Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health issue caused by experiencing a traumatic event.  It can be temporary or last for years depending on the individual (not the event).  Some symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares or other sleep disorders, isolation, or avoidance of certain places or situations.  It can extremely impair normal activities and daily functions.  
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There is no simple “cure;” however, many can find significant relief from the symptoms through professional mental health treatments.  Experience shows that without therapy and support the condition is unlikely to improve.

Physicians will perform a complete physical exam to rule out any systemic or medical problems that may be contributing to PTSD symptoms. The American Psychiatric Association has established criteria to help determine if an individual is suffering from PTSD.
This criteria includes:

• Direct experience with a traumatic event or personal witness of a traumatic event that happened to another
• Repeated exposure to graphic details of traumatic events.  This occurs in first responders.

The primary treatment is psychotherapy which may be augmented with medication. Therapy sessions help patients manage the symptoms, improve their self image, and develop coping mechanisms if the condition recurs. Therapy can also be used to treat any ancillary problems like misuse of alcohol or periods of depression.

It is important to recognize that the person experiencing PTSD is not alone. The therapist will probably start with  “talk therapy”. This helps the person recognize the patterns that trigger the unwanted feelings including the potential of a recurrence of the event. 

Exposure therapy can use virtual reality to help the individual re-experience their triggering situation in a safe and controlled environment. It is a coping technique that helps with memories as well as physical situations. 

Another valid tool is stress management.  This will help with everyday activities that can be impacted by increasing anxiety.  Relaxation techniques can help distract or calm the mind to reduce the impact of anxiety.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is another type of therapy used to focus on the memory rather than the emotions associated with it.  This is a specialized type of therapy requiring a counselor specifically trained in this technique.  

The therapy can be one on one, group therapy, or a combination.

There are also medications that have proven effective depending on the person being treated. This includes antidepressants, anxiolytics, and Prazosin. Before starting any sort of medication, it is critical for you to have a detailed discussion with your psychiatrist.

As with all medications, you should report any unusual changes or suspected side effects. This is sometimes correctable by dosage adjustment or alternative prescriptions.
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While there is always the possibility that symptoms will resurface, it is certainly possible for an individual to resume a normal life.

Inspiration can come from a number of sources.  As a motivation during the struggle against addiction, it can help to think of these sayings from different perspectives or to meditate on some of them that seem particularly pertinent.

1. The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. – Ernest Hemingway

When battling addiction it is important to remind yourself that our world is complicated and can wear on you. Keep focusing on rebuilding to gain new strength.

2. If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh

3. People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily. – Zig Ziglar

4. Nothing is impossible; the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’– Audrey Hepburn
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5. Believe you can and you are halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt

6. Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear. – Mark Twain


7. My recovery must come first so that everything I love in life doesn’t have to come last.


8. No matter what the situation is, remind yourself “I have a choice.”

9. I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. – Charlotte Brontë

10.  An over-indulgence of anything, even something as pure as water, can intoxicate. – Criss Jami

11. The goal isn’t to be sober. The goal is to love yourself so much that you don’t need to drink.

12. People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them. – George Bernard Shaw

13. I am not defined by my relapses, but by my decision to remain in recovery despite them
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14. Great acts are made up of small deeds. – Lao Tzu

15. If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking. – Zen proverb

16. Recovery is about progression not perfection.
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17. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Confucius 


18. Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford
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19. If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else. – Yogi Berra

20. Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

21. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. – Mahatma Gandhi

22. The best way out is always through. – Robert Frost

23. Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength. – Napoléon Bonaparte

​24. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. – Albert Einstein
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25. Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them – every day, begin the task anew. – Saint Francis de Sales

26. No other road, no other way, no day but today.  – Jonathan Larson

27. Recovery is not a race. You don’t have to feel guilty if it takes you longer than you thought it would.
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28. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

29. It always seems impossible until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela

Many of us will experience a form of loss at some point in our life, and grief is a normal reaction to any kind of loss.  Bereavement is a type of grief which involves the death of a loved one. Both bereavement and grief will give you a range of feelings, from sadness to anger or numbness.  Grief counseling can help.
 
There are different processes on how to adapt and cope with significant loss, and the process can vary from person to person. This depends on various factors, including a person's background, beliefs, and how they were related to or connected to the person that was lost.
 
While we are experiencing grief, it is good to have support from someone that can empathize with your feelings. That is where grief counseling can play a significant role.  But what is grief counseling and is it as helpful as people say it is?
 
Read on!
 
