How can you know when you’re at risk for the onset of PTSD symptoms? You don’t have a crystal ball, but you can look ahead in constructive ways to anticipate PTSD triggers and symptoms. The idea is to get out in front of them and take appropriate action to avoid them or lessen their impact. As always, knowledge is power. The information presented below will help prepare you to anticipate PTSD trigger situations and reduce your risk that symptoms could get in your way. Discover ways to manage the flow of PTSD intrusive thoughts, such as by using self-monitoring techniques and correcting errors in thinking, in this informative article. It’s important that you learn to increase your awareness of PTSD triggers and “manage” them – and your symptoms – ahead of time? If you’ve ever had a flashback, you know it can feel as though your traumatic event is happening all over again. Thinking that you were facing the original threat, you may have reacted suddenly and aggressively, trying to escape or protect yourself. You may even have injured yourself or others before the flashback ended. Like others with PTSD, you may be looking for ways to reduce your risk of flashbacks. Learning more about your flashback triggers may help you prevent some of them. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Feeling this way is currently considered an avoidance symptom of PTSD. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to help minimize these avoidance behaviors. To help reduce avoidance behavior and increase your contact with positive events and activities, consider trying a technique called behavioral activation. If you have PTSD and problems sleeping, it’s important to find ways to improve your sleep. Sleep problems can make your other PTSD symptoms worse. In addition, poor sleep can negatively impact your effectiveness at work or school. Discover coping strategies you can use to keep your PTSD symptoms under control while you’re at work.
