Sharing strategies to help with PTSD

[PamelaR]

One of my biggest learnings has been - PTSD is not like a broken arm. When you break your arm, it mends. PTSD is with you for life. It took me ages to recognise that I'd been triggered. Some of the simplest things - like going to the shopping centre at the beginning of winter and seeing the multi-colour shirts - red, blue, black squares. The hardest part for me is identifying the trigger because the pacing heart, the sweats, the panic, the fear doesn't happen immediately. It happens after I walk out of the shopping centre.For the first few years after being diagnosed with PTSD I was hell bent on identifying the trigger. Now - I don't worry. I simple accept I'm triggered - do my breathing, relaxation to beautiful music, write down my feelings and emotions, talk with my husband. Let him know I've been triggered. Most times my cats won't come near me while I'm working through a 'phase', but they certainly know when I've come out the other side. They come and give me lots of comfort and love. The down side of how I manage is to drink alcohol - to stop the feelings and emotions. It doesn't work, but it helps go to sleep. I'm not recommending drinking as a strategy!!

I have had 2 excellent psychologists that helped me. It's important to find someone other than those close to you to talk to. One was very good at helping me identify what was happening - e.g. being super alert, wanting to save or please people. Recognising these things helped to build better relationships with my work colleagues and my friends. I have conversations in my head - oh, you just want to please because something has frightened you. Then I say - you're okay, you're safe, you can say what you need to.

Basically, the strategy of self talk in a challenging way - I challenge what I'm doing, what I'm thinking. But I also recognise the little girl who screams out when things happen and comfort her. Very important to know she hurts terribly and needs comfort. The comfort she never received as a child.

[Ggrand]

Hi everyone,

I haven't seen this thread before, just taking for now, will read later,

Kind thoughts

Karen.(Grandy).

[PamelaR]

Hi Mandy

I would have responded sooner, but we've had family stay for the weekend.

Glad to hear you have a good relationship with your GP and you feel you can return when you're not travelling too well.

I know what you mean about concern with the racing heart. I too have family history of heart disease, so it is a worry as to whether it's due to - anxiety, heart disease (so far I've not been diagnosed with any issues), or medication (I'm taking for underactive thyroid). Currently working with my GP to reduce my thyroid medication as my thyroid levels are high ATM.

I find when I have written in the past it helps to open up what it was that was really troubling me. I wrote about what I was remembering, who was involved, how I thought I was feeling at the time. Sometimes I even wrote a letter to them (the abusers), in my journal, expressing my anger, pain, hatred, forgiveness and love.

I used to write poetry, long before I knew about what had happened to me as a child. It's funny that, because all my poetry was 'sad' and I frequently cried when I read it. But the poetry was never about 'feelings, experiences' or anything like that. Very interesting really when I think about it now. I haven't written any poetry for a very long time.

I also try to get enough daily exercise. Walking is good! There is some belief that 1/2 hr walking helps to reset your brain, or for your brain to work through (subconsciously) what's troubling you. To be honest, I can't say whether this has helped my brain, but it is good for my body. Helps to use up some excess adrenaline.

Kind regards

PamelaR

[PamelaR]

Hello Labradoodle and welcome!!

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond to your post. Weekend visitors kept me busy. It's good to see Bindi has responded to you. She's awesome and gives loads of support.

It's really good to hear you have a psychologist who you can call on when you've been triggered and that you have started to write down your feelings. I love the idea of a mood chart. I think in away this is how my journal ended up. It really only ever contained my 'down days'. But it was good to see that in a year my down days were tiny compared to my 'up' days.

From what you have written it also sounds like your work place is supportive. I found that makes transition back to work so much easier. The people I worked for were great too.

The set backs do occur and some days it feels like you take one step forward and two steps back. It's taking that step forward again that helps. Take one step at a time and before long you'll have taken fifty steps before two steps back. It does take time for the response to lessen. But lessen 'IT WILL'!! So keep that it mind as you travel on your journey Labradoodle. Find things that make you happy. There's a tread here that you can record your happy memories.

Kind regards

PamelaR

[PamelaR]

Hi Bindi

Good to see another post from you.

'Exposure therapy' is interesting.

I used exposure therapy (known as desensitisation??) for my fear of heights. This was very successful!!

