Health | Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Center

The Next Step

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They call it the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. This is when you feel your mind, body, and soul are all in a state of confusion. It is such a shock to your system that it fills you with terror to even go to that place, to just fast forward through the actions, to even verify if it actually happened. You tell yourself no, but you are aware that such raw emotion can only happen in real life. If there is also physical trauma, you feel a sense of relief, in a way, because at least you know that you have not lost your mind completely.

It is the same response for most, the initial reactions are all denial. You know that you are going to have to come up with certain ways of coping with the abuse. The question is how. Counseling is out of the question since you have already decided that no one needs to know what happened. How can you effectively deal with the trauma if the memories are still waiting to be resolved?

You can only cope with your abuser if you have found a safe place first. Start with your home and the people that you see every day. Avoid any one or any situation that makes you feel uncomfortable or trips any of your triggers. Begin by putting yourself first and be the nurturer of your child within. Get enough rest, start an exercise routine, eat nutritious foods. Do some thing to develop your self each day such as meditating, reading a good book or a bubble bath! You will soon begin to feel more balanced and will feel calm enough to look for the next step in your healing process.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Anxiety, Disorders, Emotion, Health, Mental health, Physical trauma, Post-traumatic Stress, Posttraumatic stress disorder

Treatments That Work The Best For Flashbacks

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It is interesting to note that the available treatment for sexual assault and rape victims is the same treatment many of our soldiers require as they return home. The treatment is for what is called post traumatic stress disorder. This treatment can be effective with dealing with trauma including emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse. The treatments that work the best are behavioral and cognitive behavioral.

One technique is called stress inoculation training. They work this in three parts. First is the educating, then building the skills and applying them. This is how the person victimized learns and identifies the fears and anxieties and how they are triggered as they go about their day. They practice the exercises specially designed to help decrease these feelings. They will learn how to relax and breathe. They will practice acting out similar situations in a safe environment so that they can feel prepared and not threatened if some thing happens and triggers a panic attack or a flashback.

Often the signs and symptoms are sometimes thought to be completely forgotten until the memory of rape or abuse resurfaces in the form of a flashback. These can feel so real as they involve all of the senses. The victim will panic immediately since she works so hard at blocking this part of the memory out and banish it from consciousness. The victim needs the skills to handle being caught off guard like this any time of the day or night. The treatment will prepare them for these situations by role playing any similar situations while the victim is in a safe environment. When and if something is triggered during the daily routine, she will handle it and respond appropriately since she has practiced and prepared for it.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Anxiety, Disorders, Emotion, Health, Mental health, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Psychological trauma, Sexual assault

Who Can Help With Anxiety Treatments

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After a person is abused, it is easy for them to have the frequent flash backs. If the are prompted to see a doctor, the chances are that they will prescribe a drug to help in easing the anxiety that he feels. While this may help some, many try to avoid this because they say that the drugs are very often too strong and make them feel like zombies, and not themselves. They say that they would rather suffer through the feelings and the uneasiness and just spend the day in bed any way.

Th drugs are meant to fix the symptoms and work right away. Unfortunately, they are not a help in treating the cause so the victim develops another problem by becoming dependent on these medications. Either way, this is not good for the abuse victim and could possibly affect the mood and cause them to develop stronger anxiety disorders.
Some have friends who suggest that they try to meditate or do a natural health therapy. Although many victims will try almost any thing to feel better, mast of them have missed time from work as a result of their situation and money for the fees could be an issue.

This would not be the case if they had medical insurance in effect and natural health treatments were included in the offerings. a natural health treatment could very well help and would not produce any side effects for the patient. In the mean time, many abuse victims, those that have regained some of their fortitude, send there time reading and self healing. They slowly begin to feel stronger as they begin to make better choices including the foods they consume.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Adverse effect, Anxiety, Anxiety disorder, Disorders, Health, Management, Mental health, Therapy

Trouble Adjusting to Grief

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Many of us are stubborn and do not deal with change so well. We can adjust quickly if the change is for the good. If something has happened suddenly and is not good news, many have trouble adjusting and some never do. Being abused falls into that category. The victim is inclined to isolate himself and frequently everyone around them avoids socializing. Every one feels awkward so they ignore the person instead. In a way it is the death of the life the way they all knew it to be. Each individual is feeling a sense of loss and will show signs of grief.

Grief can be difficult to process, especially if the people involved are showing signs of denial and avoid confrontation. The emotions and the healing need to be processed in order to lift out of the sadness and depression. This is why a grief counselor is usually called in as soon as it is known. Many times the people that are the closest are the ones feeling the most immobile and incapable of responding. Some one trained can help with the release of emotions and help to led the way for healing.

