Adaptogens are great and natural herbs and supplements to help one manage stress and anxiety. They are natural but still need to be utilized under care of a specialist due to the fact certain levels can be counter productive or mix poorly with other medications. Integrative Holistic Specialists can help one find the best herbal supplement for an individual when dealing with stress.
Adaptogens help individuals with stress. Please also review AIHCP’s Integrative and Holistic Health Specialist Program
The article, “What Are Adaptogens and Are They Healthy?” from Cleveland Clinic’s Healthessentials takes a closer look at a variety of adaptogens. The article states,
“Adaptogens can affect how much cortisol is released in your body when you’re stressed. Less cortisol can mean less of a physical stress reaction. As stress is connected to your nervous, endocrine and immune systems, it can cause physiological changes like an increased heart rate. Again, adaptogens can help how your body responds physically to stress.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Integrative and Holistic Specialist Program, as well as AIHCP’s Stress Management Program. The programs are online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Holistic Nurse or Stress Management Consultant.
Gaslighting is perhaps one of the most anger triggering strategy of someone. Whether in a relationship, politics, or in war, gaslighting purposely denies the obvious and repeats falsehoods. Any logical or sane individual will feel frustration when confronted with gas lighting. It is only human to become angry when one is surrounded by lies. It is important to properly be able to respond to gas lighting without losing one’s cool. This is the motive of the perpetrator and it is important not to become angry or misused in these cases.
Gaslighting is a form of abuse. Please also review AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Program and see if it meets your academic goals
The article, “How to Recognize & Respond to Gaslighting” by Michelle Brooten-Brooks takes a closer look at the nature of gaslighting and how to handle it. She states,
“Gaslighting is manipulative emotional and psychological abuse that causes a person to question their reality, memories, instincts, and, ultimately, their sanity. A person gaslights to obtain power and control, which are classic elements of abuse. Gaslighting often occurs in an intimate partner relationship. Read on to learn more about signs, examples, and types of gaslighting, how to respond, and how to get help.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Anger Management Consulting.
During recover from severe trauma, the person must be able to reconnect the dreadful event with his or her life story. The injured person must understand the event as a chapter that has meaning to one’s life and connect it to the present and how to cultivate the future.
As one progresses in their treatment of processing the traumatic memories, one will need to create future chapters that are not defined by the evil of the trauma, but are defined by growth from it. The present and future need to find happiness, meaning and self esteem in order to self sustain any recovery and help the person integrate back into society.
Individuals suffering from trauma and PTSD have a difficult time finding happiness, meaning and self esteem in their lives. Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Program and Grief Counseling Program
Happiness can be subjective in regards to what makes one smile, but at the most inner most level, it is universal. Happiness when misplaced in material things can never lead to true happiness, but values and beliefs and love and family can all have more long lasting meaning to sustaining happiness and leading one to it. One who has suffered severe trauma may have difficulty defining oneself or finding love and connection with the world, so it is important to understand how again to be happy. Obviously placing one’s faith in the most elements of happiness is critical. Far too many who even suffer no trauma, still choose false idols of happiness. They place their love in things over people, self over family, and in ideas that die with time instead of live eternally.
Some common traits of those who experience some relevance of true happiness can be found in those who possess a healthy self esteem and peace of mind. These individuals cultivate virtue and love within themselves and with others. They have healthier experiences with social interactions and bonds that form from these interactions. Most hold a belief in something greater than than themselves. Most find this in faith and religion, but any type of objective code that binds one beyond oneself, gives a person purpose and meaning.
Happy individuals usually also possess a mastery of their life. They have believable goals, moderate ambitions, and mastery of their schedule and how things are accomplished. They are not in chaos but order. Furthermore, they possess an optimistic outlook on life that is not always defined by success but by self and self worth. Unfortunately, like a thief in the night, grief and loss can occur. Even the happiest person can be robbed of everything, even beyond family, virtue and love. Grief is the price of love in this temporal world. With that truly happy individuals will deal with pain and sorrow and trauma but they will ultimately have the meaning and self esteem to guide themselves through the journey of grief and adapt and adjust to the loss.
Happy individuals are not always happy or content but they are not constantly dragged down with hate, blame, bitterness and helplessness. They may deal with trauma but eventually again find the light at the end of the tunnel. Some may require help but ultimately, their spirit may be hurt, but never killed.
