When you encounter triggers with PTSD, your emotional state can become negative very quickly. Identify negative thought patterns and challenge these thoughts to improve your mood. Common forms of negative self-talk include filtering (e.g. only focusing on the bad), personalizing (e.g. blaming yourself for negative outcomes), catastrophizing (e.g. expecting the worst), and polarizing (e.g. only seeing things as good or bad, black or white). Here’s how you can defeat these negative thought patterns.Evaluate your thoughts. Observe your thoughts throughout the day. Consider the way the content of your thoughts make you feel.
Put a positive spin on negative thoughts. For instance, if you find yourself thinking “I’ll never get my life together” change the thought to something like “Things are really tough for me now, but, with time, things can improve.”
Spend time with positive people. When you are around negative people, your thoughts will quickly go south. Dedicate your time to people who make you feel good about yourself and life.
 When you go through something bad like a traumatic event, you may unconsciously bully yourself. You may judge yourself for not getting over it faster, or call yourself “weak.” Doing these things only serves to make your PTSD symptoms worse. Fortunately, research shows that learning to show yourself compassion can help you recover faster.Show self-compassion by engaging in self-care activities like treating yourself to a manicure or drinking a cup of tea.
Be nice to yourself and validate your feelings as being common aspects of humanity such as saying “It’s okay that you are sad. Many people feel sad at times.”
Avoid isolating yourself and call over a friend when you aren’t feeling so great.
Tell yourself that you are “Worth it,” and that “All is good.” Treating yourself positively and having a positive self-mantra will help to reinforce a positive outcome.
Develop a self-soothing mantra like “This is a moment of suffering. Suffering is part of life. May I be kind to myself in this moment…and give myself what I need to heal.”, No matter how hard you work on your own, it may be difficult to overcome the trauma of PTSD and regulate your emotions alone. Consulting with an experienced mental health provider like a psychologist or therapist can help you develop more strategies for controlling your mood. Treatments shown to help people with PTSD include medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.Medications proven to help with PTSD typically include antidepressants. These drugs can help you battle negative emotions and deal with the numbness or hopelessness that comes with this disorder. Talk to your doctor to see if antidepressant medications are right for you. Antidepressants that are used to treat PTSD include SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. They help to increase the availability of serotonin at the synaptic cleft, thereby increasing a positive feeling throughout the mind and body.
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, may be done one-on-one or in a group setting. In therapy, you may become more informed about your PTSD symptoms, learn emotional regulation, and discover approaches to identifying your triggers and managing your symptoms.

Two forms of therapy shown to be effective with PTSD are exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring. Ask your mental health provider about these approaches to decide if they may be helpful in your treatment program.
Overcome negative self-talk.
Practice self-compassion.
See a professional.
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