As if a switch is flipped

Can you imagine how valuable it is when someone with PTSD says that with his vest, he has a button to switch off stress? Not because the world suddenly falls silent. Not because memories disappear. But because his body finally no longer has to be in a state of heightened alert for a moment.

For people with PTSD, stress is not just in thoughts. It is also in the body. In tense shoulders, shallow breathing, a heart that beats faster, a nervous system that constantly scans for danger. Do you recognize that? That you actually want to relax, but your body just doesn’t seem to go along with it?

That is exactly where deep pressure can make a difference. On squease.nl, it is explained that deep pressure acts directly on the nervous system and helps the body relax. The Squease pressure vest provides even, adjustable pressure and can be used specifically for stress, panic, and anxiety. It sends the signal, as it were: you are safe, you may lower yourself, you don’t have to be constantly “on.” That is exactly what this customer described so aptly in an email he sent us: “with this vest, I have a button to switch off my stress.” What a powerful way to describe what regulation can do. Not a miracle cure, but certainly a tool that helps the body get out of alarm mode.

And perhaps that is precisely the question for many people with PTSD: how nice would it be if you didn’t constantly have to fight against everything you feel? If you noticed tension building up sooner and had something that provided immediate support? The Squease website also states that the vest can be used preventively, for example when tension starts to build up or when a stimulating environment threatens to become too much.