Individuals who experience trauma or PTSD may not be able to find happiness in their life. They may not have the skills or the trauma was so great, it paralyzed their spirit. As those who experienced trauma reawaken, they need to work towards re-involvement into society and hobbies. They need to form and organize a plan. They need to stop worrying as much and become more optimistic and find value in life itself.
This centers around having meaning. Without meaning, something is useless. So it is imperative for those recovering from trauma to again find meaning to life. What meaning or direction can they decipher from the horrific event they witnessed or were apart of? How can this event give them meaning forward? How can the person move forward from it and do new things? Victor Frankyl during his days in the Nazi concentration camp found meaning in survival and a deeper sense of justice that would one day come. He found meaning in the smaller things that reflected goodness that existed among the evil.
A deep core to meaning usually involves having a commitment to something higher than oneself. Whether it be a philosophy, or a faith, one can anchor oneself despite any waves of the ocean of life. No matter what occurs, even it temporarily numbs, one is able to find course due to meaning. This moral compass can find true north in the most terrific storms. Many individuals are stripped of meaning at a young age because of trauma. They are unable to again find meaning.
It is important then to create self esteem. This may be difficult for someone who has been stripped of all dignity, but through therapy and work on self, one again can start to find value in oneself and separate oneself from the trauma. In finding self esteem, one can find meaning and happiness again.
Self esteem looks at value in self. It correlates with the numerous qualities that happy people experience. At its core, one sees intrinsic value in self, unconditional worth, the experience of love and growth in life.
Self esteem is realistic in self. It is based in truth, even in imperfections. It is appreciative of one’s good qualities and ignites positivity in oneself. It does not create a false arrogance or deception but sees all as equally beautiful in different ways.
Furthermore, self esteem is able to separate the value of one’s core from externals. Bad things that happen or mistakes are not the core of one’s soul. One may have had bad things accidentally occur, but that does not make oneself a bad person. Instead of “BECAUSE” of that, I am “THEREFORE ” this or that, the mind sees that “EVEN THOUGH” this occurred, “NEVERTHELESS” I am still me. The EVEN THOUGH/NEVERTHELESS logic separates someone from the incident. It does not make the person a product of the incident. This slight change of words creates an entirely different person.
Trauma victims need to cultivate self esteem. Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Program
Individuals with good self esteem are able to see their core self absent of bad events. They are able to truthfully see the bad and good, but not define oneself by any bad, but only work on the good. They are able to put this optimistic energy into change.
Again, when things go astray, they do not see these things as permanent but temporary. They do not define lack of success as themselves. They do not look to be better or less than anyone and they are more likely to see someone different due to position not necessarily more or less innate worth.
Trauma can destroy self worth. It can make one feel horrible one self and equate oneself to the trauma. One cannot differentiate between core and accidentals. One hence is always feeling less and inadequate. This can lead to competition with others, or fear of being in the open due to fear of failure. It can cause mistrust and bitterness and envy. It can force one to deny any meaning in life but trauma and the product of that trauma.
Happiness, meaning and self esteem are key to functioning individuals. Trauma can take it temporarily or permanently for some. It is important to anchor oneself to something more than the event. To anchor oneself even to something more than this world can ever take. We live in a valley of tears and bad things happen to good people, but there is good too and light that can be found. Those who are able to find meaning and self esteem and value in something greater are better able to navigate and cope with trauma during life.
Counselors can help others learn these skills and cultivate these values.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Program, as well as AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Program and Crisis Intervention Program. The programs are online and self paced and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Stress Management Consulting, Grief Counseling or Crisis Counseling.
SOURCE
The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing, Recovery and Growth by Glenn R. Schiraldi, PhD
Death and dying is part of life and living. Living well means also dying well. How one philosophically, mentally, emotionally and physically approaches the topic of death is critical to one’s final days. Dying can be very unique for different people. It can occur quickly or slowly but for all it will come and how we approach it and understand it is not only important for oneself but also our loved ones.
Please also review AIHCP’s Pastoral Thantology Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to individuals and qualified professionals interested in Pastoral Thanatology.
