How do you overcome PTSD?

For me, PTSD is not something that I overcome. It's not the flu, it's not a headache, and it's not going away. Probably ever. And that might sound scary, but it's not as grim as all of that. For me, it's about becoming the master of my experiences. I am the one in control, I am the one driving the car, and yes, the car is always going to have that annoying scrape on the right door, but that doesn't mean that the car doesn't run perfectly fine. Having PTSD is a lifelong game of whack-a-mole, it'll pop up when you don't expect it, and sometimes you just have to deal with that. What you have to know is that life goes on, you'll go on, you'll keep waking up in the morning and you'll keep drinking water and you'll keep feeling sunshine on your skin and you'll keep stubbing your toe on the annoying end table... and you'll keep having PTSD, and you'll keep living. To me, living in the face of my trauma is empowering, the trauma is part of me now and to overcome it would be to attempt to overcome a part of myself, a part of myself that I learned from, a part of myself that I have compassion for. I don't want to overcome that part of myself, I want to live in harmony with it.

There are many options available to you as you work on your journey to overcome and/or live with PTSD. These options are all your choice, as you are truly the expert on you. Ideas that I would share could be any or a combination of therapy, meditation, mindfulness, and being gentle with yourself. I am confident that there are many other options available to you, and you might want to consider working with a Doctor as well. IF you have a Doctor you work well with they can often times, in my experience, be a great resource to you in any number of various situations you might encounter, including PTSD.

I don't think there is anyway to really "overcome" PTSD but i think there is ways to help cope and make it not as bad :)

I had to work with a therapist to talk out what it was that had me trapped. With a mixture of meds and therapy I was able to get over it. There are some new exciting therapies including EMDR that are available for you to get to the core of what is hurting you. My suggestion is start now and let the healing begin.

EMDR seemed to have the best results as well as taking very little time in comparison to lengthy talk therapy.

I'm not sure on what the official answer is. My process is just taking each day one day at a time, and working towards looking forwards rather than backwards. Sometimes the help of a therapist or medication can be needed, and that's perfectly fine. Every person recovers differently; just know that no one is "strong enough" to do it alone or quickly.

When I'm experiencing anxiety symptoms from PTSD, I first remove myself from the trigger (aka, whatever is upsetting me at the time), and then I focus on taking care of my physical senses. I take care of my physical senses by changing things in my environment to make myself more comfortable. If I feel calmer in the dark, I might close my eyes or turn off the lights. I might use a weighted blanket or layer some heavy blankets over me to make me feel safe. Lighting a scented candle, putting in ear plugs, or listening to music are also things that can make me feel better, depending on my needs at the moment. Sometimes I want a distraction, and sometimes I want to block everything out. Noticing what makes me feel good when I am not distressed is also helpful, because then I am better prepared in a stressful situation and can respond without having to focus too much.

After a traumatic experience, it's normal to feel frightened, sad, anxious, and disconnected. But if the upset doesn't fade and you feel stuck with a constant sense of danger and painful memories, you may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can seem like you'll never get over what happened or feel normal again. But by seeking treatment, reaching out for support, and developing new coping skills, you can overcome PTSD and move on with your life.