Handling Trauma and PTSD Related to the Holidays
Saint Francis of Assisi famously said, “For it is in giving that we receive.” The holidays are about thinking of those we love and giving without the intention of receiving. It is meant to be a time of joy and laughter. Yet, many people struggle around the holidays. This is especially true for individuals who struggle with trauma and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). Trauma and PTSD can make the holidays the hardest time of the year, but they don’t have to. There are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can bring joy and love back into the holidays for those who thought this was no longer possible.
Better Understanding Trauma
Trauma is often misunderstood until defined. As the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychiatry states, “Traumatic events involve the confrontation with war, violence, disasters, sudden loss, serious illness, and other overwhelming and disturbing events. According to the psychiatric classifications [of the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (ICD-11) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5)], a traumatic event is defined as the exposure to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. Phenomenologically such an event can be characterized by an extreme sense of powerlessness as well as a disruption of beliefs and expectations.”
Trauma is also much more common than many people may understand and has no “boundaries” as to who it affects. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Trauma has no boundaries regarding age, gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Trauma is a common experience for adults and children in American communities, and it is especially common in the lives of people with mental and substance use disorders. For this reason, the need to address trauma is increasingly seen as an important part of effective behavioral health care and an integral part of the healing and recovery process.” PTSD is also an illness that does not discriminate.
Better Understanding PTSD
PTSD begins with trauma but manifests into something more long-term. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event… Fear is a part of the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ response, which helps us avoid or respond to potential danger…. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD.”
PTSD also affects millions of people every day. This includes individuals who are unaware that they are even struggling with trauma because it has been buried deep down. Because of this, being able to spot the signs and symptoms of trauma and PTSD can be so critical.
The Signs and Symptoms of Trauma and PTSD
The reality is that trauma and PTSD are going to manifest differently based on the individual. However, there are many universal signs and symptoms that one may be struggling. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Being overly nervous, anxious, or stressed out
- Feeling hopeless, helpless, and worthless
- Struggling with depression
- Using alcohol and substances as a coping mechanism
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
- Being easily startled
- Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
- Exhibiting excessive mood swings
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- Committing self-harm
- Having suicidal ideations
The reality is that suicide is more commonly associated with trauma and PTSD than one may want to think. This is why if any, many, or all of these symptoms are present, it is important to seek professional help as soon as possible. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
Addiction, Trauma, and PTSD
Many people who struggle with trauma and PTSD also have co-occurring addiction issues. According to the peer-reviewed journal Mental Health and Substance Use: Dual Diagnosis, “Numerous studies have documented an association between substance use and exposure to psychological trauma. General population surveys have documented that approximately 75% of individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD) have experienced trauma at some point in their lives…. Indeed, in such clinical samples, a history of trauma exposure is almost universal with up to 95% of clients reporting exposure.”
The reality is that many people who struggle with addiction do so because they first started drinking and/or using to cope with their trauma. Yet, there are also many people who have experienced trauma due to occurrences that happened as a direct result of their addiction. Ultimately, regardless of which order the co-occurring disorders manifest, the key is to get help for both as soon as possible. This includes doing so over the holidays.
Handling Trauma and PTSD Related to the Holidays
As previously mentioned, the holidays can be a particularly hard time for individuals struggling with trauma and PTSD. The good news is there are many effective treatment options for handling these issues over the holidays.
These options include psychotherapies, experiential therapies, and holistic healing methods. The key to treating trauma and PTSD is to ensure that the treatments are specific to the individual. This will also ensure that healing happens at the cellular level.
Healing at the Cellular Level From Trauma and PTSD
Recovering at the cellular level is all about addressing every aspect of the capital “S” “Self.” This means addressing all physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual problems. Healing at the cellular level also involves utilizing as many modalities as possible. This is the multi-angled approach to recovery.
The fact of the matter is that the treatment industry is now estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars. Due to this fact, many recovery centers have sprung up that hold their bottom line more precious than they do their client’s well-being.
These recovery centers tend to be the ones that only offer overarching “one-size-fits-all” treatment plans. Because these plans don’t focus on the individual, here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we find they rarely work. Also, they don’t get to the critical underlying root/core causes of trauma and PTSD.
Root/Core Causes: Getting to the Underlying Issues of Trauma and PTSD
Many people don’t realize that they are struggling with trauma and/or PTSD because their emotions have long been buried beneath the surface. This is why it is so important to go deep and get to the root/core causes of trauma and PTSD.
There are many ways to get to these underlying issues. Perhaps the most common and effective way to address root/core causes is with psychotherapy. This is because psychotherapy has long been shown to be effective at treating many issues of mental health and addiction. Also, this is why psychotherapies are often referred to as “evidence-based” therapies.
Healing From Trauma and PTSD: Psychotherapies
Many people have heard of psychotherapy but do not know exactly what it entails. According to NIMH, “Psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) refers to a variety of treatments that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Most psychotherapy takes place one-on-one with a licensed mental health professional or with other patients in a group setting. Psychotherapy and medication are the most common forms of mental health treatment.”
There are also many types of effective psychotherapies. This includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). These are the two most common types of psychotherapy because they have been shown to be the most effective.