Many times people will not want to discuss or talk about the trauma and feel such and intense sorrow that the only way they know out of it becomes a life long addiction to prescription drugs or alcohol. This is what the counselor wants to avoid. It is good to be aware of the importance of a good counselor so that if the time ever comes and some one is in need, they will get the help that everyone deserves. A strong support group is the foundation for healing and maintaining a safe and healthy space.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Death, Depression, Emotion, Grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, Health, Mental health, Support group

Develop a Healthy Plan

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When some one lives through a trauma, some times their health suffers and they may develop unhealthy eating patterns. No one feels much like eating after going through a trauma. When they do feel hungry it is because they have waited until the absolute last minute and wind up eating whatever happens to be around. They just grab what ever they can find easily because they do not want to think about what happened so they stop thinking about any thing altogether most of the time. This could delay the process for their healing. Some times it is the best idea to start from the beginning and develop a healthy plan for life and good eating. The first thing to remind your self to do is to get enough sleep and proper exercise each day. next is to plan healthy menus. Remember to eat well balanced meals and include lots of fruits and vegetables.

Many keep to a natural lifestyle and try to walk whenever possible. They avoid certain foods, especially the ones that are heavily processed and fried. They increase the amount of fish eaten each week, especially the ones rich in the Omega 3 fatty acids. Most will avoid eating red meet too often or they will decide to stop completely. They choose antioxidant rich foods to keep away the free radicals.

Soon, as you follow the new routine, you will begin to feel renewed and have a new energy. You should use this as an opportunity to take some classes or find a better job. Maybe you will discover a new hobby. Try something new and different and stretch out of your comfort zone. Many like to keep a journal or even start a blog as they begin you feel better.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Antioxidant, EAT, Fish, Fruit, Health, Nutrition, Omega-3 fatty acid, Vegetable

Heal Yourself with Reiki

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Sometimes a person has to live through an abusive situation in order to make it through each day. There are people who feel that they need to stay in an abusive relationship. Sometimes they will say that they are doing so for the children. Unfortunately, the children see the abuse and a victim. One way for any one to make it through a stressful day is to put aside a little bit of time for a quite meditation or perhaps consider a Reiki healing. Many people are showing great success with alternative treatments such as this one from Japan originally. You can go to a master healer or do some reading on the beginning of the self healing way.

It is meant to ease the stress in your life and help put back the balance. This is the perfect place to begin for those who have been through a significant amount of trauma.
Many refer to this kind as an energy treatment. It is similar to the Acupuncture idea in that the concentration is to take away any blocks from your body and its organs.
Those who practice the Reiki way promote the calm energy and not anger. They stress the importance in being kind to every living thing, including yourself.

There are different levels to the Reiki healing ways. It can also be accomplished indirectly from far away by some one out of town. A Reki student can also send the good healing energy as a mental concentration directed to heal the intended recipient.
As with some religious beliefs, they feel that the human being can gather up enough concentration to send a strong enough vibration and shatter any negative blocks in a themselves or any other person.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Alternative, Alternative medicine, Energy, Energy Healing, Health, Japan, Meditation, Reiki

Overcome Your Abuse by Developing Your Mind

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If you have recently been abused, may be it was sexually, you may still be feeling a little too hurt to venture out in public yet. This is the time to start reading books or articles that talk about developing the mind set you need for overcoming obstacles. It is a guide for you to do on your own to help you be stronger and overcome what you have gone through. It is a journey for your personal development. Now, you may not be so inclined to want to start some thing like this since you are already over come with grief and sadness. You must begin by trusting yourself enough to at least read a book or two in the privacy of your own home.

The books will sow you so many examples of what people have accomplished by changing the process of their thinking and avoiding the negative thoughts to run rampant in their brains. You know, they way you are feeling now. They will share how important it is to build on the good news instead of concentrating on the bad all the time. It is called having a positive mental attitude. Get one.

They want you to dwell on building on your strengths and stop putting the energy on the old thoughts that are not working for you anymore. If all you have the strength to do right now is to just read the stories of others who have already done this and continue on this path, then, that is okay. After you read enough of them you will understand that it can also work for you, too.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Book, Fear, Health, Mental health, Mind, Personal development, Self-Help, Shopping

Lifestyle Changes and Prescription Drug Treatment for Blood Pressure Health

It is very important to control your blood pressure if you have been diagnosed with that ailment. High blood pressure can lead to more serious conditions and complications such as heart disease. Medical professionals say that a blood pressure of 140/90 is optimal. However, if a patient also has kidney disease or diabetes, a lower rate is desirable.

