On May 22, 2013, a powerful tornado ripped through the Oklahoma City area. The tornado was estimated to be about 2 miles wide and caused tremendous destruction. Currently, 24 people are confirmed dead, 9 of which are children. You can read more about the tornado at CNN.com.

It's perhaps an understatement to say that a large-scale tornado can result in heightened levels of stress. Not only can it bring about devastation to one's home and even entire communities -- disrupting social connections, work, and families -- but the uncontrollable nature and the far-reaching effects of a natural disaster can be very difficult to cope with. However, there are things you can do to increase resilience and minimize the impact of a disaster on your mental health. Learn some ways of coping with a tornado in this article. You can also learn ways of recovering from a natural disaster at the American Psychological Association.

When you go to your local bookstore, you probably can't help but notice the number of self-help books that are currently on the market for a variety of different disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Self-help books can be very useful as a supplement to the treatment you are receiving for your PTSD or just on their own. They can provide you with information on the symptoms of PTSD. They can also assist you in learning healthy coping skills for managing your PTSD symptoms.

However, just because a self-help book has been published does not mean that it is a good self-help book. Unfortunately, there are self-help books out there that provide out-of-date information or may not teach skills that have been found to be useful for people with PTSD. As a result, it can be very difficult to know which self-help book is going to be the right one for you. This article provides a couple of tips that may help you find the best self-help book for your PTSD. The Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies also has an excellent website that can help you find a quality self-help book.

Learning ways of coping with large crowds is important for people with PTSD. In today's society, crowds are difficult to avoid -- especially if you live in a city, or during certain times of the year, like holidays. Large crowds may be particularly stressful if you have PTSD, as they can trigger the hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. When in a large crowd, people with PTSD may feel unsafe, or as though there is no easy way to escape the situation. They may also feel trapped or cornered. In addition, people with PTSD may have concerns that they could be caught off guard at any moment. As a result, when in a large crowd, people with PTSD may feel constantly on edge, fearful, or anxious. These negative emotions may prevent people from leaving their homes in the first place, increasing isolation and reducing quality of life.

Given this, it is very important to learn ways of coping with large crowds when you have PTSD. Listed in this article are some basic coping strategies that may help you get through a stressful situation involving a large crowd.

People with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been found to be at high risk for engaging in a number of unhealthy impulsive and self-destructive behaviors; however, one behavior that has been examined less frequently is trichotillomania. Trichotillomania may sound like a strange word; however, it basically just refers to repetitive hair pulling. Why might someone pull their hair out? Well, research suggests that this behavior may function to relieve high levels of stress and tension. Consequently, it is not surprising that people with PTSD may be at higher risk for developing this behavior. You can learn more about trichotillomania, its symptoms, its relationship to PTSD, and its treatment in this article.