PTSD for Medical and First Responders

[A_Tech]

Hi,

Well obviously this my situation.

I was hoping to find others here that might have a similar background to chat with, it can be so hard to talk about this stuff with non-med people (and I mean no disrespect, it's just often graffic or upsetting to others).

Im a 40 year old female that has spent the last 10years in the State Trauma Hospital as an Anaesthetic Technician. My PTSD was brought about after years of exposure to shocking traumas, deaths, and no support from management.

I would love to hear from anyone that has a similar story, or just wants to chat.

Cheers ✌️

[MarkJT]

Bilbo, the story i am getting from you is that you are a survivor.

From being homeless and unemployed to kissing your three kids goodnight - wow just so brilliant.

I am just so happy for you having done what you have done.

Spot on with the need to have a clinician plot the course of recovery.

What sort of treatment did you undertake?

Mark

[MarkJT]

S, at times it can be intensely difficult but it is just so important to try and remain positive. We must find that silver lining in every event that comes across us.

Living the daily battle that we do, if we focus on the negatives, that will serve no other purpose but to push us further down the dark hole but positivity, has the opposite effect. Even if that positive is a really small one, it is a plus, not a negative.

I agree and also do what you do in that as we recover, we set higher expectations but the key is to recognise when we are not so good, i.e. when depression really hits hard or anxiety or what ever symptom's turn it is, that we can stop, reassess and set new goals for the day.

I have days where expectations are high and also ones that the expectation is very low. Just get through the day, that's the aim. Get up the next day and re-assess.

I reckon you are going pretty well when all things are considered.

Mark

[MarkJT]

Bright & Bubble, hey welcome to the forums, great to have you among us.

Love your post - such positivity and you are such a survivor. Awesomeness right there!

Interested in the somatic therapist - never heard of it, can you talk me through it?

Mark

[TrailRunner]

Hi Kid in Denial,

i do have ptsd from work. 2 worst case scenario days one after the other. Fairly impossible to make sense of them anywhere in my brain.

i tried to push on, it was futile, I lasted 4 months of turning up to work before I was feeling unsafe driving alone.

i had 3 months or so off, and came back a couple hours a day at first in supernumerary positions only.

unfortunately the support from management wasn't what was expected and I needed to work elsewhere. I couldn't work just anywhere I didn't want a handout, a position came up in risk management and I earned the position. They have been the greatest support from work I've ever received. The work wasn't far off what I'd been doing for uni assignments so that wasn't a hard transition.

Working my full work week hours again was hard. Eating and having meals prepared was hard. Having clean clothes for work was hard. Being around people was hard, paranoid what people would think of me.

changing positions and taking away the biggest triggers was important for me i think, for my injury to rest and begin to recover. Take the time and you will thank yourself for looking after yourself x

apologies if that's long winded and not what you were after

TR

[TrailRunner]

... I thought I should add, as my prev post was a bit somber.

i am doing a whole lot better, I'm working and productive. I'm about to revisit my study with a clearer mind. And I can see, with the right support, I could possibly return to working in emergency. The future looks, well I see a future with me in it.

surround yourself with those that have inspired you, in life and work. Stay connected to your core friends. Rest your mind. Keep your body moving. Keep hydrated.

Celebrate every little win.

x

TR

[MarkJT]

TR, just have to say that what you have done to transition from one to another was a brilliant effort.

That must have taken some mental energy to go over a good period of time.

Love your two last posts, just so much positivity about them Deluxe!

Mark

[TrailRunner]

Thanks Mark.

im glad I experienced the positives long enough to post here, my world has just been shaken up a little

the shine has been dull'd again this last week. Low mood, low appetite, lack of sleep, and someone hit the trigger button while I wasn't watching.

i was away for 5 days around other people I respect and that helped me feel better I could be me, none of them know what happened or that I've been sick or off work or the reason I needed to change work.

it took about 3 days after I got home for that to wear off. Feeling good here, It's just not a sustainable feeling or state of mind. It's easier to be self torturous than kind.

Its hard to see what the point in all this is. When I feel a little better the world around me is no different to when I'm not feeling good.

What a weird place we live, I live. I just watch myself and wonder who is that girl! She should just stop because nothing really matters..

what makes you know, truely know, that there is a point to life?

t r

[MarkJT]

TR, that is the nature of PTSD. We now live on a roller coaster of emotions that can make our worlds nice and rosey and then when we get triggered we are sitting in a hellish place that appears to have no escape.

It sucks, sucks massive but you can choose to remain in hell or stand up, dust yourself off and get back into the nice rosey place.

That previous post that you did, that tells me that you know how to dust yourself off and make a new life for yourself. Again, it completely sucks how we have to do this but it is the world we now live in.

One of my favorite sayings is, "learn to surf". Emotions come in, in waves so you have learnt to surf those waves, just keep practicing and you will get better at it. Yes, every now and then a monster comes in and dumps us and we feel crap for a few days and when those wave dissipates, we are mentally tired from battling it so be easy on yourself.

Plenty matters - you matter and remember you are central to someones world. You matter plenty!

Mark.

[TrailRunner]

It sucks and it seems just not fair

[TrailRunner]

Not seems, it IS unfair..