I also used it by returning to the town of my rape about 18 months after the memory returned, at the suggestion of my psychologist. My husband accompanied me and gave me the support I needed. It was the worst experience of my life and set my recovery back about 6 months. I subsequently changed my psychologist.The work I did with her was amazing, most of the things I've outlined in the thread have come from her assistance.

Kind regards

PamelaR

[bindi-QLD]

Hi Labradoodle,

I'm so sorry you had a hard weekend, here's a proper hug :)) Its perfectly understandable you are still feeling triggered by large trucks coming close, considering you went through life threatening trauma just a couple of months ago. It made me feel a little sad, thinking of all the pressure men feel to `be over it'. Its not like that though, is it? When your life is threatened, that kind of trigger tends to stick for a long time.

Mainly I wanted to say, please look after yourself and remember lots of people change jobs if their's has become too traumatic. I read through the First responder/ambo's thread, and not everyone desensitises with exposure. If you're starting to drink too much, or worse, just to face up to work each day, it probably means you need a proper change. Not that changing work is ever easy. Anyway, not sure if that something you're cnsiderin. If the re- exposure starts to work, that would be ideal wouldn't it?

Has your therapist said anything about how long they expect before you'd go back to work on the roads?

[bindi-QLD]

Hi Pam,

I was really happy to read some more of your posts again today, I hope you enjoyed your weekend and that your visitors were nice ones:) .

I didn't mean anything by that suggestion to get help from the GP during a panic attack, sorry if it came across that way. I just wanted to add that part, because you have explained everything else so beautifully:) So much of what you have shared in this thread gives a lot of us hope, I really appreciate everything you suggest.

[PamelaR]

No worries Bindi, all good!! Your suggestion really added to the post and I did appreciate it. Obviously how I said it, didn't come across well.

I find your suggestions helpful. Thank you.

[labradoodle]

Hi Bindi thanks for your reply. Felt bad on Sunday rang up to give them warning that I wouldn't be right to work Monday the boss answered the phone and said how long is this f***** going to go on for!! It just devastated me that someone could be so insensitive. It stuns me that some people still have no understanding of PTSD and it's long term effects. Returned to work today went well will see how I go tomorrow will try to post a pic of the labradoodle. Thanks for yours and Pams replies it means a lot to me that I am not alone in dealing with this. Labradoodle

[PamelaR]

Hi Labradoodle

Look forward to seeing a post of the labradoodle. They are cute.

Your bosses response really stunned you. I can hear that! You are right not every one has an understanding of PTSD which makes it more difficult when you are dealing with your triggers and responses. But I'm truly encouraged to hear you returned to work today and it went well!!! Fantastic to hear. Well done.

I had a similar response a long time ago, well before I was diagnosed with PTSD. I had obviously been triggered by something and wasn't functioning. The doctor gave me a week off, and when I rang my boss he said - 'how long is this going to go on for'.Yeah, right. It makes you feel good about yourself - NOT. But I did pull myself through as I did many times and was back at work the following week. As a thought that comes to me now, that while it's not a very caring thing to say, maybe it is a trigger for your mind and body to regain it's equilibrium? This is just me, thinking out loud - I would never say such a thing to anyone.

What I've learnt is while going through a 'phase' I acknowledge it for what it is. Do all my usual strategies for bringing me down and tell myself it will be here for as long as it will be here!! Don't fight it, accept it for what it is and tell yourself you can handle it. You have handled it and will continue to do so. Remembering you're only a phone call away from all your support networks - doctor, family (who understand), friends (who understand), any of the resources that Beyond Blue list for you.

PR

[labradoodle]

Hi Bindi and Pamela thanks for your replies. Returned to work on Wednesday had put in a complaint to my RTW coordinator about the bosses response on Sunday night. It has been acknowledged but he is the type of person who can't /won't apologise or understand the hurt he caused. Worked on the rd on Thursday went well had a supportive co worker who I requested to be put with and it helps a lot to be with someone who understands and I'm comfortable with. Had a great Australia Day yesterday surrounded by friends some who know what I'm going through and some who don't but handled it well. Psych today she has been fantastic so will see what next week brings. Labradoodle PS Pam what is a blueVoices member