# PTSD. Defeat yourself

Юрий Белк

In his book Yuri Belk offers readers a unique guide to understanding and overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The small volume of the book allows you to quickly obtain and master information.

This book will be a valuable help not only for people suffering from PTSD, but also for their loved ones, psychologists who seek to better understand and support those who are faced with this problem.

Clear language and practical recommendations make this work an invaluable resource in the fight against psychological trauma.

The book is in the primary edition.

The administration of the Litres website is not responsible for the information provided. There may be medical contraindications, and specialist advice is needed.

## Prologue

There will be no medical terms or medications that can be prescribed to treat PTSD. This book is a piece of advice from personal experience.

Just like I did.

I've suffered and still suffer from it myself, and you may find this book useful. But do not take this book as something miraculous.

Life is a constant challenge, and sometimes we do not know what difficulties await us in the future

But it is difficult to deal with this, because one person cannot change the world, but you can prepare for new difficulties by setting yourself up psychologically

The main thing is the mood in life. If you are in the mood for a good thing, then it is more likely to happen, perhaps, but it will happen.

If you are constantly attuned to bad things, then it is most likely to happen, because the negative, as a rule, according to the law of life, happens more often, although, on the other hand, there is no absolute bad or absolutely good event in life.

Firstly, there are no clear criteria that can distinguish them so binary, and secondly, even if there are criteria, then we need qualified judges of life who can determine what is good and what is bad

For this reason, it is impossible to determine that the rain that is falling is bad. For example, for a shepherd or a person who is in an open area without shelter or protection, this is bad, but for a farmer who grows crops, it is good

And so, there is no perfectly good or perfectly bad event. It all depends on the viewing angle or angle.

Another example.

If you shoot your face from different angles, that is, take a selfie, then it will be different and will transmit different images of you

For example, a photo taken below the chin makes us look older, while a photo taken above makes us look younger.

We should try to look for the good in any business, but if there is no possibility, then abstract.

Upset or not, what to understand, I must say that PTSD changes a person, sometimes beyond recognition. And what metamorphoses in theонце end this will lead to, no one knows and can not know.

Perhaps I will say a very unpleasant thing, that PTSD can not be completely cured, you can suppress the symptoms. We are dealing with the human psyche, and this is not a splinter, it is simply impossible to remove it from memory and forget it completely. But you and I will try to figure it out, we will try.

I've considered writing a book like this many times, but I've always put it off, but I've finally come to the conclusion that not sharing my experience or thoughts would be unfair to those who might benefit from it.

If this book will help at least one person, then I did not write it in vain.

Whoever needs it will find a way to read this book.

There is no goal to make money on this book, especially since I don't expect big sales, if two people buy it, I will probably кому-тоhelp someone.

The book is made consciously thin, which would be the most salt, important, without water. No one has much extra time to read thick textbook publications, after finishing which you can get another little PTSD.

I will probably make changes or additions over time, but I believe that if the author could not write the book from the first time, and corrects the book an infinite number of times, this is not normal, it is not fair to the reader and to himself.

I believe that the first thought or idea that comes to mind is the most honest one.

Please understand and forgive me if something is wrong in the book.

You may need a few lines of new thoughts from the entire text, which will eventually change your attitude to PTSD and help you.

The book may also be useful for those who live close to someone who has PTSD.

It is not necessary to think that this syndrome appears only after the war, it also manifests itself after diseases suffered, catastrophes experienced, and the loss of loved ones and other events that we are not used to in ordinary life, and often try not to talk about it.

It is the inability to listen to each other that is the cause of many problems, in particular PTSD.

Unwillingness, or rather, inability.

Modern man is super-egoistic, this is the scourge of modernity. This is what movies, media, and other behavioral factors that we encounter in movies, songs, and other sources of mass mind control have made us so

Humanity first invented radio, but filled it with music. I don't mind music, but when all information is replaced by music on the air, this, of course, leads to a degradation of thinking in listeners, their brain is simplified in cognitive neural connections. If you listen to all the FM radio stations, then it's all music, if there are any talk radio stations, then they are clearly not talking about philosophical matters.

Humanity invented television, but filled it with clips and shows. I don't mind shows and music videos, but if you fill the entire broadcast with them, then the same consequences occur as after listening to music on the radio all the time.

Humanity invented the Internet as a means of instant communication and sharing information in a split second around the world. But we filled it with funny videos and memes, the result is the same, or rather, the consequences.

What matters is not the method of transmission, but what we transmit in this way.

After all, you can build a church with an axe, or you can do you know what.

I absolutely do not claim to be the only and sufficient book in the section of diagnosis and treatment of PTSD in my country.

At the end of the book, there is a list of references that you can study. I have always believed that in order to understand at least a minimal amount of any issue, you need to read at least three books on one topic, and preferably more.

This book is just an attempt to understand ourselves, to get to know ourselves.

In general, you need to be able to talk to yourself.

## What's it?

To begin with, PTSD is mistakenly classified as a wartime psychological trauma. In fact, it can occur in anyone, even in a dog that the owner scares with a stick every day, whichwill hurtit, or in a child who needs to remove a tooth and hears screams from the office of other patients. The degree of PTSD differs and the reason that caused it.

What does official medicine say about the definition of PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental condition that occurs as a result of a single or repeated event that has a super – strong negative impact on the individual's psyche.

The inability to stop the negative impact on the psyche worsens the situation. That is, PTSD develops according to the most negative scenario when the factor causing this condition cannot be stopped. The feeling of helplessness emasculates the human psyche.

If you do not treat it or do not accept the appropriate conclusions, then the problem may worsen and go from psychological to criminal, that is, criminal.

This is what we will do so that PTSD remains just a nuisance and no longer poses a threat to you and your loved ones

The very realization of this important point is half the solution to the problem.

For example, a very unpleasant example, but very strongly characterizing.

When a person who drinks alcohol considers himself normal, the problem will not be solved

Recognizing the problem is already a good thing

Looking ahead, I can say to those who are in a hurry and can't read the book completely.

The main rule is that you accept yourself as a new person after the ordeal.

Being determines consciousness, so it is impossible not to change in a crazy environment full of trials and pain. From this point on, you need to accept the new self, get to know the new self, learn to talk to the new self, negotiate with it. That is, with you, but with your alter ego, who has become different.

## What does science say?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that develops in response to experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event involving a threat to life or safety.

### Causes of PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop as a result of experiencing or witnessing traumatic events.

The main causes of PTSD include the following events:

Military actions: participation in combat operations as an active army or combatant. At the same time, the degree of PTSD can be completely different for everyone. The reason is simple, because everyone's war is different. It is different for even two people who are sitting together in the same trench. There are many reasons, one of which is that there are no people with the same moral and physical fitness, and some people still differ from each other, so they perceive what is happening differently. After such events, a person can experience PTSD for quite a long time, and at times it returns in the form of flashbacks to varying degrees, and more often it is impossible to completely part with this problem, you can smooth it out. But complex auto-training sessions, yoga and the presence of favorable people nearby will help to get rid of bad memories. This type of PTSD is different from other topics, because it is more prolonged than just being a victim of disasters, for example, which usually passes within a few hours, and rescuers save. Military men follow orders.

Sexual assault: This book won't cover this type of PTSD, but I think everyone understands.

Physical violence: a person always strives for parity of forces, but since it is different for everyone, conflicts are sometimes inevitable from time to time in the educational, work and even in the family environment. The victims of such violence can be absolutely anyone, including boxing champions, because a group attack in this case will not save a person much, or an attack by a person with a gun on a strong but unarmed person. All 1001+ techniques against weapons don't always work, especially if the attacker is far away from you, and physically he can shoot before you get close to him to show him one of the 1001+ techniques in combat sambo or Aikido.

Here you can either run away or calm down with words, because your opponent can be adequate at this time.

Accidents: this is a fairly large range of accidents, such as accidents, man-made and domestic fires, electric shocks, and so on. Usually, such events occur unexpectedly, and a person is simply not often ready for them. As they say in such cases – "I didn't have time to get scared", but everything is individual, and often this later leads to various phobias that need to be treated with the help of psychotherapists.

Natural disasters: hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters can not only damage a person's psyche, but also make them disabled, which can make the situation worse and lead to secondary PTSD. To avoid such problems, it is advisable to monitor the weather forecast, prepare in advance with food supplies and do not leave the shelter unless absolutely necessary. Food supplies should include medical supplies for all kinds of assistance, communication and evacuation equipment, such as boats, flashlights, helmets, boots, sleeping bags and matches.

Death or loss of a loved one: a person is mortal, and sometimes suddenly. Sometimes it is possible to save a person, sometimes it is impossible. This is always a great loss for your loved ones, and the book will describe how to deal with it and what to expect.

Illness or severe medical procedures: it is always unpleasant to get sick, and this can be a difficult test for both the patient and loved ones. A huge number of diseases that lead to temporary or permanent immobility, restricted movement, general disability, confusion of mind, as, for example, after a stroke, and many other things that can cause not only PTSD in the patient, but also in the family. I am preparing a separate book about this case of PTSD, which will be devoted to rehabilitation, and I will share my best practices after severe and complex disability by my own example, and how to live with chronic diseases and not get angry at the world around me. The book is still in development, follow the latest updates by subscribing to the author Yuri Belk in the description of the book, if, of course, you will be interested and need it

Evidence of violence: seeing violent actions, even if not against yourself, but towards your loved ones, can sometimes lead to even more PTSD, and then you need to work with this for a long time, but all individually.

Symptoms of PTSD can manifest themselves in the form of feelings and anxieties, when a person begins to scroll through the events that have happened or this period of life in his head. They can start at the most inopportune moment. If, for example, you were once a victim of a severe flood and survived only by a miracle, then TV shows with floods, even if in another part of the world, can cause you a flashback, and most likely they will.

It is necessary to be treated by professional psychotherapists.

But remember, no one but yourself knows your life well, so you can best help yourself. But you should always have good friends around who will tell you what you are doing wrong, and not try to constantly flatter you. Flattery is deception, and people often do this only badly to a person, because PTSD is a change in the psyche, and embellishing events and behavior, instead of rational criticism, will only consolidate negative trigger points, and a person will consider it normal that everything is fine, calm down.

### Diagnostic criteria

A. A traumatic event.

The person was a participant or witness in a traumatic event, such as a war, disaster, fight, or sexual assault.

B. Recurring memories of trauma. Flashbacks.

A person repeats conversations about the same thing, but in different emotional tones. They can be one-time or repeated with a certain frequency, or not related to external events, so that memories can generate a series of inferences, which can lead to relapses.

Dissociative reactions in which a person feels as if he is reliving an event.

C. Avoidance.

Whenever he talks about some long-standing events, he avoids talking or abruptly switches to changing the tone of a normal conversation.

It should be borne in mind that there is a rather hidden type of people who do not show their emotions, so it is more difficult to deal with them.

A person tries to avoid situations and people that may remind them of a traumatic event. This can only be diagnosed by relatives or friends who know the person well.

D. Disorders of cognitive and emotional functions.

At least two of the following symptoms:

Negative changes in thinking and mood associated with the event, including difficulty remembering important aspects of the trauma.

Feeling alienated or emotionally disconnected.

Constant negative thoughts about yourself or others.

E. Changes in the response.

Symptoms include two or more of the following:

Excessive response to stimuli (rude or aggressive response).

Pathological anxiety or fright.

Problems with concentration or perseverance.

Sleep disorders.

F. Duration of symptoms.

Symptoms should last more than a month or more.

G. Clinically significant deterioration.

Initial symptoms may occur years or even decades later.

Symptoms cause difficulties in different areas of life. A person often becomes a social phobe, withdraws into himself, even if he is in a company.

For an accurate diagnosis and treatment, it is recommended to consult a specialist. This can be a neurologist, psychologist, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist.

### Treatment methods

A. Psychotherapy:

Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT): These sessions are conducted both in groups and individually under the guidance of an experienced psychotherapist. The human subconscious mind is quite complex, studied, but many questions remain open. If you do not have enough experience, you can make a more negative result than it was before.

B. Exposure therapy: a type of auto-training in which trigger stimuli are repeatedly suggested to the conscious and subconscious mind that it is safe. Everything should be done under the guidance of specialists in the field of auto-training and psychotherapy. Do not try to self-medicate, you can make it even worse.

C. Medical treatment:

Antidepressants and antipsychotics of various kinds and types prescribed by a neurologist or psychiatrist. All drugs are strictly prescription and registered. Do not try to buy them illegally, because it is a criminal offense. Don't forget that. There are drugs of the "valerian" class to calm the nerves, but the effect of them is direct, that is, minimal, sometimes not at all effective. You should not self-medicate, you should consult a doctor, and only he has the right to prescribe the drug

D. Group therapy:

Group therapy without going into a hypnotic state, this is one of those techniques that you probably saw in American films, where people sit around and introduce themselves and talk about themselves. The way a person is allowed to speak out is healing in itself, because it is very important for us that someone listens to us, understands us, even if it doesn't help, although the ability to listen is a great gift. And people are subconsciously drawn to such people.

