Acupuncture Assistance with PTSD

Dr. Angie Lipson
20 hours ago
4 min read

Woman standing indoors covering her face with her hands, appearing distressed or overwhelmed, symbolizing emotional pain or PTSD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can deeply affect both the body and mind, but with the proper care and support,

healing is possible.

You’ve seen the strained look on their face. They are far away. They don’t sleep well and spend their days doing nothing. They are always tired. You’ve invited them to the things they love doing, but they no longer feel like doing them. Sometimes they yell a lot, really overreacting. When you ask them what’s wrong, they deny any problems. You’re happy they are back from service, but you thought it would be different. You thought you could get back to normal. You thought that having them home safe would make both of you happy again. They're not at war anymore, so why are they acting this way?

Your loved one may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many veterans suffer from PTSD. The Veterans Administration (VA) reports that as many as 11-20% of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have it. Common war traumas include having been shot at, having seen someone shot, or having seen death, but another cause of PTSD in veterans is military sexual trauma (MST). According to the VA, 23% of women in the military report sexual assault. These numbers are scary, but the good news is that there is

help. There are even free clinics that provide acupuncture.

What is PTSD?

PTSD is a psychological disorder that can result from being exposed to a traumatic event.

The disorder manifests with several distinct symptoms.

Re-experiencing. Some PTSD sufferers relive the traumatic event over and over. This can be in the form of bad memories, nightmares, and flashbacks. Sights, sounds, and smells can trigger re-experiencing the event.
Avoidance. Sometimes people with PTSD avoid the people, places, and events that remind them of what happened.
Numbing. Symptoms of numbing include trouble expressing emotions, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, and loss of memory of parts of the traumatic event.
Arousal. Anger, irritability, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, feeling on guard, and being easily startled or surprised are common arousal symptoms.

The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on someone’s life can be far-reaching. Feelings of hopelessness, shame, and despair, problems at work or with relationships, serious health problems, depression, anxiety, and drug or alcohol abuse are not uncommon.

How Can I Help My Friend or Relative with PTSD?

There are many ways you can help your friend or relative with PTSD.

Learn everything you can about PTSD so you have a good idea what your friend is going through.
Offer to accompany your friend to doctor visits. Help keep track of medications and therapy. If your friend is learning new techniques to cope with stress, ask if there is any way you can help.
Be available to listen, but be understanding if your friend doesn’t want to talk. Listen with an open heart. Don’t judge, argue, or problem-solve. Listen with compassion.
Plan fun activities. Be aware of events or environments that are difficult and plan events to be as stress-free as possible.
Encourage your friend to get support from family and old friends.
Pay attention to any comments about hurting himself and report them to their therapist or doctor.

Sometimes supporting someone with PTSD is challenging. Get support for yourself so you can better help your loved one. Seek safety and help immediately if your friend or relative becomes violent or threatening.

PTSD Crisis Resources

If you or your loved one is in crisis:

Call 911.
Go to your nearest Emergency Room.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Press “1” if you are a veteran.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in
Spanish/Español 1-888-628-9454.
Go to the Veterans Crisis Line website to chat live with a crisis counselor at any time of day or night.

There are many new treatments available for soldiers and veterans suffering from PTSD. The Veterans Administration has information about some of the therapies that have been most effective.

Acupuncture for PTSD

The Military Stress Recovery Project (MSRP) is a unique program that provides free community acupuncture to veterans and active duty soldiers with PTSD and their family members. MSRP has its roots in helping hurricane victims. In 2005, Diana Fried organized Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) to bring free community acupuncture to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. With the success of this program, Diana decided to use the same techniques to bring trauma relief services to veterans. He created MSRP, and the program has since expanded to 27 different clinics.

Treatment in an MSRP clinic is unique for several reasons. Patients are treated in a group setting, sitting in comfortable chairs. There is an environment of calm and support. Patients are treated using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol, a series of five needles placed in one ear. The program is designed to address all the needs of people with PTSD.

The MSRP clinics have been very successful. Patients report stress reduction, improved mental clarity, increased energy, enhanced performance, better sleep, fewer nightmares and headaches, reduced anxiety and depression, decreased anger and pain, improved overall health, and stronger relationships.

Of course, if your loved one doesn’t have an MSRP clinic nearby or prefers a private environment, you can contact us at Acuhaus for an appointment or a referral to a local acupuncturist.

What Can You Do to Help Veterans with PTSD?

If you know someone with PTSD, reach out to them and offer support. And if you want to help even more, consider donating money or volunteering at community services for veterans. Many programs offer free services for veterans, and they can always use assistance. Some places to start: