Self-Help and Coping

This section provides you with information on managing stress reactions and what to expect following a traumatic event. Most people experience some stress reactions such as nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty sleeping, and feeling detached. Learn more on how to cope.

• What's Stopping You? Overcome Barriers to Care
  Describes barriers to getting care for PTSD, such as stigma. Suggests ways to overcome things that may prevent help seeking.
• Coping with Traumatic Stress Reactions
  Discusses active ways to cope with traumatic stress, with tips for coping with specific PTSD symptoms.
• Dogs and PTSD
  Describes dogs as pets, service animals, and emotional support animals and discusses what is known about the role of dogs in PTSD recovery.
• Lifestyle Changes Recommended for PTSD Patients
  Discusses changes in your way of life that can help with PTSD.
• Mindfulness Practice in the Treatment of Traumatic Stress
  Discusses changes in your way of life that can help with PTSD.
• Negative Coping and PTSD
  Ways of coping with PTSD that cause problems and should be avoided.
• Peer Support Groups
  Describes peer support groups and gives suggestions on how to locate a group to help those diagnosed with PTSD or caring for someone with PTSD.
• PTSD Coach: Mobile App
  With you when you need it, PTSD Coach is a free iPhone app that can help you learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma. Also available for Android.
• PTSD, Work, and Your Community
  Explains why people who do not understand PTSD may treat you differently (stigma). Read about how you can use community services or a job to change the minds.
• Self-Care After Disasters
  Discusses ways to cope when you have been through a disaster.
• Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD
  Discusses TBI, its relationship to PTSD, ways to cope, and TBI in Veterans.