Effective Breathing Technique for Trauma

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Effective Breathing Technique for Trauma

Here in this post, we are discussing “Effective Breathing Technique for Trauma”.  You can read more about psychology-related material on our website. Keep visiting Psychology Roots.

In the United States alone, nearly twenty million people will suffer from PTSD or some other kind of trauma. Automobile accidents, natural catastrophes, and acts of violence are just some of the terrifying events that may trigger post-traumatic stress. This kind of trauma may cause a wide range of negative emotions and behaviours, including panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, nightmares, and flashbacks. Twenty percent or more of veterans from the armed forces have been diagnosed with PTSD.

Therapy is often tried initially, although it doesn’t always work.

Effective Breathing Technique for Trauma
Effective Breathing Technique for Trauma

Why Therapy Sometimes Fails

While many people find great value and comfort in therapy, it isn’t the best option for everyone.

  • The majority of patients (up to 50%) do not show improvement during or after therapy, and two-thirds of those initially diagnosed with PTSD continue to meet diagnostic criteria even after receiving treatment.
  • Rates of dropout may be rather high (almost 40 percent for veterans).
  • Many people would rather not talk about or even think about traumatic events because of the agony they caused.
  • As a result of the negative connotations associated with seeking help from a therapist, many service members avoid doing so.
  • Therapy isn’t always feasible due to time and financial constraints.

How many people does that make? The good news is that a regular breathing practise may have a comparable effect on those who do not like treatment or who do not benefit from it. According to early studies, soldiers with PTSD who learned a breathing technique and practised it for only one week reported significantly reduced anxiety (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, or SKY Breath Meditation). A bigger follow-up research conducted by our colleagues at the Palo Alto Department of Veterans Affairs with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress (PTS) confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of SKY Breath Meditation.

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), the treatment of choice for post-traumatic stress disorder, was administered to the first group (n=44). CPT is an immediate treatment for trauma.
  • The second group (n=41), the experimental arm, was given SKY Breath Meditation, a complete set of breathing methods that has shown encouraging benefits in treating PTSD, sadness, and anxiety. Project Welcome Home Troops, a non-profit organisation, provided the SKY therapy.
  • Six weeks of therapy were given to both groups.
  • At the conclusion of therapy, one month after therapy, and a year after therapy, SKY Breath Meditation proved equally beneficial as talk therapy in treating PTSD.
  • When it came to relieving depressive symptoms at the conclusion of treatment and beyond, SKY Breath Meditation was just as helpful as cognitive behavioural therapy (CPT).
  • Only SKY, as compared to CPT, improved physiological symptoms in this trial (HRV) (HRV). Human resonant frequency (HRV) has been demonstrated to be lower in those with trauma, stress, or PTSD and higher in people without mental illness or excess stress, all of which indicate a balanced nervous system.
  • While both groups saw comparable dropout rates overall, we found that the rate was much lower in SKY if participants attended even the first session compared to the CPT group. CPT had a far higher dropout rate (29%) than SKY (9%), even among those who attended at least one session. This indicates that individuals who were willing to try out the SKY protocol had a positive experience.

Why does this matter?

There is an immediate need for effective alternatives to the current gold standard treatment for PTSD, Cognitive Processing Therapy, since it does not work for everyone, many individuals prefer not to speak about their trauma, dropout rates are high, and patients may feel stigmatised by therapy. Those who have experienced trauma may greatly benefit from the alternative therapy that SKY Breath Meditation provides.

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