The importance of having a strong support system in our lives

 

We all know the importance of having a strong support system in our lives. From helping us through tough times to simply being there to listen, having people who care about us can greatly impact our mental well-being. This is especially true for those who have experienced trauma. Recent studies have shown that social support not only helps individuals cope with difficult events, but also plays a crucial role in promoting mental wellness and protecting against distress.

There are three main types of social support

Emotional support involves providing trust, empathy, love, and care for the person seeking help. This type of support can help individuals feel less alone and improve their overall sense of well-being.

Instrumental support, on the other hand, involves providing practical assistance. This can include financial aid or help with daily tasks, which may be essential for those with immediate needs. Studies have shown that instrumental support is associated with a lower risk of suicide death. 

Informational support involves offering advice and guidance. This can help individuals make informed decisions and access appropriate resources for coping with their trauma.

Research has shown that individuals with larger social networks and those who feel supported experience less negative reactivity to stressors and have better mental health overall. This supports the "stress-buffering hypothesis," which suggests that social support acts as a shield against stress and provides valuable coping resources after experiencing trauma.

Whether it's from a romantic partner, family member, close friend, or support group, having reliable and effective social support is crucial for our overall well-being. 

So don't underestimate the power of these relationships - especially during challenging times. 

Prioritize them and lean on them when needed; they could make all the difference in your journey towards better mental health.

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Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

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“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

New Year New Healing for PTSD

 

A new year is almost here, and you might be thinking this is the time to get help for your PTSD. 

That's great! 

Let's talk about how to get help.

You may have heard some advice from others on how to handle your PTSD symptoms, but it might not have been very helpful. Most people don't mean any harm when they suggest things like "just exercise more" or "cut out gluten", but these are usually just their personal opinions or experiences, not actual solutions based on science.

Even blogs and books can be just someone's opinion. According to a study, there are 5,000 self-help books published every year, but only 5% of them have any research backing up their effectiveness. So how do we know what will actually work and what is just a random idea?

That's where Evidence Based Treatments come in.

Evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are based on peer-reviewed scientific evidence. This means that researchers have conducted rigorous studies using scientific methods, documented their extensive research in peer-reviewed publications (such as medical journals), and then other researchers conduct additional scientific studies to see if the treatment is, in fact, successful. 

There are three EBTs approved by the VA for treatment of PTSD at this time: Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - and the data are clear: they work. There are other EBTs for PTSD, but, because these three are supported by the VA, they tend to be widely available. Moreover, the data indicate that they work for the long-haul. 

While exercising more and eating better is always a good idea, when it comes to beating your PTSD symptoms, EBTs are proven to work and they do so in about 12 sessions.  

Don't give up - get smart. You know "you” better than any treatment team and you deserve your breakthrough. Start your research journey and ask your treatment team for smart solutions. We can find an EBT provider through the Strong Star Provider Network at University of Texas Health Science Center or even through Psychology Today or Google. 

Have you tried an EBT? What worked for you? We value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Time for Our Annual Holiday Boundaries Pep Talk!

 

Okay, Team - here we go! It's our annual boundaries pep talk (because homicide is illegal). To protect our self-worth (and stave off any jail time), let's get back to square one: 

Toxic relationships are like poison to our well-being, and setting boundaries is the antidote. Boundaries serve as a way for us to communicate what is acceptable or unacceptable in our lives. However, for those who have experienced trauma, this can be a difficult task. Trauma can leave us feeling vulnerable and questioning our self-worth, leading us to fall back on unhealthy coping mechanisms or people-pleasing behaviors to avoid conflict.

But establishing healthy boundaries is an act of self-respect. It sends a clear message to ourselves and others that we deserve to be treated with honor, respect, and value. Boundaries also demonstrate confidence. Since confidence is often one of the casualties of PTSD, we have to relearn (or maybe learn for the first time) how to make a healthy, reasonable boundary, how to maintain it, and what to do if someone chooses to ignore it.  

Making healthy boundaries seems like it should be easy and intuitive, but it definitely is not. Let’s start here: 

Ground Rules

1. Healthy boundaries make healthy relationships.

Boundaries are essential in any healthy relationship, whether it's between spouses, friends, coworkers, or parents and children. They communicate that one deserves to be treated with honor, respect, and value, which is crucial for maintaining healthy interpersonal connections.

2. People do not know our boundaries unless we state them clearly and succinctly. 

Yes, in a perfect world, people “should” know how to act, but, let’s be real, not everyone is great at adulting. Some people don’t know that racist comments are not okay. Some people don’t understand that unsolicited touching is creepy. Let’s not waste time getting mad about what “should be.” Instead, let’s remember that half the people we meet are below average and common sense is not common. Boundaries are not intuitive. We must state our boundaries clearly and concisely - out loud - to other people. 

3. Reasonable people respect reasonable boundaries. 

The inherent problem with this is that not all people are reasonable. Sad news of the day: the world is full of psychopaths and assholes. When people choose to ignore reasonable boundaries, they are sometimes the former and usually the latter. The problem is not our boundary, it is their choice. 

4. Our boundaries, their choice. 

We create healthy boundaries, and we have absolutely no control over other people or how they act. When we state our healthy boundaries - out loud - clearly and concisely, other people then choose whether they want to respect our boundaries or not. If they choose to respect the boundary, great. If not, then we know this is not a healthy interpersonal connection to maintain.

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD