Relaxation is something that should come to us naturally. Unfortunately, trauma is not a natural part of our lives. Quite the contrary, trauma in our lives is as unnatural as it can be. We expect life to have its ups and downs. We don’t expect trauma to take us to the most extreme of down moments and continue to have a negative impact on the way we see ourselves, our world, and our place in that world. Everything we think we know about ourselves and the life we live is shaken to the core. Our reality is shattered by trauma. Nothing is the same. Living with that kind of reality is highly stressful, which is why the full diagnosis of trauma is Post-traumatic stress disorder. Living in trauma recovery from PTSD or other manifestations of trauma means living in a way that focuses on relaxation and stress management, working tirelessly to rewrite the stories of panic for stories of security and safety.
It would be easiest to tell ourselves to “Relax, just do it.” If only learning to relax were that easy. Like all new skills in recovery, learning to relax takes time and with time relaxing gets easier. We can start by practicing little moments of relaxation throughout our day. Relaxation is not about deep tissue massages, inspiring yoga sessions, or a completely technology-free vacation on the beach- though those things are very relaxing. For those in trauma recovery, relaxation is about overcoming the trauma responses of mind, body, and spirit throughout the day. Trauma can be defined as a disorder of the nervous system, keeping us in a chronic state of stress which is triggered and activated over and over again through the sympathetic nervous system. To counteract traumatic stress, we have to work to engage our parasympathetic nervous system and quite literally, relax our nerves.
Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, exercise, art therapy, working with horses, spending time in green nature, spending time in blue nature, and receiving love from those we care about are all proven ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and deactivate the sympathetic nervous system. All we have to do is take a deep breath, dissipate our stress hormones, and start to relax.
At The Guest House Ocala, we welcome everyone who has experienced trauma and, as a result, is suffering from addictions, mental health disorders, or other manifestations. Our programs are custom tailored to the specific experiences and needs of each client. Everyone has a story. Change yours today. Call us at Call 1-855-483-7800.