- Beyond Blue Forums
- Mental health conditions
- PTSD and trauma
- Poor concentration due to PTSD
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Pin this Topic for Current User
- Follow
- Printer Friendly Page
Poor concentration due to PTSD
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
I like to think that for the most, i have recovered from PTSD, well as much as you can recover from it (just my beliefs) but my concentration is still very very ordinary.
Has anyone experienced this? How do you improve your concentration? I know Dr Google will have some answers but I would prefer to hear from people who have lived it.
I think a bit has to do how much mental energy it takes to keep yourself grounded and the lower amount of mental energy the harder it is to concentrate but even when i feel pretty energised, i still can't concentrate much.
Be interested to hear other peoples ideas on this.
Cheers
Mark.
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hey my dear Navy Blue Man! I'm so glad you arrived!
I'm not wearing my undies over my jeans anymore...oops...did I just say that? At least I'm not wearing my dressing gown all day...uh...wait a minute! Ok...so sometimes I do. he he
You've asked about how you can go from extreme concentration, to the above statement. I liken it to when the body goes into shock. All the blood's taken from the extremities to flow towards the effected regions like broken limbs etc. The skin goes pale and grey, consciousness suffers as do the muscles/organs (the skin being the biggest)
Emotional trauma is no different. Shock to the brain and nervous system causes the mind and body to shut down unnecessary components to make sure we have just enough processes to recover and get thru the day. It's an energy saving device.
As we heal, this is slowly turned around, like your hip and learning to walk again. The damaged areas of our brains need time to recover and learn, not only how to do things again, but create maintenance plans and procedures (flow charts) to ensure survival and trauma/s don't happen again.
When a bone breaks, it heals the effected area so well, it causes a mass of bone around the break which will sometimes bond itself to the surrounding area. This causes some distress to the soft tissue thru scaring and pain if it's not moved and massaged. Even then there's no guarantee's.
Our brains work similarly. The bone mass I spoke of could be seen as fear on fear trying to 'prepare' for trauma again. We overstimulate thru fear of going thru things again, and this produces adrenaline and cortisol etc. Too much of a good thing!
When you were on active duty, adrenaline was your friend. Heightening your sense of alertness and concentration (and male hormones) Now you're on overdrive and your system is shot. (No pun intended)
There's no way of knowing how damaged we are except by symptoms and lack of ability. It's the difference between a broken back, which some people can come back from, or paraplegia where nerves have been severed.
I hope this is making sense NM. I've covered a lot of ground here. Just know that giving up is our worst enemy. As Mark says; having a couple of bad days isn't a relapse...thank God! There's always tomorrow...
Love and warm wishes...Sara xoxo
Post Script..Thankyou to Frank and Helen for your lovely and informed comments.
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Great post Sara - really well written and really makes sense what you are saying that is for sure. My phone is absolutely loaded with reminders to counter the memory being crapola. Whether it ever gets back to what it was is an unknown question but so be it. As I have written so many times, I am very fortunate to have had a really good run in recovery so if this drags on for a while, so be it.
Navy man - awesome post. Much like the Military, Emergency Services workers deal in black humor all the time. It is the only way we can possibly stay mentally healthy and then sometimes even that does not help us! I am a big fan of taking the mickey out of myself. Some people kind of get offended by it but then how can they be offended when it is me that i am making jokes about? It is a coping mechanism so light hearted banter and jokes are very well received by me.
Cheers
Mark.
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
You all have some pretty good ideas. This prompted me to have some thoughts about my own memory faults. Amazingly after all this time I still tend to regard them as my failings, not symptoms – silly as they were not present before my illness
1. When fully occupied reliving an old event, or worrying about a new or fancied one, everything’s out the window. Until that mental merry-go-round halts there is no possibility of remembering anything (or even realising the building is on fire)
In time I’ve become better at being aware I’m in this state and come out of it – there is some control. Combined with the whole process being a lot less intense now means that this problem is reasonably manageable
2. Concentrating on being told something, reading a document etc. At some point the mind often drifts - by being distracted by my own reactions - by the worry of not being able to remember it - by worrying about the ramifications before all necessary data is in. Sometimes by the mind just stopping – duh
Notes taken at the time is a most helpful habit. This records the incoming info & also the act of note-taking helps my concentration. Anticipating the event and preparing is good
3. Being limited to only thinking about one thing, going down that path to the exclusion of other thoughts. A bit like my wife saying men can only think/do one thing at a time -unlike wives whose mental feats leave normal mortals in awe:) Regular non-specific ½ hour alarms help – smartphones rule!
4. Straight memory failure. Forgot it completely and total blank when reminded. This is the real killer and I’ve no defence as it could be about anything anytime, so no way to anticipate and take precautions other than calendar entries & the ubiquitous sets of lists
5. Finally “tip of the tongue”. Know a fact or person’s name, and use it every day, then it’s hiding - and will not come out, or only returns for a moment
I remember always having the top of a file visible on the passenger’s seat when driving to interview someone as the name always kept escaping me. The same holds true today, making visible written reminders as soon as the required info asserts itself is my answer
All these seem to be directly affected by my state. Tiredness, hunger, lack of exercise aren’t good but its mainly the level of strong emotion, stress or worry. Years of umpteen medications may not have helped. Forcing myself to study does
I guess it’s a work in progress
My best wishes
Croix (the absentminded)
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi Croix and welcome to Mark's thread!