What is Grief Counseling?
Grief counseling is a form of psychotherapy to help people cope with losses of any form, may it be a loss of a loved one, divorce or separation, losing a job, home, or any number of other things.
 
This is different from bereavement counseling, which is psychotherapy to help people that cope with losses specifically to the death of a loved one. Grief counseling is a larger umbrella that tackles different forms of losses.
 
What Does Grief Counseling Do?
Grief counseling isn't an immediate fix, but it can help significantly as you go through the different stages of complicated feelings of grief. You can move through the common stages of grief with proper support and start the healthy healing process.
 
Grief counselors have studied and developed strategies for the stages of grief and techniques to help people move on in healthy ways while mourning their loss. Here are some of the common goals of grief counseling:

• Accept the reality of the loss
• Identify and deal with any trauma experienced
• Talk freely about the loss, may it be the job, loved one, among other things that may have been lost
• Experience and express emotions freely
• Overcome any feelings of guilt
• Cope with life changes
• Dealing with complicated grief
• To build a healthy support system

 
Grief counseling won't have you forget who/what you lost or bypass the painful feeling of loss, nor does it change who you are. It simply helps you through the painful process to help you heal as you go.
 
Grief Counseling Techniques
There are different steps and techniques taken during grief counseling, including:

• Talking privately in a peaceful and quiet area
• Describing the exact moment of the loss
• Discussing the funeral arrangements and plans made after the loss
• Using correct words
• Check for any signs of depression
• Talk about any losses experienced in the past
• Writing letters, journaling, and creating memory books
• Art therapy and/or reading assignments
• Visualizing resolutions of any unfinished businesses and the "Empty Chair" technique
• Roleplaying new solutions
• Having remembrance rituals
• Giving the patience the time to grieve without the feeling of guilt, weakness, or selfishness

 
Wrapping It Up
Grief counseling is a healthy way to deal with any emotions related to grief. Not many people know about the stages of grief they go through, which can make the loss painful and hard to bear. Through counseling, you can navigate through your feelings and find healthy ways to cope, heal, and open your eyes to a better tomorrow.
 
If you feel like grief counseling can help you, do find a reputable grief counselor you can see today. You can also share your experiences and insights on seeing grief counseling below, I appreciate all of your thoughts.

If you have ever wondered if you have a binge eating disorder, a Binge Eating Disorder Quiz can help you better identify your symptoms. Shortened as BED, this is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) as eating a larger amount of food compared to what the typical person consumes during similar periods and/or situations. This is one of the common eating disorders in the United States, with 3% of adults having BED, which is twice more than Americans diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia combined!

It is important to get treated for BED if you suspect that you suffer from its symptoms. This is crucial to do, so you are able to find preventative measures before it reaches a serious level. If you’re a bit hesitant or unable to head to the doctor for a diagnosis yet, then you may want to start with taking a binge eating disorder quiz.

A binge eating disorder quiz can help you recognize the presence of the disorder, which is the first step in getting the right treatment you need.
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A binge eating disorder quiz is a test with questions related to life experiences that are common to those who are diagnosed with a binge eating disorder. These questions are also based on diagnostic criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). 
You can expect these kinds of questions:

1. “Do you eat more food than what you planned?”
2. “Do you consume large amounts of food even when you don’t feel hungry?”
3. “Are you always thinking about food, your body image, or weight?”
4. “Are you ashamed of being fat or obese, or by how much you eat?”

And more.
The answers are fairly simple, and each test differs. You may be asked to answer simple “yes or no” questions, or have the options of answering:

• Never
• Rarely 
• Sometimes
• Often
• Very Often

Answering this in detail will help you to determine if you MAY have an eating disorder. 
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If you want to find a formal binge eating disorder quiz, you can usually find them online with various rankings of severity, but if you recognize many of the symptoms in yourself, meeting with a psychiatrist is in your best interest.  ​Wrapping It Up-The Binge Eating Disorder Quiz is helpful in recognizing any patterns or symptoms you may have, but take note that this is not an official diagnostic tool. This is recommended to take if you are concerned if you or someone close to you may have an eating disorder, so you are able to know what next steps to take. 

If you take the various online quizzes, this does not necessarily mean that you are diagnosed with a binge eating disorder. This is only a baseline to find out if you will need to seek an evaluation from a medical professional. It is best to check with your doctor if you suspect you or a loved one has a binge eating disorder to get proper treatment.

​I hope that this article about the binge eating disorder quiz gave insight into what this is all about and what you can do about the results. 

Share your tips and stories regarding your binge eating journey in the comments.