You can control and lower your blood pressure lifestyle changes. You may also need a prescription drug treatment as well.

Eating a healthy diet is one of the major ways to lower blood pressure. A healthy diet can also reduce the risk of developing problematic pressure rates. Reduce the intake of fats and cholesterol and increase the intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Today’s sodium intake recommendation is to consume no more than 2.4 grams of sodium a day. Studies show that people with an intake of less than 1,500 mg per day can lower their blood pressure.

Eating a healthy diet and reducing salt should help with the next step of maintaining a good body weight. Overweight people are at a higher risk for blood pressure complications. Losing weight will almost always lower your blood pressure.

Getting on a regular exercise plan will also reduce your blood pressure. If you haven’t been exercising regularly, check with your physician and then start slow. Try to work up to 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise.

Quitting smoking and reducing your alcohol intake will also help you achieve a better blood pressure. We all know the effects of tobacco — heart disease, cancer, and more — so there’s no reason not to quit. In addition to reducing the harmful effects of alcohol (damage to the liver, brain, and heart), reducing alcohol intake can help reduce calories that will help in maintaining that healthy weight goal.

Following these tips will lower your blood pressure as well as help your overall health.

Filed Under: Drug Treatment, General Tagged With: Health, Heart disease, Hypertension

Combining Car Insurance with Medicine and Health

There are many people today who worship doctors. They do this to a point of believing doctors have the answers to all ailments and pain. These individuals are looking to get the best health insurance, car insurance with medical coverage, and more, all so they can have access to the latest treatments. However, no doctor can erase all affects of sexual abuse–physical or emotional. We must understand the problem of sexual abuse and seek out those who can support the victims.

There is nothing wrong with this, except that it can take the focus off of personal responsibility and looking at possible alternative treatments. The line we must walk is, “Well, we have insurance, so I’m going to the doctor.” We may have insurance, but the pain or complaint may also not rise to the level of medical attention. Again, you should not ignore a medical issue, and these often presents itself with pain. Early detection is the key to effective treatment.

But we must take responsibility for our health, and that means doing research about our symptoms. Another reason for doing the work is that we can give a more accurate evaluation of our pain, our symptoms, and the frequency of our ailments. From that information, any medical professional will be able to more accurate identify the problem and appropriate treatment.

We may be losing some of the supply of medical doctors as the new health care insurance program becomes a reality. This is because the small doctors will not have the ability to process all the required paperwork. Because of this, we must take responsibility and research our conditions, both for education and long term preparation.

Medicine does not give health. Medicine relieves symptoms and may alleviate a condition. Feeding the body with nutrients and extra supplements may correct a problem, or at least change the body’s balance to give it the opportunity to heal itself. However, you should not forsake medicine and the resources that the medical profession can provide in favor of supplements. Just keep personal responsibility on the table.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Health, Insurance, Medicine

Ways to Avoid the Smoking Ban Using the Electric Cigarette

Many states have put into effect public smoking bans, which make it incredibly difficult for smokers to enjoy their favorite activity while out in public. However there are a few ways around this ban that can make smokers quite happy.

Although many restaurants can’t afford to install the high powered exhaust fans needed to properly ventilate a smoking section under the specifications of most states, many of them can afford to install outside patio seating. While smokers cannot smoke indoors, many restaurants have found their way around the ban by starting an outdoor smoker’s section. Finding bars and restaurants with these set up, particularly in warmer states, can make the dining experience enjoyable for smokers again.

One newer trend is the electric cigarette. Electronic cigarettes are said to supply the smoker with the same amount of nicotine without the harmful chemicals contained in cigarettes, and with none of the second hand smoke. This means that electric cigarettes can be “smoked” wherever the user pleases, as they are flameless and would not fall under the jurisdiction of most smoking bans.

Finally, smokers who are trying to quit or who just need enough to get by can use nicotine gum. While many smokers complain that the nicotine in the gum does not satisfy the long-term urges and desires of smokers, chewing a piece while in a bar or restaurant can more than adequately curb cravings for at least an hour or so, or until the chewer feels like going outside for a smoke. While not a perfect solution, it will help, and since most nicotine gum is over-the-counter, anyone can pick up a box.

While whether or not the smoking ban infringes on the rights of smokers remains to be seen. Smokers still have several options while operating from within the ban to make sure they get the enjoyment they need.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Cigarette, Health, Tobacco smoking