Everything’s OK

Dissolving Past Traumatic Stress Part I: Finding Support How Pets Can Help Key points • Pets can be great companions and service dogs can assist you in public • They are intuitive and can read your mood • They have a wonderful stabilising effect on your disposition • They can be the difference between suicide ideation and a suicide plan Todd: Many of us have grown up with pets in the household and for the majority, our pets are also considered to be a member of the family. During my childhood we had a dog, a cat, and a guinea pig as pets. My preferred pet was the dog – there is something about dogs that gives me a sense of calm and reassurance. They are renowned as great companions but my dogs have also been much more than that to me, especially my current dog. Digby is not your run of the mill ‘man’s’ dog, indeed he is far from it, being what many would refer to as a ‘hairdresser’s’ dog. He is a small labradoodle but he makes up for his diminutive stature with his personality. He is cheeky, smart – possibly too smart for his own good – and incredibly playful. He is not technically an assistance dog but he is able to read my mood well. By way of example, if I am sad or depressed he becomes tactile, either sitting on my lap or laying his head on my leg. When I start to get angry, I sometimes notice it in Digby’s body language before I notice it within myself: he moves away from me and does not look comfortable at all. He has even woken me at night when I have had a hypo (a drop in blood glucose levels dangerous for diabetics) in my sleep. If it happened once or twice I would have attributed it to coincidence, but it has now happened around six times. He sleeps in our room and wakes me by scratching the door. I always assume that he needs to go outside to do his business but as I sit upright and walk to the door, I notice the tell-tale signs. Pretty amazing. It really doesn’t matter what your preference for a pet is, but when you are on your own day after day recovering from physical or psychological wounds, a pet can be the perfect source of companionship. My son, for example, keeps frogs and a lizard. Now they aren’t my cup of tea but he loves them to bits and that’s all that matters. My wife openly states that Digby has saved my life on a few occasions. Looking into Digby’s eyes or observing his playful nature has an overwhelming effect upon me. Is it a distraction or a form of mindfulness? I am not sure to be honest, but while I am focusing on my dog I find myself in the now, there is nothing else going on, and there is no negative chatter in the back of my head. It’s just me and my dog – one of my best mates. Whether we are on the couch watching television together or whether he is at my feet while I am working on the computer, he is always with me. He is extremely embarrassing on the lead though, which is why we always run together at night. He is well behaved inside the house and in the backyard, but as soon as we cross the threshold of the front door he is like a demon possessed! He is my boy and I am extremely proud of him. Dissolving Past Traumatic Stress Part II: Making Sense of Mindfulness What Happens in the Body Key Points • Positive images, feelings or thoughts release endorphins in the brain that can heal the body at a cellular level • Negative images, feelings or thoughts release cortisol, which can damage the body in both the medium and long term • Focusing on the breath and practising being in the present moment using mindfulness can increase the amount of endorphins and decrease the amount of cortisol released Rob: Dr Bessel van der Kolk wrote a wonderful book called The Body Keeps the Score, in which he describes how traumatic experiences leave traces on minds, emotions, and also on the body. And yes, certain images, feelings, and thoughts related to the past give rise to sensations that can affect the physical body positively or negatively. Research has shown that images, feelings or thoughts related to love, kindness, joy, peace, happiness, and compassion cause a release of ‘happy healing’ hormones in the brain such as the endorphins, dopamine, serotonin and melatonin. These ‘feel good’ brain chemicals can lower blood pressure and heart rate, cholesterol, and heal the body at a cellular level whilst decreasing the shortening of the enzyme – telomeres (a cap-like structure at the ends of each chromosome). On the other hand, when negative or trauma-related images, feelings or thoughts arise, the Fight-or-Flight response kicks in, and sensations of sweatiness, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, light-headedness, nausea, headaches, and disassociation occur. This causes the chemical cortisol to be released into the brain, and in turn blood platelets become sticky and blood pressure rises. The medium term chain effect of cortisol being released into the brain can lead to weight gain and obesity. Over a prolonged period of time, the negative effects of surplus cortisol on the body can lead to chronic illness like heart disease, cancer or diabetes. Knowing the basics of the science behind what happens in the body to people with PTSD provides motivation to adopt a mindfulness practice of being in the present moment, on purpose and non-judgementally. This will also help diffuse unnecessary suffering associated with the past. The anchor of focusing and observing one breath at a time leads a healthy mindfulness practice. The good news here is that as little as three deeper inhales and exhales can immediately activate the parasympathetic nervous system and hack the default mode of the Fight-or-Flight response. This results in a cascading sensation of calmness instantly into the body. It may be a quick fix for that moment, and is better than the alternative.