PTSD Answers to Common Questions

PTSD: Answers to Common Questions

Some scars scream in silence—that is PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). It’s no drama; it’s not a phase. PTSD is as real as any other mental health condition. What was studied centuries ago as a common issue among soldiers surviving brutal conditions in a war or in the army is more common today with civilians too, than we know.

About 5 in every 100 adults in the USA have PTSD, as recorded in any given year. As per 2020 reports, over 13 million people in the USA were battling PTSD. With such alarming numbers, the past decade has seen a shift in the way PTSD is managed.

Researchers, healthcare practitioners, and people have shown significant interest in combining natural and functional ways, like mind-body therapies—art therapy, nutrition, exercise, etc.—and traditional medications to cure, rather reverse, PTSD by healing its root causes. Today, we take a deep dive into understanding how to manage PTSD with Integrative Medicine, so you heal from within.

Facts About PTSD - More Than You Know

PTSD is a mental health condition that can impact somebody who has survived a traumatic experience—something really scary, shocking, or upsetting—like a car crash, violence, a natural disaster, or the sudden loss of a loved one.

In usual circumstances, our bodies initiate the ‘fight-or-flight’ state during and soon after the incident. Our heart accelerates, we remain vigilant, and stress hormones activate to help us survive. When these feelings persist for days after the incident with no apparent immediate trigger, it can be termed as PTSD.

PTSD can show up soon after the incident or months later. Symptoms of PTSD may include:

• Flashbacks of the incident.

• Reliving traumatic experiences.

• Staying wary of people, places, and objects that may trigger memories of the trauma.

• Vivid nightmares about the incident.

• Poor sleep quality—trouble falling asleep.

• Feeling on the edge all the time.

• The feeling of impending doom.

• Jumpscares and night sweats.

• Trouble focusing on work and personal life.

• Staying spaced out most of the time.

• Finding it hard to relax and calm down.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funds several research studies and clinical trials to focus on specific PTSD symptoms, why their severity varies among people who have experienced the same trauma, and how to recover naturally without 100% medication dependency.

This is driven by the wide prevalence of PTSD today, bringing us to question if PTSD remains a war aftermath or has a murkier, widespread prevalence.

Is PTSD Confined to the Military? Or Is There More to It?

War veterans are more likely to have PTSD than civilians, no doubt. In that, veterans deployed in war zones are more vulnerable to PTSD than other military personnel. Yet, PTSD in modern times has engulfed a lot of the non-military world population.

With a higher predilection for women, 8% of the women in the USA go through PTSD at some point in their lives. This is partly because women are more likely than men to endure traumatic experiences such as sexual assault.

Here are the non-military causes of PTSD:

• Childhood abuse

• Sexual assault

• Physical assault in public, at home

• Abuse as an adult

• Road traffic accident

• Surviving natural calamities

• Terror attacks

• Military violence

• Sudden demise of a loved one

• Experiencing unexpected losses.

The other less-understood influences on PTSD have been quite the subject of study today. This includes your genetics, family history of mental health issues, physiology, gut health, and more.

This makes PTSD more multifaceted than we know, demanding therapies that are personalized and focused on taming one’s physiology and psychology without excessive dependency on medicines.

What Treatments Work Best for PTSD?

Traditional medicine for PTSD has been around for years, treating PTSD as it appears—the symptoms—essentially. Grounded in empirical psychotherapies and medications, Conventional medicine often misses the human element in mental health conditions.

In PTSD, understanding you as a person who reacts and adapts differently to different situations is critical.

This marks the start of all the recent noise around Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) practices. One study evaluated the use of CIH specifically in the treatment of PTSD symptoms. In a nationally representative sample, 39% of those with PTSD reported using CIH to address self-identified emotional and mental health difficulties.

Thus, instead of alternative treatments that completely replace mainstream PTSD care protocols, CIH acts as an adjunct and supplements the ‘cognitive–behavioural trauma-focused treatments’ as offered in conventional medicine.

Naturopathy, Nutrition, And Everything In-Between - How Integrative Medicine Helps Treat PTSD

First, Integrative medicine for PTSD starts with a detailed history of events and symptoms from the one battling the trauma and the people around them.

The Tests: This follows certain specific tests to confirm PTSD as a health issue; they are:

• Cortisol testing: High cortisol profiles, especially in women, may signal the presence and intensity of PTSD. Managing cortisol is crucial, as imbalances can worsen stress, disturb sleep, and harm overall health.

• Neurotransmitter (brain chemical and messengers) testing: Amongst them, chemicals such as serotonin and norepinephrine affect mood, anxiety, and stress.

• Sleep and stress hormone evaluation: The DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) checks hormone levels, including melatonin and cortisol. People with PTSD may have lower melatonin at night, leading to poor sleep. High cortisol, as mentioned before, contributes to PTSD symptoms.

• Gut health: Studies have linked gut dysbiosis—imbalanced good and bad bacteria—and related inflammation to initiating altered immune responses in the body. This can be a developing and maintenance factor for PTSD. 

Trauma can disrupt gut bacteria, leading to reduced serotonin production and increased gut inflammation, both of which can worsen mood and trigger depressive symptoms. It affects digestion, hormone balance, and the body's stress response. 

Thus, integrative medicine focuses largely on nutrient-dense foods that positively impact mental health. This may  include:

• Prebiotics and probiotics.

• Vitamin B-rich foods like whole grains, eggs, citrus fruits, etc.

• Magnesium-rich nuts and dried fruits.

• Short-chain fatty acids (SFA)

Having said that, nutrition therapy in Integrative Medicine takes a step further. It advocates eating all nutrient-dense foods, or supplements, as a part of a larger balanced diet, in the right combinations and the right order and portion size. 

Therapies and behavioral interventions: These help unearth the underlying causes and alleviate the symptoms of PTSD.

Trauma-focused therapies like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), exposure therapy, and EMDR are proven to be the most effective treatments for PTSD. Studies show that prolonged exposure therapy improved PTSD symptoms and reduced relapse in 66% of a cohort of patients with PTSD, highlighting its efficacy.

Acupuncture, the art of using specific needle pressure on acupoints in the body, has also shown effective management of PTSD when combined with focused therapies like CBT. The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol is a well-known therapy method for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, NADA is known to balance the body's energy flow, help with relaxation, ease anxiety, cut down on cravings, and improve overall health.

Aside from this, yoga, mindfulness meditation, and a disciplined lifestyle can help combat PTSD and its physical repercussions. It reduces oxidative stress, boosts blood lipid profile, stops bone loss, and improves mood, sleep, cognitive performance, and emotional management.

Is it Possible to Fully Recover From PTSD?

Yes. Why not!

Just that the path to recovery from PTSD is not very simple and demands discipline. With integrative medicine, this path now feels more natural and organic.

At the start, it is normal to feel overwhelmed, experience the loss of control as though the therapies are moving too fast, and lose trust. That’s where our team of Integrative Medicine practitioners with years of experience in diverse mental health conditions in different age groups and backgrounds plays a key role.

How We Can Help in Treating PTSD

Traumatic events are always difficult to come to terms with. Confronting and understanding your feelings with the help of the right healthcare professional is key. Integrative Medicine in PTSD has been much in the spotlight in the last decade, and for the right reasons. With personalized concepts and techniques based on healing you from within, it can truly reverse PTSD with time.

If you or a loved one is battling PTSD or similar mental health issues, connect with us to learn more about how best to support them. Feel free to schedule an appointment or call us on +1 866-362-4246 to learn more.