Hyperfocused Meditation To Aid With PTSD Recovery

Simple techniques can help relieve PTSD symptoms

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is serious health condition that can seriously affect the sufferers ability to function normally and live their life. Often everyday noises such as a door slamming, people shouting, cars passing by etc can trigger symptoms where the sufferer experiences their trauma or elements of it all over again. The reasons for this behaviour are still not fully understood but a big part of it is how the brain is processing information. Sudden intense trauma such as being attacked and less intense traumas experienced over a longer period of time, such as being bullied for a period of time locks the brain into a state of hypervigilance. In this heightened state, the mind perceives everything as a threat linked to the original trauma, causing the individual to relive traumatic memories and emotions.

Deep in the brain's temporal lobe, near the hippocampus sit a pair of almond shaped clusters of neurons known as the amygdala. These cluster sit either side of the brain roughly halfway between the skull and the centre of the brain, just in front of the ear. The amygdala is the part of the brain that deals with our 'flight or fight' response, helping to process emotions such as fear or anger. In PTSD the amygdala becomes oversensitive and hyperactive. The fight-or-flight response becomes triggered too easily, while the prefrontal cortex fails to calm it down, leading to intense fear and hypervigilance long after danger passes.

The amygdala sits depp within the temporal lobe

Usually when information passes through the brain it passes through the amygdala and carries on the prefrontal cortex where it is processed in a normal manner. With PTSD the amygdala bypasses the prefrontal cortex and immediately flags everything as a threat and puts you on 'red alert', triggering emotions and memories and causing the sufferer to relive their trauma. Using a simple technique similar to the Alexander technique it's possible to calm the amygdala and return to a more normal state of brain function. By focusing our awareness on the amygdala and relaxing it we can lessen the suffering and with repeated practise overcome the symptoms of PTSD. It's also important to remember that the brain never stops working, even when we sleep, the brain is active. Most people when they get to the age of 60 will have a brain age of around 70 years old!

• Start with focusing on your breathing, place your tongue in the top of your mouth and let it relax. Gently breathe in through your nose and as you inhale expand your belly out and down through groin towards the floor. Hold for a count of 4 seconds and then slowly exhale pulling your belly right back as you do.

• Spend a couple of minutes breathing like this and really focus on your breathing, as you do, feel your whole body relax, feel all the tension and stress just wash out of as you are cocooned a warm bubble of blissful relaxation

  
  

• Now in your mind visualise an image of your own brain and say to yourself 'let the brain be free let the brain relax' and as you say this feel the brain relax, feel it gently calm and stop being so active. imagine all the processes it carries out and see it just slow down to just the essential processes. Feel your brain stop being so hyperactive.

  
  

• Keep this image of your brain in your mind for a few minutes repeating the phrases over and over, and as you visualise your brain relaxing think of it like a sponge returning to it's original shape slowly re-expanding as all the stress and tension stops squeezing it.

• Now you want to try and visualise deep inside the brain where the amygdala is located, make an image of the amygdala and say to yourself 'let the amygdala be free... let the amygdala relax' and visualise it relaxing, feel it relax, feel all the stress and tension flowing out of it. Focus on relaxing the amygdala for several minutes. It can also help if you imagine the amygdala as nothing but pure white light as it relaxes

  
  

• Now whilst the amygdala is relaxed say to yourself 'there is no threat, there is no danger, I am safe' repeat it to yourself as if you are directing it towards the amygdala and feel the amygdala process the information. Repeat this for a few minutes.

  
  

• Now visualise yourself living a calm relaxed life without any symptoms of PTSD. See yourself being able to function and enjoy life. To do all things you want to do and used to do. See yourself being happy, confident and comfortable with yourself and say to yourself 'I will achieve, I will do this' and mean it with every ounce of your being, every part of your soul. It is essential to truly immerse yourself in this visualization practise and really feel it!

• Continue to breathe and feel relaxed and calm, as you breathe prepare yourself to come round again and when you feel ready open your eyes. That's it.

With regular practise this simple technique can help to lessen the symptoms and suffering experienced by those who have to deal with PTSD. It may not work for everybody as some cases are extremely severe and require professional support but for those who are open to trying it's sure to benefit!