Here's a general idea that might help someone reading this some day...it's very simple but was a lifesaver for me....I ended up with debilitating PTSD for a few years, and was also a heavy smoker. So I bought a stop smoking tape that had guided relaxation with ocean sounds in the background. Didn't do diddly for my smoking but I did notice that it helped me relax. I'd put myself in the most relaxing situation at home where I felt comfortable, and bought a tape without the stop smoking message (ocean for me but I also like thunderstorm) and concentrate on my breathing.
It took a few months but I learned to relax to the sound, and from then on I could listen to the cd with the crashing waves and it would calm me...I actually did sit down on a bench once in WDW and listend to the waves when I was very short of breath and it helped so much. Any calming audio recording with sound cancelling headphones will be great but couple it with relaxation exercises that you've practiced in a comortable environment and you can have a really great tool. What's very nice then is that this builds on itself because you start to build confidence that you can have more control over your situation. I preferred the natural sounds because they a) are naturally relaxing and b) have a fairly short loop which encourages a more meditative state. All I did was breathe...the traditional in through the nose to count of ten, out through the mouth count of ten, and after a few minutes feel yourself relax just a little more with every exhale.
To tell you the truth, this actually cured me. It took about 3 years and though that seems I guess an awful long time, there was constant (albeit snail's pace) improvement. Don't flame me, I'm not suggesting that it can cure anyone else but it can help. Meditation, therapy, meds, breathing exercises - everything that relaxes you affect your brain in very similar ways by manipulation of the few neurotransmitters that control our emotions. So it can be another tool in your arsenal.
to all.
