PTSD and Trauma recovery

Leigh · 01-23-2010, 10:45 AM

While I have never been diagnosed with PTSD, I see so much of Myself in many of you (especially Andrew and Atomic) and wanted to say thank you to all of you for being brave enough to share those most traumatic parts of life ........ your all heroes in My eyes

Jet · 01-23-2010, 12:10 PM

The core emotions of my trauma and core of the trauma itself are surfacing. This took forever to face and purge. Facing my trauma and "returning" to make a new life is happening. Because of the nature of my trauma, I wasn't I could do face it. The odds of beating it were slim considering I should have died. Facing my stuff took medicine and lots of prayer.

Softly · 01-28-2010, 02:59 PM

Thought i'd finally chime in here.

I am diagnosed with PTSD, Depression, and also Bipolar
I am in therapy and on medication, which are both working beautifully together. I also attend a BP support group when I can, and I have a support system in my reach, including my wonderful partner, so I am in good hands all around.

I don't want to go into too much detail other than my diagnosis comes from years of sexual abuse from my step-father and mental/physical abuse from my mother. I didn't tell anyone until a few years ago. My mother took my step-fathers side in regards to the abuse even after he admitted it and left me and my sister behind. I never spoke to her again. it's been a little over 3 years. My sister, of course, is by my side and we are family and will always stick together. she and I are the only family we have now and it's alright because my mother was/is a poisenous person and I would her rather not be in my life.

I am happy now. so happy. and I encourage therapy for anyone who has to go through the ups and downs and the emotional rollercoasters. keep yourself around GOOD positive people and influences. keep positive, as much as you can.

xoxo to all of you. I want to say I LOVE YOU because I feel connected to each of your stories, but that's a bit much, don't ya think? lol

I HEART YOU ALL xoxo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol' Jet

Did it ever mention "body flashbacks?" Like you not only remember, but your body feels the experience?

Yes.

Jet · 01-28-2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Softly

Thought i'd finally chime in here.

I am diagnosed with PTSD, Depression, and also Bipolar
I am in therapy and on medication, which are both working beautifully together. I also attend a BP support group when I can, and I have a support system in my reach, including my wonderful partner, so I am in good hands all around.

I don't want to go into too much detail other than my diagnosis comes from years of sexual abuse from my step-father and mental/physical abuse from my mother. I didn't tell anyone until a few years ago. My mother took my step-fathers side in regards to the abuse even after he admitted it and left me and my sister behind. I never spoke to her again. it's been a little over 3 years. My sister, of course, is by my side and we are family and will always stick together. she and I are the only family we have now and it's alright because my mother was/is a poisenous person and I would her rather not be in my life.

I am happy now. so happy. and I encourage therapy for anyone who has to go through the ups and downs and the emotional rollercoasters. keep yourself around GOOD positive people and influences. keep positive, as much as you can.

xoxo to all of you. I want to say I LOVE YOU because I feel connected to each of your stories, but that's a bit much, don't ya think? lol

I HEART YOU ALL xoxo

All the best in your journey to recovery and stability.

Jet · 01-28-2010, 06:40 PM

I am also still on my recovery journey. And the rule of thumb for me and also reiterated by one of my
best friends, who is a psychotherapist, is that I have to "feel the feelings" as I move through my trauma. In my case, I suffer
from something closer to shell shock. The worst part of this is being in what I call my emotional "shock lock." This means that I have to stay
focused on relieving shock in my sternum/heart area by remembering and purging the event in chunks and pieces as they come up.

A long, difficult process. I'm so over this, I can't tell you. This thing has ruled and damn near killed and ruined my life.
Just when I think I have done enough work, it goes deeper or something else surfaces.
I wonder how many endings this thing will have before it's over. lol

Gemme · 01-28-2010, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amelia

Frisky!!!

Just remember that there's gonna be days when you feel like you took two steps forward and three back. Dont focus on the mistake beat yourself up thoughts, but make it the oops try better next time thought. Give yourself some leeway and forgiveness that nothing happened to you in the past all overnight... and so this too don't expect immediate permanent changes overnight. Realizing is awesome and the first step. Just don't forget we are all still here to be supportive on those days when you get overwhelmed or are being hard on yourself. Everyone has a day when they think screw this its too hard/painful ect....

When I think of it as changing habits I think I am more able to act/think like I want to... and not act/think like I used to before I realized I needed to change. And I allow myself to backslip when I do... and accept its just a speed bump and not a huge wall of "no hope". Less pressure for me tends to help me be more successful in recovering.

This is a very valuable truth, Amelia, and thank you for saying it.

My issues stem from years and years of abuse.....literally, a decade's worth. So, there's no way, no matter what methods I use to try to come to grips with it and to recover from it, that it's going to happen within a small span of time.

What is it that they say about relationships, when they break up? It takes twice the length of the relationship to 'get over' your ex? If it takes twice the length of time for what someone may assume is a healthy relationship (for the majority of it, before the demise began), then how long could one reasonably assume would be a good time frame to recover from a completely unhealthy (and assumingly, unwanted) relationship? What about the likelihood that there were more than just one unhealthy relationships going on simultaneously? I know my relationship with my mother wasn't particularly healthy to begin with but add in the abuse from step-daddy-dearest and now what? How much time does each additional negative relationship add on?

I began putting myself back together after I extricated myself from BOTH relationships (making a ton of mistakes along the way, since it was me, myself and I going the path) when I was 19. Double that. 38. I'm not there yet and that would not be taking the residual, rippling effects caused by a single negative and harmful relationship into consideration.

*shakes head*

I am just flabbergasted by those who think it's easy to get over this shit.

Gobsmacked, even.

Andrew, Jr. · 01-28-2010, 10:24 PM

Gemme,

Yes I agree with you. I am offended and insulted when the folks who say "so what" like it is no big deal. Or come back with some rude remark about my past after digging for information. I had no idea that my life was to be an open book for everyone to read and judge. I think until you have someone holding a knife at your throat you will never understand.

Canela · 01-29-2010, 11:05 PM

I was a major depressant (clinically depressed) for almost 25 years. I tried all types of drugs and alcohol to self medicate the pain and abuse I endured as a child, teen and adult. I learned much later, that I chose the same type of people because it was old and familiar and the abuse which I hated but knew all too well was comfortable. Made me feel like home. Crazy huh? I had to find a way out of that vicious cycle when I had my children, thinking I could change their outcome. We have had to fight those struggles together, my children and I, but I thank God everyday that we have hope. It was hard, is hard somedays more than others. But we stand and fight most days. I wish I could say that I NEVER get depressed anymore but that would be a lie. I can tell you that I don't stay depressed, and that it has been such a relief to deal with things sober. It was not hard to give up the drugs and alcohol. It was harder to give up the thought processes, habits and hurts that kept me imprisoned in my own mind with that pain. It has no hold on me anymore, Praise God! And now I try to do my part to help others have hope, too. God bless you and heal you all!

Butterbean · 03-02-2010, 09:53 AM

Bellruth Naperstek has a guided mediation CD on PSTD that is amazing. An MD told me about her work. It's available at health journeys online and I'm assuming bookstores too.

layla · 03-02-2010, 10:03 AM

time time helps... everything fades away with time... nightmares... memories.... time heals everything....
it's a process...a slow one... but time takes care of everything...

01-23-2010, 12:10 PM	#2
Jet Timed Out - TOS Drama How Do You Identify?: .. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: .. Posts: 3,471 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 292 Thanked 2,647 Times in 1,293 Posts Rep Power: 0	Beating the odds The core emotions of my trauma and core of the trauma itself are surfacing. This took forever to face and purge. Facing my trauma and "returning" to make a new life is happening. Because of the nature of my trauma, I wasn't I could do face it. The odds of beating it were slim considering I should have died. Facing my stuff took medicine and lots of prayer.

03-02-2010, 09:53 AM	#9
Butterbean Member How Do You Identify?: ---- Preferred Pronoun?: ---- Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: ----- Posts: 1,143 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,417 Thanked 2,215 Times in 771 Posts Rep Power: 17690475	FYI Bellruth Naperstek has a guided mediation CD on PSTD that is amazing. An MD told me about her work. It's available at health journeys online and I'm assuming bookstores too.

01-23-2010, 10:45 AM	#1
Leigh Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her, etc Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 7,767 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,029 Thanked 13,024 Times in 4,784 Posts Rep Power: 21474860	While I have never been diagnosed with PTSD, I see so much of Myself in many of you (especially Andrew and Atomic) and wanted to say thank you to all of you for being brave enough to share those most traumatic parts of life ........ your all heroes in My eyes

01-28-2010, 06:40 PM	#5
Jet Timed Out - TOS Drama How Do You Identify?: .. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: .. Posts: 3,471 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 292 Thanked 2,647 Times in 1,293 Posts Rep Power: 0	I am also still on my recovery journey. And the rule of thumb for me and also reiterated by one of my best friends, who is a psychotherapist, is that I have to "feel the feelings" as I move through my trauma. In my case, I suffer from something closer to shell shock. The worst part of this is being in what I call my emotional "shock lock." This means that I have to stay focused on relieving shock in my sternum/heart area by remembering and purging the event in chunks and pieces as they come up. A long, difficult process. I'm so over this, I can't tell you. This thing has ruled and damn near killed and ruined my life. Just when I think I have done enough work, it goes deeper or something else surfaces. I wonder how many endings this thing will have before it's over. lol

01-28-2010, 10:24 PM	#7
Andrew, Jr. Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Me Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: Unavailable Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Over the Rainbow in a House Posts: 5,072 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 16,004 Thanked 5,249 Times in 2,216 Posts Rep Power: 0	Gemme, Yes I agree with you. I am offended and insulted when the folks who say "so what" like it is no big deal. Or come back with some rude remark about my past after digging for information. I had no idea that my life was to be an open book for everyone to read and judge. I think until you have someone holding a knife at your throat you will never understand.

01-29-2010, 11:05 PM	#8
Canela Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Queer Stone Femme Preferred Pronoun?: Babe, she, her, ella Relationship Status: Well loved… Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 2,375 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 10,644 Thanked 6,502 Times in 1,694 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	I was a major depressant (clinically depressed) for almost 25 years. I tried all types of drugs and alcohol to self medicate the pain and abuse I endured as a child, teen and adult. I learned much later, that I chose the same type of people because it was old and familiar and the abuse which I hated but knew all too well was comfortable. Made me feel like home. Crazy huh? I had to find a way out of that vicious cycle when I had my children, thinking I could change their outcome. We have had to fight those struggles together, my children and I, but I thank God everyday that we have hope. It was hard, is hard somedays more than others. But we stand and fight most days. I wish I could say that I NEVER get depressed anymore but that would be a lie. I can tell you that I don't stay depressed, and that it has been such a relief to deal with things sober. It was not hard to give up the drugs and alcohol. It was harder to give up the thought processes, habits and hurts that kept me imprisoned in my own mind with that pain. It has no hold on me anymore, Praise God! And now I try to do my part to help others have hope, too. God bless you and heal you all!

03-02-2010, 10:03 AM	#10
layla Member How Do You Identify?: femme Preferred Pronoun?: ella ella Relationship Status: married Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: down south Posts: 361 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 157 Thanked 175 Times in 105 Posts Rep Power: 51	time time helps... everything fades away with time... nightmares... memories.... time heals everything.... it's a process...a slow one... but time takes care of everything...