Step : Learn Nervous System Regulation
One of the fundamental problems to overcome in PTSD is dysregulation in your nervous system.
This causes the physical feelings- the tense jaw, the numbness, the dry mouth, the palpitations and tight chest and so on. The way to manage this is through body techniques – known as a ‘body up’ approach. Getting an understanding of Polyvagal theory can really help with your understanding here.
There are lots of different ways of doing this, and everyone has a version that works for them. They are all ways of reassuring that the body that you are safe, here and now in the present. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another.
Things that worked for me were grounding in the present, so paying attention to my surroundings, touch, feeling feet on the ground and so on. Some people find breathing techniques helpful here.
The idea is to use these techniques when you experience the physical nervous system dysregulation. This will help you widen your window of tolerance – more about this below in the EMDR section.