CBT and DBT are particularly effective because they get to the previously mentioned underlying issues of trauma and PTSD. They also effectively help an individual see the negative way in which they view themselves and the world around them. Once these negative views are addressed, then one can positively adjust their cognitions (thoughts), emotions (feelings), and behaviors (actions). CBT and DBT also make individuals active participants in their treatment which gives them essential autonomy for recovery. Another therapy that can be highly effective at doing this is psychedelic therapy.
Healing From Trauma and PTSD: Psychedelic Therapies
For many years, psychedelics have been seen as solely negative substances, and yes, when used recreationally they can certainly be just that. However, there is now mounting evidence that shows psychedelics to be highly effective at treating many issues of mental health and addiction.
Psychedelic therapy has been shown to be particularly effective at treating individuals with trauma and PTSD. According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), “In clinical research settings around the world, renewed investigations are taking place on the use of psychedelic substances for treating illnesses such as addiction, depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since the termination of a period of research from the 1950s to the early 1970s, most psychedelic substances have been classified as ‘drugs of abuse’ with no recognized medical value. However, controlled clinical studies have recently been conducted to assess the basic psychopharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy of these drugs as adjuncts to existing psychotherapeutic approaches.”
Psychedelic therapies are also very versatile. This is because they often lead to breakthroughs that can make other therapies more enlightening. They can also help to open people up to having many new experiences.
Healing From Trauma and PTSD: Experiential Therapies
As the moniker suggests, experiential therapy is more about “experiences” than it is about discussion (though this can be a big part of it). There are many types of experiential therapies. One of the most common types is art therapy. Art therapy focuses on the creative side of experience and can involve many different forms of expression. It can include painting and sculpting, as well as dance and comedy. There are also many types of nature-based therapies. This includes surf therapy.
A mere 15-minute journey from our 30-acre luxury property sits one of the most exceptional surf breaks in all of Hawaii. Here one can experience all of the joys of surfing with all of the benefits of surf therapy, such as emotional wellness and physical strengthening.
Another exceptional type of nature-based experiential therapy is horticulture therapy. This is the act of engaging with the soil to better connect with the earth and in better connecting with the earth, one can better connect with themself. There are also many sites on Hawaii’s Big Island in which one can engage in nature immersion therapy.
One can gain a myriad of benefits from nature immersion therapy. Among these benefits is something known as “connectedness to nature” (CN), which offers physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Literature has generally shown that nature exposure leads to improvement in nature connectedness among participants. Students who went through environmental education have been found to develop increased levels of nature connectedness. Individuals who spent more time in nature tended to have higher scores on nature connectedness.”
Healing From Trauma and PTSD: Nutrition Therapy
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in the maxim, “Food is medicine.” As the father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, famously said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
This is why we have some of the best-licensed nutritionists and dieticians available. We also have a licensed naturopath doctor who oversees all of our clients’ nutrition needs. Our offerings also include pharmaceutical-grade supplements and infusion therapy.
However, we are not just concerned with nutrition. We are also concerned with taste and satisfaction. That is why we have world-class chefs who prepare world-class meals that are catered to each and every client. They also use local and organic ingredients to ensure both nutrition and flavor.
Healing From Trauma and PTSD: Holistic Healing Methods
The iconic yogi and spiritual leader B.K.S. Iyengar famously said, “As animals, we walk the earth. As bearers of divine essence, we are among the stars. As human beings, we are caught in the middle, seeking to reconcile the paradox of how to make our way upon earth while striving for something more permanent and more profound.” This is symbolic of how we aim to heal holistically in recovery.
There are many holistic healing methods that can be used to heal at the cellular level. Perhaps the most common are yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation.
Yoga and meditation have been practiced for thousands of years. Initially, they were used solely as religious and/or spiritual practices, but they have since moved into the realm of recovery.
Yoga has been shown to treat the most severe issues, even cancer and schizophrenia. According to the Journal of Mid-Life Health, “Yoga is used for the treatment of cancer patients to decrease depression, insomnia, pain, and fatigue and increase anxiety control. Yoga’s ability to improve cognitive functions and reduce stress makes it appealing in the treatment of schizophrenia, because of its association with cognitive deficits and stress-related relapse. In one study, at the end of 4 months, those patients treated with yoga were better in their social and occupational functions and quality of life.”
Yoga and meditation are also highly beneficial because they integrate so well with other modalities. The key is to find the right combination of treatments that work for the individual. This is why individualized care is so critical.
Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we understand that the holidays can be difficult for those struggling with trauma and PTSD. We also know that healing at the cellular level is essential for long-term recovery.
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” Yes, over the holidays, but also throughout the year.
Trauma and PTSD can rob individuals of the joy of the holidays, but it doesn’t have to. Recovery is out there. The key is to go out and get it.
Many people have trauma and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) related to the holidays. This is true even if these are unknown underlying issues. The key is to get to the root causes of holiday-related trauma, in order to heal at the cellular level. The good news is there are many effective methods for this healing. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about healing from trauma and PTSD over the holidays, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab at (808) 775-0200.