E. Self-help methods:

Write about what's bothering you. Again, it is important to speak out "on paper", and besides, you can analyze the flow of your thoughts, rereading your notebook or diary from time to time, and it does not matter what you call it. You will be able to analyze your thoughts, their trend. It is not necessary to show such a diary to anyone, except for a neurologist or psychiatrist during consultations. No one will laugh at you, don't be afraid of it. The main thing is to be honest when writing a diary, because lying to yourself is not so scary, but so stupid that the effect of "embellishing" problems, silencing them, will not help the overall cause. Why do I call the problem of PTSD a general matter? All this is because we live in a society, and people around us also experience our PTSD, and here it is important not to offend anyone, not to provoke anyone to act back. No one knows who is in front of you, perhaps they also have PTSD, and perhaps more complex than you, so try to give strong rein to feelings in the outside world, monitor your actions in any state. Although this is something to strive for.

F. Physical activity:

Physical therapy or physical therapy is something that is required for any body, regardless of whether it has PTSD or not. Physical activity produces levels of serotonin, endorphin, and reduces anxiety, distracts from negative thoughts, as they say – helps to "let off steam". And here you do not need to go to extremes, and strive to set records, fanatically going into a hard training regime, which in turn grinds down your central nervous system, and it is important that you do not burn out emotionally here. I had such a situation when, even before serving in the armed forces, I drove myself into training that I had to recover for several months. Training should be fun, and if you decide to become a professional athlete, then of course there will be physical limits, and they cannot be avoided in any way. You can't become an Olympic champion half-heartedly. For the treatment and prevention of an attack of PTSD symptoms, moderate physical activity is recommended, without fanaticism, and correctly regulating the mode of work and rest. May the force be with you.

All people are different, we are different in physical parameters and character. Therefore, what helps one person, can harm another. Well, you need to think about a plan for the overall strengthening of the body.

Do not forget that a successful person is a will and mind, and also a healthy body, and as we understand, one does not happen without the other. The truth that in a healthy body – a healthy mind, here is suitable as never before

Health is physical, health is mental, and they both need to work in tandem.

Please consult your doctor before choosing a method. And here it is important not only the methodology, but also the sequence of those techniques that you will be prescribed.

For example, if you are injured and need treatment for your leg, arm, and so on, then you should start with physical treatment, and then start PTSD therapy.

Just because you don't have PTSD doesn't mean you don't have it. I think the aphorism about the gopher on this topic is superfluous to give. All the military know about it.

### Thesis about PTSD

PTSD is a complex and severe mental disorder that requires a comprehensive approach to treatment. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and current treatments is key to providing effective care to those affected. The use of various therapeutic approaches, from cognitive behavioral therapy to drug treatment, allows you to adapt treatment to the individual needs of the patient, thus providing the best chance of recovery and improving the quality of life.

PTSD is a fairly complex mental trauma, especially if it is a long-term combat one. In this state, the human brain and consciousness cannot but change, the person changes, he becomes different, and he does not always become worse than he was before.

The main thing in this business is to accept yourself. You need to understand that you have become a different person, with different value systems in everything. What you previously thought was expensive and priceless fades, ceases to attract you, and vice versa, what did not matter to you before and you tried not to notice it, becomes valuable and expensive for you.

The main thing that happens after prolonged PTSD is a reassessment of the value system. This is absolutely true.

The world is what and how we perceive ourselves according to internal attitudes, so a change in the value system leads to a change in the world around you. The world is changing, and quite a lot. And you need not to get lost in this, but to get a profit. And there is no need to confuse financial benefits. Not everything is measured in money. Money can't buy everything. The benefit is that the feeling of happiness for you can increase, and now to get this feeling, you just need to sleep in a warm bed, eat, hear the birds singing outside the window, watch it rain, snow, and enjoy these moments, thereby filling your feelings with the simplest happiness that is available to most people, in fact, by the presence of life, life itself, which in itself is a gift, and the feeling of life itself can become the very feeling of happiness.