{"id":820,"date":"2018-03-07T19:48:07","date_gmt":"2018-03-07T19:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gentleweight.com\/?page_id=820"},"modified":"2021-01-22T19:56:58","modified_gmt":"2021-01-22T19:56:58","slug":"weighted-blankets-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gentleweight.com\/weighted-blankets-ptsd\/","title":{"rendered":"Weighted Blankets for PTSD"},"content":{"rendered":"

For transparency, I wanted to let you know that this page contains affiliate links.<\/strong>What is an affiliate link?<\/em> In a nutshell, as an affiliate and Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase after clicking a link on this site, I may receive a small commission, at absolutely no extra cost to you<\/span>! Why do I have affiliate links on my site?<\/em> Running a site like this and producing quality free content can be surprisingly time and resource intensive. Earning some affiliate income allows me to offset and justify these costs and to make a bit extra on the side. Now with that out of the way, onto the good stuff!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

If you are considering a weighted product for yourself, a friend, family member or child: <\/strong>Please make sure you are well educated on the right weight to use, and whether use of a weighted product would be safe in your specific situation. If you are at all uncertain, please consult a qualified medical practitioner. Material provided on this site is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for qualified medical advice (more info about that here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard this term thrown around loosely in many war movies.<\/p>\n

But unfortunately, PTSD is a reality, it doesn\u2019t merely affect combat veterans, it affects millions of people around the world. But remember it also has an effect on their loved ones.<\/p>\n

And also remember, weighted blankets can help, but we’ll talk about that later.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to take a look at this condition and what you can do to help yourself or someone you know who may suffer from it.<\/p>\n

What Is PTSD?<\/h2>\n

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that affects your mental ability and state of mind. It is characterized by the inability to recover after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic, life-threatening or frightening event.<\/p>\n

Symptoms often occur weeks to months after such an event has ended and can intensify as a person struggles to adapt to everyday life again.<\/p>\n

War veterans often suffer from PTSD, and even people from third world countries who are often exposed to violence are disposed to its symptoms without even knowing it.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard experts say that people who immigrate to the first world from third world countries with high crime rates have moderate symptoms of PTSD<\/a> and may take a long time to acclimatize in a safer environment. It\u2019s amazing how the mind works.<\/p>\n

Anxiety, or panic attacks can be triggered due to flashbacks of the traumatizing event.<\/p>\n

This will often happen during the night when you sleep or when you hear load sounds, bangs or get alarmed suddenly by mistake.<\/p>\n

How Can Weighted Blankets Help People With PTSD<\/h2>\n

It’s important to know that PTSD affects everyone individually, and symptoms can therefore also affect you in different ways.<\/p>\n

People who have PTSD can suffer from sleeplessness, regular flashbacks of the event can occur, and you can have an array of emotions that seem out of place to people without PTSD.<\/p>\n

Because of that, people with PTSD can lose confidence in themselves and feel like they don\u2019t fit in anymore.<\/p>\n

Some people have also experienced temporary amnesia of the event that caused the PTSD, as well as intense feelings of shame or guilt.<\/p>\n

To most people affected by PTSD, the feeling of helplessness, and not being in control of their thoughts and surroundings is what hurts them most.<\/p>\n

The use of a weighted blanket in these situations can help you feel more in control as the weight calms your nerves and reduces the production of stress hormones.<\/p>\n

Having mentioned that, there is no real formula to calculate these feelings, or how you would experience your symptoms. Your moods can be sporadic or sometimes all at once.<\/p>\n

Mostly you might feel lost, like the people around you don\u2019t understand and you can feel as though your life will never be the way it was before.<\/p>\n

But over time you can get better, and by using a weighted blanket it can help you make sense of your surroundings by providing a feeling of comfort, control and security.<\/p>\n

A lot of people also explain a feeling that they don\u2019t belong in society or there is no place for them in the world anymore, feelings of anger or anxiousness are often experienced due to that.<\/p>\n

Extreme stress, being emotionally sensitive and the dislike of physical contact with other people can be a consequence too.<\/p>\n

Luckily, a heavy blanket can help for in those cases as it aids in calming and destressing your body.<\/p>\n

This type of weighted therapy allows for the release of endorphins that soothe and relax you, helping you to manage your environment.<\/p>\n

The added pressure simulates being touched but it\u2019s not being done by another person, so if you suffer from PTSD you could be more comfortable that way.<\/p>\n

Using a heavy blanket restores sleep and supports a balanced mood as well, so it really is a great low-cost way of having your own bit of therapy in the comfort of your home.<\/p>\n

Like I said, PTSD is not an exact science as we have to do with the brain here. Symptoms can start and stop for years after the event has occurred, sending you into a vicious anxious spiral of self-doubt, not knowing when another episode will ensue.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s vital to know what you\u2019re dealing with, so I\u2019ve compiled a short list of the key symptoms that may be experience as part of PTSD.<\/p>\n