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| Guide to Recovering from PTSD Contents Introduction information copyright | What is grief? Grief is a normal, healthy response when you have experienced a loss in your life. Everyone has a personal response to loss and no response is wrong. Some recover quickly and some feel symptoms of grief for a very long time. The healing process seems easier to bear with support. Rituals are a healing part of all cultures and vary among nationalities within our country. The funeral ceremony is a useful societal tool for grief and loss. In training exercises and combat there may not be adequate time to stop for the grief process to run its course. Symptoms of shock, anger, pain, sadness, guilt, and denial become buried within the veteran. You may be able to discuss with your counselor losses that have been within your memory for a long time and feel unresolved. Remembering them and talking about them may begin your healing process. Physical symptoms of grief include increased hear beat, lump in the throat, crying more often and suddenly, dizziness, intestinal upset or nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, lack of attention or sleep difficulties. Anger and denial are not uncommon symptoms of grief associated with PTSD. It seems easier to pretend there has been no loss or be angry at the loved one or fallen friend than to cope with that loss. Before these symptoms interfere with everyday living, it is time to ask for help. Before the grief and loss lead to depression or hopelessness, it is time to reach out to someone who can hear you and respond. Names, websites, and numbers are in the back of this booklet or in your own phone book with people waiting to help you, veterans and trained people who care about working with vets and their families. You don’t have to suffer alone.
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What can I do with my grief? Learning to cope with grief takes time. Making that first call or logging on to a computer may be your first step to feeling better. Talking about your feelings is important. Figuring out why the pain has become overwhelming can put you on the road to healing. Eat a balanced diet, exercise, get good sleep hygiene, live a regular routine, get a hobby you enjoy, be around people you like, avoid making major decisions while still grieving, and allow yourself to cry. How come it is o.k. for women to cry but not men? Even if it is in a locked room, men, give it a try, tears can be healing. Let yourself admit to angry feelings and talk about it with a counselor or supportive friend. It is understandable to be angry when you have lost someone you care about, especially unexpectedly. You may also try talking to a funeral director. They are trained to answer questions some people facing a loss have nagging at them. Doctors and nurses are also good sources for questions that may keep you up at night. Often the real answers are better than your imagination. A written safety plan is a great idea if you are having feelings of harming yourself because the grief has caused you to feel depressed. Talk to someone at the first thought of self harm. Have your safety plan ready. Suicide is never the answer.
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