As a Reiki practitioner, I self-treat regularly several times in a day. In fact, self-treatment was my #1 reason for learning Reiki. I wanted to see, feel, experience what Reiki could do. And if it "worked" for me, I was committed to helping create the same results for others.
After my Level 1 training, three things became significantly clear to me: 1. Everything I'd read about Reiki was true. 2. My personal benefit was undeniable. 3. Sooner or later I would do away with the assortment of prescription medications lining my nightstand, come face-to-face with the PTSD issues and symptoms they'd been masking and commit to natural healing.
What I describe next are the steps I chose to take to clear my body - and mind - of dependencies. It is a personal account of how I chose to take charge of my well-being and anyone considering to opt out of prescription medication should become personally informed, consulting the adequate professionals beforehand.
STEP 1. Counting down
Cutting down on medication at a regular and comfortable rate, while increasing the number of Reiki treatments I took in a day, as well as my water intake, provided a balanced tipping of the ratio between what I wanted to bring into my body and what I wanted to clear out. The structure gave me a finite "course of treatment" to aim for.
STEP 2. Setting my natural clock
As I did away with medications which induced sleep and introduced natural supplements, "sleepy time" Reiki treatments and guided meditations, my body underwent a "reset" during which I - lovingly and guilt-free! - gave myself permission to sleep with abandon and without pressure. Allowing sleep became an important part of my restorative process. Receiving the new, natural flow without insisting on what it should be was the main thing here.
I will note, I was fortunate to have support systems in place during this process to care for my 3 year old son and flexibility in my work to take full advantage of the restorative benefits of natural sleep.
Journaling as a wind-down evening routine further helped, as it "emptied out the chatter box," so to speak, and supported me to release the day's stimulus, tensions and other resistances.
STEP 3. Staying clean
I love craft beer and I looked forward to enjoying it again, but for the duration of my "clearing" I chose not to drink. Dulling the mind could call up mental, emotional, even physical responses which Reiki practices were aiding to clear out of me. Here, there is no distinction to be made between prescribed and "recreational" substances. Mind-altering is mind-altering is mind-altering...
STEP 4. Staying the course
As with any major change, there were challenges. Even with a calculated decrease of my medications, I wasn't without withdrawal symptoms. I often had to consider why I was taking the medications in the first place and be accepting of the possibility that practicing Reiki might not be enough to keep me "symptom-free." But, as I was more focused on the possibility that Reiki could be enough - especially when supported by other natural treatments - I kept with the plan and reminded myself of my commitments, often.
Guided meditations and soaking in Epsom salts really helped during the tougher moments; repeating as necessary.
STEP 5. Maintenance
It seems that introducing enough alternatives to overlap between the old regimen and the new regimen made a difference, in the end. And once med-free, I maintained my new-found baseline by addressing any mental, emotional or physical fluctuations as I would waves in the ocean; going with the tide, one wave at a time.
Welcome to life.
My transition into natural healing took just under 4 months.
So, to recap:
Step 1. I cut down medications at a steady and regulated rate, while introducing Reiki practices alongside other natural alternatives to support me, while keeping VERY well hydrated.
Step 2. I made sleep a priority, which included a bedtime routine for winding down the mind.
Step 3. I cut out all mind-altering, "crutchy" substances.
Step 4. When it got difficult, I reminded myself of the freedom I was striving for. And took many salt baths ;)
Step 5. I keep it up, continuing with what works and adapting as necessary.