The 12 step program is a mile stone process in recovery from alcohol and drugs. It stems first from a voluntary intent to change and then the process of completing that transformation. This involves recovering a complete freedom from the substance and maintaining that freedom from it to change and even help others maintain that freedom from it. It always realizes that addiction is ever present and diligence is required. One cannot simply return to the former master and source of the addiction if one truly hopes to live a free life from it. Hence the process helps one maintain the necessary support and coping strategies to build an independence from the substance albeit addiction is always lurking to reclaim the person.
The 12 step program is about first the personal choice to admit a problem exists. Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Counseling Program
The article, “The 12 Steps of Addiction Recovery” by Michelle Pugle reviews the 12 steps and its importance in changing so many lives. Pugle gives some emphasis on the qualities of each step starting with admitting one has a problem to the intermediate steps of building self to to maintaining and preserving self to serve others. Serving others is the ultimate and last step and gives the person purpose beyond his or her own short fallings prior and encourages the person to help others find the same freedom. She states,
“Alcoholics Anonymous or AA is the original recovery program that brought the world the 12 steps of recovery. The 12 steps have since been applied to other substances and types of addictions in recovery programs like Marijuana Anonymous, Al-Anon and Alateen for loved ones of alcoholics, Codependents Anonymous for people stuck in toxic relationships, Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Workaholics Anonymous.”
“The 12 Steps of Addiction Recovery”. Michelle Pugle. April 12th, 2022. Verywellhealth.
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain—they change its structure and how it works. These changes alter the way the person behaves, thinks, and feels. People with addiction often have trouble quitting because of powerful cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. Most people with addiction need help to stop using; however, treatment can be effective.
12 Step Program
A 12 step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. In many cases, the 12 steps can be applied to a wide range of disorders, providing a framework for solving these issues. . The steps are designed to promote positive change in individuals struggling with addiction, and to support their continued sobriety. The 12 steps address issues such as powerlessness, denial, and isolation; they emphasize the importance of admitting one’s wrongs, making amends, and helping others who are still struggling. The original twelve steps were published in the book Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939
The first step of the 12 steps is admitting that one has a problem. This step is important because it allows individuals to begin the process of recovery and start to take responsibility for their actions. It is also a crucial step in developing a support system and seeking professional help.
The second step of the twelve steps is to come to believe that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity. This step requires us to have faith in something larger than ourselves, whether it be a higher power, the universe, or simply the belief that we are not alone. This step helps us to realize that we are not in control of everything and that there is something out there that can help us to overcome our addiction.
The third step of the twelve steps is to make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him. This is a critical step in the process because it requires us to surrender our ego and pride and admit that we are powerless over our addiction. Once we have made this decision, we can begin to work on Step four, which is taking a moral inventory of ourselves.
The fourth step in the twelve steps is to make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. This means that we need to take a look at our lives and examine our behaviors honestly and critically. This can be a difficult process, but it is essential in order to move forward on the journey of recovery.
The fifth step of the twelve steps is to admit to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. This step is important because it allows us to take responsibility for our actions and begin the process of change. By admitting our wrongs, we are able to start making amends and begin the journey to recovery.
The sixth step of the twelve steps is to become entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. This step requires a rigorous and honest self-examination in order to identify our shortcomings. Once we have identified our defects, we must then humbly admit them to God, ourselves, and another human being. This step is essential in our journey towards recovery as it allows us to let go of our ego and begin the process of healing.
The seventh step of the twelve steps is to humbly ask God, as you understand God, to remove your shortcomings. This is a critical step in the process because it requires individuals to take responsibility for their own actions and to seek help from a higher power in order to improve themselves. This step also helps individuals to develop a sense of humility and to realize that they are not perfect.
The eighth step of the twelve steps is to make a list of all the people you have harmed and become willing to make amends to them all. This is an important step in the process of recovery as it allows individuals to take responsibility for their past actions and begin to make things right with those they have hurt. By taking this step, individuals can start to repair relationships that may have been damaged by their addiction.
The ninth step of the twelve steps is to make amends with those we have harmed. This includes anyone we have harmed in any way, including emotionally, mentally, or physically. We must also try to make amends with those we have harmed even if they do not want us to or if they are deceased. This step helps us to take responsibility for our actions and to try to make things right with the people we have harmed.
