How to Manage PTSD During a Pandemic

A lot of people will be familiar with the feeling of anxiety. Some may even develop panic attacks, which can come directly after anxiety symptoms start to show, particularly those suffering from problems like PTSD. With so much added stress going on in the world, many people are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress more often.

There are a number of ways to deal with and manage your anxiety at the moment, and relieve symptoms of panic and fear. At this current time, it is crucial to take care of your mental health as it is likely you won’t have as many people around you as usual. Although you may be spending a relatively large amount of time feeling more alone than usual, remember that your support system like family, friends, or carers are one call away. If you are struggling with heightened anxiety and PTSD symptoms during the pandemic of 2020, consider trying some of our top tips.

Don’t Isolate Your Mental Health

Yes, staying inside is advised at the moment, and is certainly best for everyone’s well-being. Don’t totally neglect your mental health though, just because of the current situation. Emotions are likely to be heightened, you may even feel like you are unable to focus on much more than the feeling of your own anxiety, which will hinder a healthy routine and the ability to take part in activities that will support you.

Set some simple, small goals to start somewhere easy at the beginning, and make sure they are realistic. Building up your goals and adding to them should be done over time, with each small goal you successfully complete. This can be done by writing a list of things that you enjoy or want to complete, from spending more time in nature spotting different kinds of birds to reading a new book that you haven’t read before. Some useful activities that could make coping with anxiety easier are:

• Listening to your favorite music
• Gentle exercises like yoga
• Call somebody who cares about you

Focus On Yourself

Switch up feeling “stuck” to feeling empowered. This is a great time to focus on effective goals and enjoy a rewarding sense of achievement when you reach them. Try something that you have been wanting to try for a while, whether it is baking a cake or planting some flowers in your garden. Challenge yourself to do just one productive activity per day as this will give you something to focus on and distract your attention away from the feelings of anxiety.

Relieve Your Stress

There are multiple ways to relieve stress, with different methods working in different ways for different people and the severity of cases. Since becoming an incredibly common and popular way to help manage PTSD, medical cannabis alongside other medications and natural supplements can completely ease panic attacks, traumatic thoughts, and other symptoms of PTSD. Hugely impacting the mental well-being of veterans, more and more veterans are using medical marijuana for PTSD.

Lastly, try and keep in a routine as much as you can during the current crisis. It may seem easier to abandon your usual daily tasks but keeping on top of this will ensure that life feels as normal as possible.