PTSD Cyclist vs Car

[spt1988]

I just joined up to this site last week, almost 3 years ago I was
riding my bike to work when a driver of a car failed to give way at a
round about and hit me off my bike breaking my left femur. I had a
spiral fracture that split my bone into 3 and required surgery and a
metal rod and 4 screws to hold it all back together. like you also I
have had ongoing chronic pain ever since, I have since had 2 more
surgeries to remove all the metal but still the pain persists nearly 3
years on and is now having a bad effect on my hips and knee joints on
both legs. I tried to return to my work as a spray painter 6 months
after the accident even on light duties but still couldn't manage to
keep up with demand, I stuck it out for a year and a bit trying all
sorts of different solutions to help deal with the pain none of which
had much effect. I have now since left my job last year to try and seek
more suitable employment. but all I have known since leaving school is
spray painting, so it is proving rather difficult to find anything else.
I have had many interviews for jobs that my skills would b transferable
but it seems no one wants to hire a broken person. Needless to say this
has also had an effect on my mental health, I had a bit of a meltdown
just before the first year past becoming serverly depressed and anxious.
I have been seeing a psychiatrist ever since and have been put on some
fairly heavy anti depressants. Even with all that I still find it hard
to get better when there is still all this pain and money worrys. I have
a claim underway aswell which also stresses me out and it just keeps
getting pushed back further by the doctors who say I'm not stable yet.
I'm only 28 but this whole experience has just drained the life out of
me not to mention physically I now move like a 70 year old, I've
forgotten what its like to be normal.

Is there any one else in a or has been through a similar situation and feel like sharing?

I found writing things down on here slightly helpful.

[MarkJT]

spt1988, welcome to the forums and well done for posting. I love how you have said that it has helped you. It is well recognised that writing or journelling is really good for mental health. You are now part of a community that is very caring and free of any stigma.

I cannot say that i have been through what you have been through because my PTSD is not accompanied with physical injuries.

What I can tell you though is that you can recover from the PTSD and get your anxiety and depression under control. Once this is done, hopefully you can then concentrate of your physical injuries and getting a job that suits you and your skills.

It is great that you are seeing a psych as that is the most critical thing to do.

Are you practicing mindfulness? I am a huge advocate for it. I got a lesson on it when i was in hospital and was skeptical about it but soon after had an experience that showed me that it works.

I downloaded an app called "Smiling Mind" and used that constantly until I really learnt it. Mindfulness is really good for when you are getting anxious. It helps you ground yourself and when you are in a low depressive mood, you are able to get through that episode by being mindful. It is about living in the present and not worrying about the future, nor the past.

Music, clouds, stars, buildings....there is a heap of stuff that you can use when practicing it and it is all free and you can do it anywhere and anytime.

I think that this thread is going to go on for a while as we all support you through this journey that you are on.

Start practicing mindfulness and then we will move onto the next subject to help you recover from PTSD.

Cheers mate

Mark.

[spt1988]

Hi MarkJT,

Thanks for your advice, I have tried mindfulness before with my physio but we didnt really go to deep into it. I will look up that smiling mind app you suggested, no one had suggested anything like that, so Im definitely going to give that a go. Other things I do is exercise mostly just upper body in the gym and some on the stationary bikes as running is off the cards now. also exposure therapy for my anxiety that I get around Traffic and crossing roads now which kind of helped but I just dont trust drivers anymore as since my accident I have witnessed 4 more people be hit by cars at intersections, drivers who are distracted or not paying attention or going to fast. So that is another ongoing thing.

Anyway thanks again Mark

[MarkJT]

SPT, excellent that you are going to give the mindfulness another go. It is something that you have to persist with as your skills improve the more you do. The app is really good for this as it is guided so you basically get coached and when your skills are advanced enough that you can do it by yourself without help.

Excellent that you are exercising. By the sounds of it your knees or ankles etc are cooked from impact so the stationary bike is a great resource. Swimming also - great for the whole body.

Like what you are doing with the crossing roads. You are not staying away from the all together but enacting coping mechanisms to deal with it.

You really sound like you are tracking well so keep going!!

Please feel free to ask any questions you want. More than happy to help where i can.

Mark.