The tenth step of the twelve steps is to continue to take personal inventory, and when we are wrong, promptly admit it. This step is important because it helps us to keep our egos in check and maintain our humility. By continuing to monitor our thoughts and actions, we can catch ourselves when we start to slip into old patterns of thinking and behaving. And by admitting our mistakes, we can learn from them and avoid repeating them in the future.
The eleventh step in the twelve-step program is to seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
The final step in the 12 steps is to carry the message of recovery to others who are still suffering. This is done by sharing one’s own experience, strength, and hope with others, and by serving as a role model of sobriety. In doing so, recovering addicts help to break the cycle of addiction and provide support and encouragement to those who are still struggling.
Conclusion
It is true that the program is very much theistic but those without religion can lay claim to a moral code that exists above them as a source of anchoring oneself to something more than oneself. The general concepts of admitting problems, acting on problems, taking accountability, apologizing to others, maintaining oneself and helping others are all critically important steps for anyone facing addiction.
Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Substance Abuse Counseling. Many individuals who work in the 12 step program may also find the certification as a benefit to help lead groups or help others through addiction. It can enhance resumes for this type of particular work with others facing addiction.
Additional Resources
“Drug treatment and 12-step program participation: The additive effects of integrated recovery activities”. RobertFiorentine Ph.D and Maureen PHillhouse Ph.D. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment Volume 18, Issue 1, January 2000, Pages 65-74. Access here
“Spirituality and recovery in 12-step programs: An empirical model”. MarcGalanter M.D. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment Volume 33, Issue 3, October 2007, Pages 265-272. Access here
“Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12‐step programs for alcohol use disorder”. John F Kelly Keith Humphreys Marica Ferri. March 11th, 2020. Cochrane Library. Access here
The science of addiction looks at how one goes from non use to habit to addiction. Addiction can be in many forms to multiple things from drugs and substances to even actions and various activities. It is important to never let one thing dominate one’s life and to always remain balanced and moderate in all actions.
The nature of addiction has multiple causes for different people. Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Counseling Certification
The article, “Why do we become addicted to things? Recognizing the top 10 most common addictions” by Dawn Jorgenson looks at the tops types of addiction and the addiction process. She states,
“As many people can probably guess, most of us aren’t born with an addiction, so how do people become addicted to something, anyway? The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says it happens gradually, but it always begins with experimentation. Experts say that when broken down, addiction is a mental disorder — a compulsive engagement with something that makes a person feel rewarded or happy, despite the fact that the experience can bring unfavorable consequences.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Substance Abuse Counseling.
Dreams are the subconscious mind actively sorting out things while the conscious mind sleeps. Dreams cover a wide variety of issues that the person deals with on a daily basis and helps resolve those issues. From a religious standpoint, some contend dreams can also be of a supernatural origin, but even within this theology, these would be rare circumstances. Science and psychology see dreams only as an internal response to external events while one sleeps.
Nightmares can have many symbolic monsters to interpret. Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Training
How one dreams and the symbols within those dreams can be confusing. Some dreams are less important in processing, while other dreams can become more persistent in regards to unresolved issues. The more trauma and intense, the more intense the pushback within the dream. In this intensity, sometimes dreams can take a darker path and become nightmares. Those who experience PTSD usually also experience intense nightmares regarding the event and at more common rate that the regular population. The more recent the event, the more detailed, while the more processed the trauma, the more symbolic the dream may become.
Unprocessed and walled off trauma that is dissociated manifests in dreams. Sometimes, these dreams will create a different outcome or they will push a certain theme. Various symbols in the dream can haunt a person. Monsters, shadows, danger, being chased, being punished, re-threatened, trapped, abused or other physical injuries can occur in these types of intense nightmares. Most nightmares occur in the rapid eye movement of sleep which is later in the night. They are created through the anxiety and fear associated with the trauma.
Until trauma is faced, these dreams will continue to haunt someone. It is hence very important to try to understand what the mind is trying to tell someone regarding the trauma. Counselors suggest confiding to others about one’s dreams. Relate the setting, what happened, how one felt and the various symbols within the dream. It is important to ask how one felt, if one felt helpless or felt fear or shame to better understand what the mind is trying to communicate. Analyze the dream and attempt to see what one’s mind is trying to sort out. Does it relate to the past trauma? Does it relate to how one acted? Does it relate to how one feels about the event? Various symbols within dreams usually have deeper meanings. The monsters themselves have meaning if one looks to analyze the dream.
