also it serves to clear out toxins from animal odors and room sprays. I don’t recommend using the sprays when something else is available but it’s better than nothing in a pinch to help you feel better.

What I strongly recommend is cleansing your space by burning sage sticks. Did you know that in addition to the traditional spiritual cleansing that has long been associated with sage, science has proven that it clears the air around us of bacteria?

Below is the sage product I last ordered from Amazon. I found these sticks to be of high quality in that they are tightly wound and do not easily fall apart. The sage is fresh smelling and ready to use. Three sticks last me about 3 months with daily use.

Sage Sticks

8. Plug in the Himalayan Salt Lamps

Use your Himalayan salt lamps 24/7 and get one for work if you work out of the home. The benefits of salt lamps is that the negative salt ions released by the lamp heat is known to energize blood flow, help you sleep, increase levels of serotonin in your brain, and reduce allergy or asthma symptoms. This is the pretty heart-shaped Himalayan salt lamp I have in my home.

Heart shape pink Himalayan salt lamp

9. Enjoy the Fragrance of a Diffuser

Run a diffuser with your favorite scent in your home and at work. I use Amber, Vanilla, and Jasmine. It’s a combination I’ve been attracted to my entire adult life and it makes me feel good. You will find your own combinations or you can use mine in the meantime. When I walk in the room its fragrance makes me feel warm and pleasant.

I recently learned that if I add Ylang-ylang to the Amber, Vanilla, and Jasmine, I will have the equivalent of the Ciara by Revlon – a fragrance I used to wear many years ago. This is the difusser I have in my home. I run it 24/7 and love to watch the soft, soothing colors fade in and out.

Inno gear diffuser with light and mist

10. Take Your Vitamins!

While food as a supplement is my first choice, I still take supplements. I take a wide range of supplements but start first with bone broth. You can make your own so easily but this is my favorite product that combines several different bone broths from organic sources.

Dr Axe Multi Collagen Protein

Get your system in place and stick to it. Don’t worry if you don’t stick to it 100% – I doubt seriously if most people do, but the more we incorporate these nice tactics into our lives, the better our quality of life is.

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PTSS is Quietly Killing Firefighters

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Firefighters are often at risk for PTSS. Much like war or rape, a live wild fire is shocking, life-threatening, unrelenting, and the damage is permanent. This puts firefighters at a high risk for PTSS. This begs the opportunity to speak about this specialized population and how the stress of their work environment puts them at high risk for Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome.

Firefighters; At Risk for PTSS

As I am not an authority on firefighters as a topic. However, I searched the internet for information related to this issue that has recently come into my awareness as an example of industry-related or job-related PTSS.

Firefighters

Stigma Stops Help

Like mental health issues in general, people exposed to trauma in their work place often do not come forward to ask for help and are hampered by the continued stigma surrounding mental health.

Because of this continued stigma, there are many people who suffer in silence and are afraid to ask for help for fear of reprisal. No, they probably won’t get fired, but reprisal comes in many forms.

Fear of Reprisal

Reprisal can come in the form of fellow work mates responding differently, management not offering promotions, fellow work mates being non-responsive when trying to engage in conversation, humiliating innuendos in public settings, etc.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and other mental illnesses are not signs of weak or immoral firefighters; they are job-related illnesses that require treatment.  VIA firerescue1.com

Risk Factors for PTSD [sic] among Firefighters

A few studies have also looked at what factors might put firefighters at greater risk for the development of PTSD. A number of risk factors for PTSD among firefighters have been identified. These include:

  • Being previously in treatment for another disorder.
  • Starting work as a firefighter at a younger age.
  • Being unmarried
  • Holding a supervisory rank in the fire service.
  • Proximity to death during a traumatic event.
  • Experiencing feelings of fear and horror during a traumatic event.
  • Experiencing another stressful event (for example, loss of a loved one) after a traumatic event.
  • Holding negative beliefs about oneself (for example, feeling as though you are inadequate or weak).
  • Feeling as though you have little control over your life.
  • Hostility.

VIA Very Well

Conclusion

My heart and prayers go out to every human, animal and plant involved in these fires across the Western United States this summer.  This includes those of us who have enjoyed the beautiful forests, rivers, mountains and valleys as an intimate environment in our lives. May we live to see these natural wonders of Oregon revived for our children and our children’s children to love and enjoy as much as we did.

I’m not a doctor nor a therapist. I derive my thoughts and feelings from my own experience, what I read, and the world that is evolving around me. For this reason, it is very important to me to know what other people think and feel. If you identify with my experience or if you have comments or questions – whatever – let me know.

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