Dr. John A. King describes a PTSD recovery principle he calls "keeping your ducks in a row": organizing your environment and anticipating stressful situations so you can plan concrete actions. Choosing when to arrive and leave social events, or taking a walk when tension rises, gives you control back and reduces stress.
Hey, I talk about this particular principle of keeping your ducks in a row and deal with it pretty extensively because I think it's one of those things that has really been foundational for my own recovery from post-traumatic stress. One of the things I know I feel challenged with is I go into a situation where I know I'm going to have some issues. There could be people that are going to interact with me, or I'm unsure what their interaction is. I'm unsure what my reaction will be. I'm going into situations with relationships that are stressful. So what I did was I got into a habit of trying to control my environment. What time do I get there? What time can I leave? If I'm there and it gets tense, can I go for a walk? So regardless of the scenario, think through the scenario, think through some of the things that can help you relieve personal stress, and give you a way to manage things overall. You'll win.
