DOES CUDDLING HELP PTSD??
I'm not a doctor, but probably.
I feel the best thing for emotional issues is therapy, and imo cuddling falls under overall general health upkeep: exercise, massage, chiropractic, proper sleep, reading, meditation, positive relationships, setting boundaries etc.
I'm sure all of the latter may have some indirect effect, but is not something you want to depend on to treat an emotional condition. Imo - Cuddling meets a touch quota and is enjoyable - any further claims cannot be proved or is even dangerous. My addition is it helps reduce stress - it kind of slows down the pace of your day (or night).
Humans are social creatures- I think hugging, dancing, cuddling, or even sitting around a camp/bonfire (og HDTV) is good for your overall wellbeing.
I would say it does, everyone needs that one on one non sexual connection that cuddling can bring. I feel it also brings comfort and peace to many.
It depends on the individual and where the ptsd was formed from, but yea it can definitely helps. Helps me with mine, being a victim of SA. The more caring touch really helps
Generally speaking, I’ve found that it can help; however, with the wrong partner and/or under the wrong circumstances , the results can range from neutral to negative.
Another recent thread addressed the issue of being triggered by a cuddle partner or being triggered during a cuddle session with a partner who is not supportive or understanding (or in my case, one who deflected, blamed, and became defensive and angry).
That said, it’s probably unwise to assume cuddling will take the place of ongoing treatment by a qualified mental health practitioner, and of course it’s certainly unfair to our cuddle partners to go into sessions with the expectation of receiving that level of support.
Yes, it's coregulation. Cuddling engages the vagus nerve and promotes relaxation and decreases anxiety in people with PTSD.
Strongly depends on the trauma that caused it. Some people have touch aversion.
I reccomend EMDR counseling for PTSD. Though it depends on the person but for me when I had PTSD I was shaking when cuddling. I'm finally better though. EMDR treatment in most cases according to my counselor 4 sessions and most of his clients were better. For me I had to have 12 sessions to get better. I was good for 3 months though.
I find it more triggering than helpful. Perhaps in a roundabout way it's helping me learn how to cope with triggers. Otherwise I'll only make the other person uncomfortable which is the opposite of what I want. Building trust/companionship first is helpful (but that goes for every type of relationship).
That being said PTSD is complex. EMDR is indeed a great option. This way you also have a professional to talk to about coping skills and help you if they don't work well. I originally learned about platonic cuddling through a coworker/counselor.
I personally also recommend CBD lol various strains for both physical and mental issues. Figuring out the right dosage and timing will also be key.
Hope this answers your question. Wish you all the best 💛
Cuddling helps my ptsd tremendously, it calms me, it ground me, it makes me feel that I'm worthy of human contact, and it gives me confidence.
It can. But rapport and trust must be built with a partner who understands triggers and what to do if that happens. And also doing the ground work with a therapist so you also know what to do if/when triggered. Preferably somatic work, and like others have said, EMDR can be super helpful for targeting trauma and PTSD. So can other bottom-up treatment modalities.
It can be. I am a professional cuddle therapist and I have used cuddle therapy for myself in the past. I also have PTSD. I had to do it so my daughter could lay next to me for naps. I was traumatized by someone at a very young age and felt that I had to at least try to cuddle. To my surprise it worked better than I ever could’ve imagined. If you don’t know your triggers, it can be a bad idea. But it can be GREAT as well. It is very rewarding to sleep next to my kid at night without pushing her off of the bed. (: I hope that answered someone’s questions.
Yes absolutely! Helps with my PTSD so much. Brings the anxiety down and was recommended by my Psychologist. Never looked back since, still have my moments but nothing like a great cuddle session to reset the mind body and soul.