Post Traumatic Stress

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a chronic anxiety disorder as a result of a highly stressful, traumatic, distressing or terrifying event(s).

The type of events that can cause PTSD include:

• abuse (physical, sexual, verbal, emotional)
• neglect in childhood
• serious road traffic accidents
• being trapped in burning buildings
• violent crime (robbery, muggings)
• witnessing violent crime and death
• terrorist attacks
• military combat
• being held hostage
• natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, floods etc)
• suicide loss / complex grief

PTSD can develop immediately after experiencing a distressing event or it can occur weeks, months or even years later.

PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a highly traumatic experience.  The landscape of the brain determines whether the individual is more likely to develop PTSD.

When we experience a threat to life or safety, or we feel trapped, unable to escape or vulnerable in a situation, we can encode a trauma.  How we interpret internally what is happening (our subjective emotional experience), the perceived inescapability, the event itself, what this means to us and the change to the landscape of our brain, determines the level of traumatisation.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can have a significant impact on every day life.

For many people, the symptoms develop during the first month after a traumatic event. However, for some, symptoms may appear several months or even years after the initial trauma.

Sometimes, there can be long periods when PTSD symptoms are less noticeable, and other times when symptoms of PTSD appear to worsen.  For others, there is no varation and their PTSD symptoms appear constant.

Whilst symptoms can vary from person to person, below is a general overview:

A key symptom of PTSD is trying to avoid being reminded of the traumatic event. Generally avoiding certain places, people or triggers that are a reminder of the trauma, or avoiding talking to anyone about the traumatic experience.

Distraction is a common response to PTSD where the individual tries to push the memory or memories out of their mind and busy themselves in work, activities or hobbies.

With PTSD, some people try to not feel anything at all by suppressing their emotions. This is known as emotional numbing. A result of this can lead to the individual becoming withdrawn or isolating themselves, and they may stop doing activities they used to enjoy before the trauma.

Anxious states, unable to relax or switch off and always being alert are common symptoms in those with PTSD. Being constantly aware of perceived threats, feeling jumpy or easily startled can be very stressful in itself and can lead to emotional outbursts, trouble with sleeping, irritability, frustration and difficulty in concentrating or focusing.

Up until recently, clearing trauma would have taken years of counselling and therapy, and for many, talking about what happened would further reinforce the trauma creating an ongoing cycle of distress.

However, thanks to US Conventional Medical Doctor, Neuroscientist and Neuropharmacologist, Dr Ronald Ruden, there is an alternative.  Dr Ruden has spent more than a decade researching and developing a scientific yet gentle approach to healing emotional trauma so that not only can the individual heal faster but the emotional attachment is permanently removed, releasing the individual from daily emotional distressing memories. This approach also allows the individual to work ‘content free’ if they prefer, meaning there’s no lengthy talking in detail about what they experienced.

This new way is called The Havening Techniques and has the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives.

After you have experienced ‘Havening‘, your trauma or distressing memory will no longer be there or no longer be emotional.  Instead it will seem a distant thing in the past, fuzzy, blurry or further away so that you feel detached, safe, calmer, more in control and happier, and you will never be able to feel the same distress about that memory, experience or feeling ever again as the biological structure of the brain has been permanently altered.