The issue of lack of concentration/memory is a common aspect of PTSD, and as the popularity of this thread shows, is a major one.
Something I find odd, is how I can remember stupid or inconsequential long forgotten info like trivia, but fail to recall what happened 5 min's ago. Songs for instance, can pull names and dates out of seemingly nowhere. Did you know that 'Karate' means 'closed fist'? Talk about random..that just popped into my mind!!??
Or is it random? I'm a fighter for sure...not physically, but mentally. Is there a link or info my mind is trying to get thru?
Food for thought me thinks...
Sara xo
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
I’m happy to say I’m getting an awful lot from this thread, both inspiration & techniques, in fact far too much to talk about in one post
As for remembering ‘closed fist’ Sara – I’m surprised! 🙂
You mentioned songs which I guess must inhabit a deeper part of the brain. My mother-in-law is in a home where the visits of a pianist are heavily attended and seem to promote lucidity and spark memories in the ‘guests’. She starts to remember facts and incidents from her past seemingly not directly related to the popular old favorites sung & played
There does not seem to be total consistency in my personal experiences. I can concentrate wonderfully for long periods on the current fantasy novel I’m reading, going (probably retreating) into a different world. I'll be able to remember plot, content and notable phrases from it without effort - no fading out there!
Talking or trying to read documents to gain information or just interact does not have the same sustained focus even if important - sigh. (I guess you may be right Sara about those having influence make it worse)
HelenR, thank you – I totally agree that study helps and is, for me at any rate, self-reinforcing. The more I do the better I get all round. Also I share with you it’s great to find out it’s not personal failings, just never having been given adequate information
I’m not sure about not disclosing all your symptoms has resulted in treatments being less successful, particularly as you might not have always been in the best position to judge what was significant, or remember it. I definitely wasn’t
I think this is where the skill of the health professional comes in. They are the professionals after all.
I consider that the GPs I went to when I began to seriously suffer from stress let me down by not extrapolating from my reported symptoms to find others and to unearth the link between them and the underlying cause - or anticipate worsening
In fairness it was a long ago and neither diagnoses nor medications were as good. One of the things I find most heartening is Mark’s account of his level of recovery and ability to resume duties. This is a testament to his attitude & determination, but must be due to new treatments and techniques as well. Also his Force’s positive position. In my Force back then you were just written off – even by the Association.
Sorry to talk about you in the third person Mark, don’t mean to be rude.
Out of space again –probably a good thing:)
Croix
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Croix, 3rd person - no probs. Not rude at all as far as i am concerned and yes, the force has come along way since then but make no mistake, still has a loooooooong way to go. Working on it though.
Music, such a powerful thing. Absolutely love it and all types. So many songs hold so many memories and there are a couple that remind me of being in hospital but i still listen and enjoy because it reinforces to me just how far i have come since then.
One of my favorite songs is by the Foo Fighters,"Walk". There is a line that says, "Learning to walk again", I changed the words to, "learning to live again". That is essentially what you have to do when you get PTSD. Life is changing and you have to adapt and overcome.
How do you overcome, well as has been said above, notes, smart phones (yes Croix - agree they rule), reminders, telling mates and colleagues that memory is terrible so remind me, calendar entries etc.
One thing that really accelerated my recovery was that i was able to "accept" being diagnosed with PTSD very quickly. It was very much a case of, "Ok this happened, not much i can do about it, deal with it and move on". I am exceedingly aware just how lucky I am to have been able to do that.
I take regular mini breaks to let the mind chill for a couple of minutes, if i have to read and absorb a big document, I will make notes and ask plenty of questions. The great thing about being really open about my injury is that everyone knows so i just tell them straight out.
Loving the interaction here.
Mark.
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi NBM (hurting) and all;
I wish I had an answer for you, I really do. I have my own plight to deal with today so finding something important and relevant to say eludes me.
PTSD has struck...I'm sad too NM.
I do want you to know I hear you and acknowledge your hurt and the dilemma you find yourself in. Unfortunately I don't have the capacity to deal with a confident or memorable response as I'm finding it difficult to even remember what's in your post, even though I've read it twice.
I'm sorry...
Sara xo
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Dear Sara
Please feel at peace resting on your laurels for a while, be easy on yourself, I have no doubt at all you will come back fighting later on.
One of the difficulties when one keeps performing over and above - and you do - is that it seems to carry with it a feeling of obligation to always perform that way - it becomes your personal expected norm
Being human is just that - being human, (only super-heroes wear their undies outside their clothes - and you've already mentioned you don't:)
For myself I think in a topsy-turvey way, while unpleasant and frustrating, to crash now and then helps me relate to others suffering better - my experience is fresher in my mind.
Croix
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