For example, monsters or being chased or attacked, usually indicates one is running away from something in life itself or is afraid to face something. This is why it is common in PTSD. Individuals are terrified to face or confront the “monster”. It is important to understand who the monster is before oneself in the dream
Injuries, or wounds in a dream indicate a feeling of weakness or powerlessness in one’s life. This again is common for victims who feel they have lost all power in their lives due to the attacker.
Falling is closely associated with those who feel they have no control in their lives. They do not feel like they are in command within their personal or work life.
Being trapped is another common symbol that expresses the need to escape from a bad situation.
Whatever the type of dream and its symbol, it is important to access what it means to you
Some counselors suggest in addition to confiding to another about the dream to imagine the dream at its most intense moment and relate, “It is just a dream”. Understand that it has no power over oneself. It is good to remind oneself before bed in this regard.
Those suffering PTSD experience more nightmares. Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals
Also consider confronting the monsters in one’s dream. While awake, ask what do these monsters want? You can also confront the dream by creating an alter ending. Write or draw and discuss the new ending and see if it has any result. Dreams change as one better copes. Coping and facing trauma will indirectly affect one’s subconscious mind and help one process dissociated material that may be haunting one while one sleeps.
Before sleep, also practice deeper breathing and meditation, as well as Progressive Deep Muscle Relaxation strategies.
Dreams are what dominate one’s mind during sleep. When one is experiencing PTSD, the trauma will find a way to be expressed and sometimes dreams are the only outlet until one chooses to cope and deal with the issue itself. Learning to cope with PTSD, especially through dream management is critical to overcoming PTSD and helping the subconscious mind properly store the memory.
If you would like to learn more about Stress Management Training, then please review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Stress Management.
PTSD has numerous triggers. Hyperarousal is the brains reactions to those triggers. Individuals respond to scent, sounds, memories, visuals or even touch that tap into the dissociated mental material of trauma. This can send the person into a flash back or even into a violent rage. It is very dangerous for them as well as for others. It is important to identify triggers and learn how to cope with hyperarousal and manage it. Once the trauma is properly processed, these issues become less of an issue and eventually healing begins.
Individuals suffering from PTSD exhibit hyperarousal. Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Program
The article, “What Is Hyperarousal in PTSD?” by Christopher Bergland takes a closer look at hyperarousal within PTSD. He states,
“Hyperarousal keeps the body and mind constantly “on guard,” which makes it hard to go about daily life. Chronically heightened states of arousal are perpetuated by the fight-or-flight branch of the autonomic nervous system. This article discusses the causes, symptoms, and treatment for hyperarousal that occurs with PTSD.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Stress Management Consulting.
The Spiritual Exercises by St Ignatius Loyola is a classic for any Christian interested in spirituality. It delves deep into Christian meditation and creating a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The exercises are in themselves Christocentric and focus on the life of a Christ as a starting point into deeper reflection about oneself and one’s relationship with Christ. Choosing the banner of Christ is critical in the exercises.
St Ignatius uses many battle analogies in choosing this banner. The exercises are also important for spiritual development and also helping others guide others through difficult spiritual troubles.
Please also review AIHCP’s Christian Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Christian Counseling.
Many individuals deal with depression on a daily basis. They may not even know they are depressed and push through life. High functioning depression does not leave one bed ridden but parasitically wears the individual down on a daily basis. Like most depression, it may not have an acute reason or loss but merely manifests due to family history or past unresolved trauma. One however continues to function within society and fulfill social obligations.
Many individuals are depressed yet still high functioning. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training
The article, “Understanding High-Functioning Depression” by Sean Glover takes a closer look at High Functioning Depression. He states,
“High-functioning depression, also referred to as dysthymia, can be hard to spot. It doesn’t look like stereotypical depression. Unlike major depressive episodes, which are intense, debilitating, and time-limited, high-functioning depression is low-level, chronic, and doesn’t have a clear trigger. Its very existence can feel maddening.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The courses and program are independent study and online and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.
