il·lu·sion/iˈlo͞oZHən/noun a false idea or belief. I had an idea in my head as to what PTSD was. In my head it was something that affected military personel who had served in wars. It was police officers & firefighters who have seen things we civilians can't even begin to imagine. I was wrong. I am none of these things. I have not put myself in grave danger to protect the lives of others. I am a 40 something woman who lives in the suburbs with a husband a teenage daughter and a little dog. But that day in February that I found myself being rushed to the Emergency Room & directly admitted to the Intensive Care Unit shook me to the core. The fragility of life .. My Life. It just hit me differently.
And here I was experiencing flashbacks & nightmares. Swinging from being emotionally numb to feeling other emotions like anger & sadness at the most intense level ever. Then came the hypervigilance.
Hypervigilance is to be in a state where, you're extremely sensitive to your surroundings. You are alert to any hidden dangers, whether from other people or the environment. In essence you are like a frightened squirrel ALL THE TIME. Your heart beats so fast as you are anxiously looking around constantly for whatever danger is lurking.
You are trying to find a safe place & stay in that safe space. And feeling safe just was not happening for me. Everything felt like a risk.
It was the worst adrenaline rush ever. This results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate.
Felling this way is exhausting. It is the most profoundly tired I have ever been. I was absolute drained of any and all energy.
This was when I learned about Combat Tactical Breathing I think it saved my life. Or at least has helped me keep going.
This technique, is an excellent way to reduce your stress and calm down. This breathing strategy has been used by first responders, the military and athletes to focus, gain control and manage stress. In addition, it appears to help control worry and nervousness.
This is how it’s done...
Relax yourself by taking 3 to 5 breaths as described below.
Breathe in counting 1, 2, 3, 4
Stop and hold your breath counting 1, 2, 3, 4 Exhale counting 1, 2, 3, 4
Repeat the breathing
Breath in counting 1, 2, 3, 4
Pause and hold your breathe counting 1, 2, 3, 4
Exhale counting 1, 2, 3, 4
Try it I think you will find it rather helpful. I know I did.
Stay safe & be well
SFB