A homeopathic approach to post-traumatic stress disorder

People with PTSD often have difficulty sleeping, may feel more on edge than normal, and can have flashbacks or disturbing thoughts that interrupt their daily activities.

by Dr. Tara Peyman — 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder. It occurs after one has witnessed a life-threatening or severely frightening experience. This condition is prevalent among veterans and is also common in victims of violent crimes, abuse, accidents, natural disasters and other psychologically traumatic events.

Symptoms of PTSD may occur immediately after the event or sometime later. It is normal to be in shock for a few hours to a few days after any highly stressful experience. However, if the symptoms interfere with daily life to a significant degree or persist for more than four weeks, professional treatment may be necessary.

People with PTSD often have difficulty sleeping, may feel more on edge than normal, and can have flashbacks or disturbing thoughts that interrupt their daily activities. Some people block out memories of the traumatic event or become emotionally numb in an attempt to avoid the stress caused by the experience.

Many people with PTSD feel depressed or detached from others and often turn to alcohol or substance abuse to medicate their depression or anxiety.

For people who are interested in treating the underlying causes of PTSD, one of the safest and most effective treatments is classical homeopathic medicine. Homeopathy is a natural method of treatment in the form of small sublingual pills made from natural sources, such as plants or minerals. This medicine stimulates the body’s innate ability to heal, restoring health naturally. Rather than suppressing symptoms like most conventional treatments do, homeopathy helps heal from the inside out, working toward a cure for the illness.

Thousands of homeopathic remedies exist, and each one is used to treat a specific set of symptoms. In order to find the correct homeopathic medicine for your case, a homeopath needs to hear your story to understand your symptoms in their entirety. This usually takes one to two hours and is a comprehensive consultation.

By treating each patient as an individual, he or she can get better results, leading to a faster and more complete recovery — whether it be from PSTD or any other disorder.

Tara Peyman is a licensed naturopathic doctor who has expertise in treating bipolar disorder and depression, weight loss, diabetes and smoking cessation with natural medicine. She practices at East Valley Naturopathic Doctors in Mesa, Ariz. (480-985-0000), and in Tempe, Ariz., (480-456-0402). www.DrTaraPeyman.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 1, Feb/Mar 2010.