Q: The first step you can take towards fighting your PTSD is to verify that you actually have this mental illness. PTSD is an anxiety disorder and the symptoms can often overlap with other similar conditions. See a mental health provider for a thorough differential diagnosis so that you can get the adequate treatment for what's bothering you. In order to receive a diagnosis of PTSD, you must have a history of exposure to a traumatic event that meets specific stipulations. For example, you must exhibit symptoms from each of four symptom clusters for a specific period of time: 1) intrusion- nightmares, flashbacks, and recurrent memories; 2) avoidance- avoiding thoughts, people, places, and things that remind you of what happened; 3) negative alterations in cognitions and mood- feeling alienated from others, persistent negative beliefs about the world, inability to recall aspects of the event, etc.; and 4) alterations in arousal and reactivity- irritability, hyperarousal, sleep disturbances, etc. Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event can end up with PTSD. Children who suffer from abuse, people who have been sexually assaulted, combat veterans, and car accident or natural disaster survivors are all at risk of developing this disorder. Acute Stress Disorder is a related anxiety disorder that can often become PTSD. ASD occurs within one month after the traumatic event. It can last between 3 days and 4 weeks. Acute stress symptoms that last longer than one month are a sign that the disorder has progressed to PTSD. Sure, talking to your parents or close friends can help you process your feelings after a traumatic event, but a therapist is specially trained at helping individuals like you. Tell your therapist everything! Even avoiding details that seem small can make the problem harder to resolve. If you have to cry, then cry. Therapists may use cognitive-based treatments that focus on helping you to identify and change your thoughts and beliefs about the horrible event. Survivors often blame themselves for what happened. Talking through the event with a professional can help you to come to terms with how little control you had over what happened. Some treatment approaches involve gradual or all-at-once exposure to places or situations that relate to the trauma. One of the diagnostic criteria--avoidance--causes people to refrain from talking about or thinking about the event. However, processing what happened and talking about it with your therapist can help you to heal from the event. Your therapist should be open to shifting your treatment plan to the best option for you. Different people heal in different ways, and it's important to choose the treatment option(s) that best fits your situation. If certain symptoms of your PTSD significantly affect your ability to function, such as not being able to sleep or having so much anxiety that you fear going to work or school, your therapist might refer you to a psychiatrist for pharmacological treatment. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed medication for PTSD, but other antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and other medications may be helpful. Note that each medication carries its own group of side effects, which you should discuss with your physician. Sertraline (Zoloft) helps with amygdala seratonin deficiency by boosting your brain's serotonin production. Paroxetine (Paxil) increases the amount of serotonin available to the brain. Sertraline and paroxetine are the only medications currently approved by the FDA for treating PTSD. Other medications may be used, but they have not been approved by the FDA for treating PTSD. Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Venlafaxine (Effexor) are sometimes used to treat PTSD. Fluoxetine is an SSRI, but venlafaxine is an SNRI (selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), meaning it increases both serotonin and norepinephrine. Mirtazapine, which affects both seratonin and norepinephrine, may be helpful for treating PTSD. Prazosin, which helps decrease nightmares in PTSD, is sometimes used as an "adjunctive" treatment, meaning it is prescribed in addition to other treatments such as an SSRI and therapy. Suicidal thoughts may be a side effect of SSRI and SNRI use. Consult with your doctor to understand these risks and how to handle them. If you are having difficulty struggling with the fear and anxiety that accompanies PTSD, it may be helpful to join a support group. While these groups are not directly aimed at treating the disorder, they do help those dealing with symptoms feel less alone and provide them with encouragement from others who are going through the same ordeal. Receiving a new diagnosis such as PTSD may be difficult to come to terms with. Taking part in a group helps you to see that there are millions of people out there managing this disorder. Joining a group may help you to reconnect socially. If your spouse or loved ones are having trouble coming to terms with your diagnosis, they may be able to gain useful tips and support by participating in a recovery group for partners or family members of those with PTSD. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has a search feature that can help you locate a support group near you. If you are a veteran, contact your local VA.
A: Get a proper diagnosis. Talk to a therapist who has experience working with trauma victims. See a psychiatrist for medication management. Participate in support groups.

Q: . Many massage therapists use their website as a way to communicate with clients, book clients, and retain new clientele. The website does not have to be fancy or state of the art. Instead, go for a basic website that showcases your business name, your certifications, the services you offer, and your unique approach to massage therapy. You can hire a web designer to create your website for you, or create your own website using a basic website design program like Wordpress.com or Squarespace.com. You can then link your website to other social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Your business should also have a Google Plus page with accurate information that appears when your business is googled by clients. Though it may seem old-fashioned to hand out flyers, targeting your community with old-fashioned marketing can be beneficial. Go around to local coffee shops and community centers and ask if you can post flyers about your new massage therapist business. This will help you develop business in your area and lead to word of mouth marketing. Some of your clients may want to claim their massage with their company's health fund or the government health fund so they can receive a rebate. You will need to make this option available to your clients by contacting each health fund and filling out an application form. You will then receive a provider number that you can use on your clients' rebates to allow them to claim their massages. Offering this option to your clients will likely make your business seem more appealing to clients and keep them coming back to you for your services. To encourage your clients to continue to use your services, you can start a rewards program where your clients get discounts or bonus treatments once they have booked you a certain number of times or spent a certain amount of money. You can also set up a referrals program where clients are rewarded if they refer a friend to your business. Using rewards programs can be a simple and direct way to retain your clients and to attract new clients. However, you should not lean too heavily on these programs, as your massage therapy services should be strong enough to justify return visits from your clients.
A:
Create a website for your business Hand out flyers in your community. Register your business with health funds in your country. Reward referrals from existing clients.