Last Updated on February 4, 2017 by Morris Green

It’s not easy. The anger. The sadness. The flashbacks and the triggers. It’s rough. It hurts in ways you didn’t even realize could until they did. It’s not just a bad dream that invades your sleep; it’s a living, daily nightmare. Some days are better than others, but there are always those days, the ones that hurt more than the others. Managing PTSD is a challenge, one you can overcome without drinking alcohol.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “up to three quarters of those [surviving] abusive or violent trauma report drinking problems.” In addition, 60 to 80 percent of Vietnam Veterans report alcohol-related issues. Alcohol problems are one of the leading causes of addiction and health problems amongst people living with PTSD.

Soothing PTSD with Alcohol

Alcohol is a drug classified as a depressant, which means it slows the body’s vital functions. It impairs judgment and causes a number of visible symptoms such as slurred speech, unsteady movement, inability to react appropriately or quickly, and impaired perception.

PTSD suffers often turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism due to its depressive nature. It becomes a means of temporarily forgetting the pain, some physical and some mental. The relaxed, floaty feeling from a buzz can be a short-term reprieve from their usual fog of sadness, and it can sometimes help them manage their anger.

While alcohol can at first appear to be a soothing solution to the reality of post-traumatic stress, it’s not foolproof. Alcohol might help you fall asleep or decrease the occurrences of nightmares, but it doesn’t help you address the cause of your PTSD.

When Alcohol Makes PTSD Worse

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder isn’t limited to veterans. It’s estimated that some 24.4 million Americans have PTSD. Numerous medications — ranging from anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds to a drug called Prazosin that treats insomnia and recurrent nightmares — are available to assist sufferers. But the leading form of treatment isn’t a pill; it’s cognitive therapy.

According to the Mayo Clinic, cognitive therapy is most often used in conjunction with exposure therapy. The goal is to use counseling to identify and recognize thought patterns (beliefs and perspectives) that are locking the patient into the cycle of PTS. Exposure therapy is then used to help the patient face their fears – the thing or things frightening them – and learn ways to cope successfully. An example of exposure therapy is the use virtual reality to re-enter the setting in which a severe trauma was experienced.

The most successful treatment method for PTSD – therapy – isn’t a quick fix. It takes time, dedication, and hard work. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a quick fix. It offers fast results, but it can be devastating to your health and recovery.

Too much alcohol makes coping with stress harder. It can even increase anxiety or trigger depression. Binge drinking can unlock an erratic and unpredictable behavior pattern laced with anger, sadness, anxiety, and depression. All of these reactions can impede and cross cancel the progress and effectiveness of therapy.

7 Ways to Cope With PTSD minus Alcohol

How can you manage PTSD symptoms without stocking up on liquor or beer? Here are seven actions you can take today:

1. Get Educated: How can you avoid negative coping mechanism if you have no idea which ones are bad? Educate yourself about PTSD. You can learn as much as you want, and a great place to start is the Negative Coping and PTSD Guide created by the National Center for PTSD.
2. Talk to Your Doctor: Regardless of whether you’ve received an official diagnosis or not, talk to your personal health care provider about your struggles. They can provide medically approved options for curbing or gaining some control over severe anxiety, depression, and mood swings. If you’re already using alcohol or a drug, be up front. They can help you find better, more stable, solutions.
3. Self-Help Options: PTSD is a very personal condition. It’s not something you’ll want to discuss with just anyone because it’s delicate. For many, their trauma is intimate. Group and majorly medical situations might be very unappealing, and that’s okay. There are many self-help options for PTS sufferers including PTSD coaching, lifestyle changes, and mindfulness coaching, all of which can be accessed without ever having to talk to anyone or more than one qualified person.
4. Counseling: If you’re coping with an alcohol or drug abuse problem, substance abuse counseling combined with cognitive intervention or therapy can make huge strides in overcoming addiction and addressing the root of your stress. Private and group settings are available so you can occupy the environment that feels most comfortable.
5. Make a Furry Friend: While there isn’t currently enough research to support the idea that dogs can help humans recover from PTS, a dog seems to have the potential to help. Dog owners swear by the mood lift their furry friends provide. A dog’s companionship could be exactly what’s needed to focus the mind on something positive while relieving stress. Making a furry friend is a lifestyle change, one that could be full of benefits to PTSD patients.
6. Focus on Calm: Post-traumatic stress unleashes a storm of frenzy. You can combat it by focusing on ways to promote calm such as listening to soothing music, taking a relaxing walk, or regularly participating in a relaxation promoting activity.
7. Give Yourself Room to Breathe: Recovery is a process. For many, the trauma behind post-traumatic stress took mere minutes to embed. But recovery is an ongoing, daily process. Realistic expectations are imperative. You have to give yourself room to breathe and remember that you’re only human. It’s okay to have bad days and make mistakes. What’s important is how you pick yourself up.

PTSD does not define you; you define PTSD. You can find ways to cope with the symptoms. You will overcome the challenges of post-traumatic stress. The first step is taking action. Start today by picking just one of these six coping strategies and focus on it exclusively. Use it in place of alcohol.