People with PTSD live with symptoms that stem from their body’s response to a shocking or terrifying experience, such as war or combat in the military, natural disasters, or individual personal events such as sexual assault. These symptoms can occur on their own or be triggered by anything that brings the person back to reliving their traumatic experience, such as loud noises from fireworks or certain aromas that other people tolerate well or even enjoy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF), once triggered, this reliving of trauma can include flashbacks, nightmares, and physical reactions such as uncontrollable shaking and heart palpitations. If you or someone you love has PTSD, here are five ways to reduce PTSD symptoms during fireworks season. RELATED: Can Meditation Help Veterans With PTSD?
1. Remind Yourself You Are Not in Danger
PTSD can trick your brain into thinking that things are not what they seem, says Craig Bryan, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and the director of the trauma program in the department of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “Fireworks can resemble the explosions and blasts that some military personnel and veterans experienced while deployed,” says Dr. Bryan. As a result, “for some veterans with military-related PTSD, hearing the booms and feeling the shockwaves from fireworks can activate unpleasant memories from the past, prompting intense anxiety and fear.” A crucial skill for managing PTSD is learning to remind yourself about what is really happening around you, says Bryan. Simple, helpful reminders may include saying to yourself:
This is home, not a combat zone.These are only fireworks.I’m not in danger.
Repeating these phrases over and over can help reset the brain during a PTSD trigger, explains Bryan. As with all cognitive coping techniques, this skill is most helpful when practiced repeatedly before triggers happen, because attempting any new skill while actively triggered is extremely difficult. RELATED: ‘I Was Going to Die and I Didn’t Want to Die’: A Military Vet Reflects on How Lifestyle Changes Helped Her Overcome Heart Failure
2. Schedule Enjoyable and Meaningful Activities During Fireworks Season
Mark your calendar with activities you enjoy and find fulfilling — such as exercise, cooking, or watching movies. This can improve your mood and can help offset or even “undo” the effects of unpleasant emotions, Bryan says. Once you choose an activity you find pleasurable, plan to engage in it more often in the days leading up to firework celebrations and on the day of — specifically during the actual fireworks display and afterward — to unwind from any symptoms or emotions that may arise. RELATED: Early Pregnancy Loss May Trigger Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms
3. Breathe Deeply and Slowly
Breathing exercises are another critical coping strategy for managing PTSD. “When we are anxious or afraid, our body’s survival system kicks in,” Bryan notes. “Because of that, our breathing becomes shallow and fast, our hearts start to race, and we start sweating. This is a programmed biological response.” Slow, deep breaths send a physical message to the brain to quiet this survival response, essentially telling the brain that everything is okay and it’s safe to calm down, he explains. This technique works best in a crisis if you practice it repeatedly when feeling safe. RELATED: Women and PTSD: The Public Health Problem Nobody Talks About
4. Avoid Avoidance
Symptoms of avoidance, such as when a person stays away from activities, places, thoughts, or feelings related to a traumatic experience, are common among people with PTSD, says Bryan. Although avoiding things that remind you of a dangerous or life-threatening situation is a natural defense tactic, it’s not always possible, and it’s not the best long-term strategy. For example, when options like hiding in a basement to avoid hearing the noises and feeling the shockwaves from fireworks — or even leaving town for the weekend — are not feasible, some people may resort to mental avoidance, explains Bryan, which can include unhealthy behaviors like drinking alcohol or consuming drugs to reduce anxiety or numb emotions. While these avoidance behaviors may seem helpful in the moment, they tend to sustain the problem over time, he says. Instead, Bryan encourages his patients to “avoid avoidance.” So, for example, when it comes to fireworks it can be worthwhile to stay present for them. As he explains, repeated exposure to a trigger can reset your brain, lessening the anxiety and fear and improving your quality of life. Try exposing yourself to doses that are manageable. If it’s too hard to be close to a fireworks show, for example, allow yourself to be in earshot, where you can still hear the noise, to start. Skills such as the breathing and cognitive techniques mentioned earlier are also essential to tolerating these exposures. Akua K. Boateng, PhD, a Philadelphia-based psychotherapist, says that while using earphones with music may be useful during a fireworks show, she also advises people with PTSD to work toward turning the volume down and coming closer to the activity and eventually participating in fireworks shows. “Being involved may minimize the bystander experience and transition the nervous system’s responsiveness to a more active state,” she says. But it’s crucial not to force yourself or a loved one to join the celebration before you’re ready for it, cautions Dr. Boateng, as this can make symptoms of PTSD worse. RELATED: 7 Causes of Anxiety
5. Prioritize Your Mental Health
Taking care of your mental health and developing healthy coping strategies can reduce “resting anxiety,” the general level of anxiety you feel before experiencing any trigger, says Boateng. Lowering your level of resting anxiety makes it much more manageable, and when you’re able to manage your anxiety and fear at this level, you’re better able to manage stressors and triggers when they happen, she says. A strategy Boateng recommends is talking to a therapist or a related mental health professional for emotional support during fireworks season. Another option is spending quality time with trusted friends and family members and telling them about things that may trigger symptoms, as well as how they can support you if those symptoms flare, she adds. RELATED: Patient Profile: How One Man Utilized Community and Therapy to Overcome Post-Clot PTSD
