Mama Lutz’s solution for those living with PTS
Green-Everything is ok. Yellow-I’m triggered, anxious and/or angry. Red-I’m disconnecting from life.
- Connect locally with veterans. Peer to peer is a great way to express yourself and not have to worry about what might come out of your pie hole. Civilians do not understand what they have not experienced.
- Find a local accountability partner. Look we all need someone that we respect and trust to run ideas and thoughts by. When we have “stinkin thinkin” we need to hear someone say, “No, that is not the way it is or where the heck did you get that idea from?” Also, your AP should be someone who has similar experiences that has overcome and is healthy.
- Write down what your triggers are. ie…crowds, loud noises, etc… this is really important. Sometimes we don’t realize why we are mad, short fused and reactive this is Code Yellow. And subconsciously we react to things without even realizing it. So when you and your family learn your triggers it’s a win win! The time it takes to manage triggers will vary by each person. Taking action on your own behalf leads to the road of recovery and eventually you will laugh in the face of those triggers!
- Calenderize your trigger dates. This would be dates that you experienced trauma or loss. Having your family and friends know your trigger dates is a sure way of you not being allowed to isolate for extended periods of time. We all know that the negative side of isolation can lead you down the rabbit hole into the funky funk which can then lead to the disconnection of life and or Code Red. Code Red is when you are isolating and disconnecting from the people and things that you enjoy in life. Maybe you have always loved fishing but suddenly now you hate it. You get where I’m going with this. This is very important for your friends and family to be aware of.
- Tell your family and friends these dates and have them set up reminders for themselves 6 weeks ahead of the specific date. This literally saved my life. I have a friend that has all my dates in her phone. She pays a bit more attention to me and makes sure that I don’t isolate for extended periods of time. One day I had planned to check out. My friend showed up at my house with the cops because she knew something was awry. Of course I denied it all. I said she was being over reactive. Then someone said it was Justin’s b-day and I just broke I didn’t consciously realize this but subconsciously my body felt it all. What I have learned thus far is that knowing why I feel the way I do at specific times of the year helps me to know what I need to do. This is a good time to hang with your peers. Some days I just wait for it to pass when I can’t overcome. Other days I’ll focus on an attitude of gratitude. An attitude of gratitude goes a long way.
- Reduce or stop alcohol consumption until you have learned to manage your PTS.
- Overwhelmingly Negative Thoughts. If you become aware that you are hearing negative talk in your head that are directing or compelling you to do things that you know are wrong contact your accountability partner immediately.
- Detoxify your mind and body from all the toxins and prescriptions you have been given or taken since your time in service. Also need to stop all negative self-talk. Make healthier food, and drink more purified water. Daily infrared Sauna, exercise, Yoga, Transformational Breath work, positive affirmations, practice mindfulness, acupuncture, prayer and journaling. These are just a few of the proven modalities that help us to get our mind, body and spirit in synch. This is very important to cleanse your body and mind and it takes work.
- Be a kind healer to yourself. As I just wrote this, I chuckled to myself. I’m asking a warrior class of people who would have died for the man next to them to be kind to themselves. And yet it is true you need to be kind to yourself. Also know that it’s going to take work and time to learn to manage your PTS others have done it and you can too.
