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    Dealing with PTSD

    I was officially diagnosed about a year and a half ago with severe PTSD.. and often times it hinders me in several different aspects of my life. Right now I'm trying to study, but then when a bad day comes along and I have no grip on anything. It is then that I become frayed. Emotions are close to boiling over, anxiety rockets to such a degree my chest starts to hurt, and mentally I'm unwinding into a massive amount of tangles. Then the flashbacks start and I find it hard to breathe again. I've been trying different things in order to get a handle on it because it effects my studies that I'm doing, as well as hindering my ability to work or what I do at home.

    I've tried meditation, and guided meditation. I can't get my head to shut off and I find it so hard. It's causing me to be so distracted. Does anyone here have any sort of advice on what I could do to calm myself, bring more focus in and actually maybe be able to start meditating? Luckily today is a good day and I'm able to keep my head above the water, but my bad days are getting worse and I don't want to use medications because I've done it before, and they completely terrified me with the withdrawls I went through because the doctor didn't give me refills. Suggestions..?

    #2
    Re: Dealing with PTSD

    You should ask the doctor about how to avoid the effects of the medications. Because if you won't use the medications - it will only hurt you. To be honest I am not a fan of medications either, but that's how it works.

    I strongly recommend calming music. Especially when you meditate. Here is a link that might appear useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_klKJzo4LTY
    Plus, you can work on your persuasion power. Sometimes it's necessary to persuade oneself with words like "You/we/I can do it!" and repeat these words several times. It does a good job sometimes, but if you don't believe in it - it will do nothing.

    Hope that helped.
    "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



    Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

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      #3
      Re: Dealing with PTSD

      I have a friend who also suffers from PTSD; I asked and she suggested trying:

      "Rhodochrosite, rose quartz, moonstone, hematite. Lavender for calming, jasmine also calms and helps stimulate healing through self-love, rose, valerian and kava are good for taking the edge off, hibiscus and rosehips are relaxing but non-sedating. It also helps to know what caused the PTSD, for example PTSD caused by natural disasters are best helped by stones of an earthy nature whereas PTSD caused by abuse is bested helped by the things mentioned above."

      You could make satchels (with stones and/or herbs), wire wrapped pendants, hold them, you can wear, anoint an object, or burn the the oil; some of the herbs, like Lavender, jasmine, hibiscus, rose, you can cook with or drink in the form of teas (I'd double check to see which ones are safe to ingest; be mindful if you have allergies, of course).

      When I have my flare ups, I find that moon gazing helps to calm me down. Not always, but sometimes. Aromatherapy helps me sometimes, too. My bouts with PTSD aren't bad enough for medications though. But they're things to try. Hope these help.

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        #4
        Re: Dealing with PTSD

        Originally posted by Gleb View Post
        You should ask the doctor about how to avoid the effects of the medications. Because if you won't use the medications - it will only hurt you. To be honest I am not a fan of medications either, but that's how it works.

        I strongly recommend calming music. Especially when you meditate. Here is a link that might appear useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_klKJzo4LTY
        Plus, you can work on your persuasion power. Sometimes it's necessary to persuade oneself with words like "You/we/I can do it!" and repeat these words several times. It does a good job sometimes, but if you don't believe in it - it will do nothing.

        Hope that helped.
        Originally posted by DyslexicPagan View Post
        I have a friend who also suffers from PTSD; I asked and she suggested trying:

        "Rhodochrosite, rose quartz, moonstone, hematite. Lavender for calming, jasmine also calms and helps stimulate healing through self-love, rose, valerian and kava are good for taking the edge off, hibiscus and rosehips are relaxing but non-sedating. It also helps to know what caused the PTSD, for example PTSD caused by natural disasters are best helped by stones of an earthy nature whereas PTSD caused by abuse is bested helped by the things mentioned above."

        You could make satchels (with stones and/or herbs), wire wrapped pendants, hold them, you can wear, anoint an object, or burn the the oil; some of the herbs, like Lavender, jasmine, hibiscus, rose, you can cook with or drink in the form of teas (I'd double check to see which ones are safe to ingest; be mindful if you have allergies, of course).

        When I have my flare ups, I find that moon gazing helps to calm me down. Not always, but sometimes. Aromatherapy helps me sometimes, too. My bouts with PTSD aren't bad enough for medications though. But they're things to try. Hope these help.

        I have begun the steps of doing CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), as my therapist has recommended and in some ways it's working, but in other ways its not. On good days I'm able to stick with it really well, but its the bad days that get me. Those are the days I wake up and really feel it. It's debilitating and absolutely horrible. Those are the days where I have no control. My anger is known to randomly spark up out of no where for nothing, I start behaving like a child (I'm not proud to admit that..) and I'm not rational. It takes several hours for me to be able to calm down to the point that I'm able to go through with the CBT tips that my therapist has given me, and she also knows I don't want to be on medication.. All stemming from the fear I had with that one time of taking it. Irrational of me to think that way because I know I could benefit from it, but at the same time.. I don't want to relive that again considering I relive through everything else that has brought me to this point. If that makes any sense...

        But thank you for the link to the music, and the advice Gleb, I'll definitely try to do those things more often.

        I wish I could look at the moon, and sometimes I'm able to. I can peek down a block and see it shining between the buildings, but living in NYC.. it's difficult, I still actively try though. And thank you for the stones and herbs that might help. I really appreciate it.

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          #5
          Re: Dealing with PTSD

          Then try this: When you have one of the bad days, when you wake up with the feeling of anger for instance, like you mentioned earlier, you actually are aware of this.
          You are aware of feeling something negative. Try then do something to prevent feeling it. For example isolating yourself for an hour. In your room, doing what makes you calm down. Whether it is music, breaths, what have you.

          Maybe it will help less than several hours.
          "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



          Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Dealing with PTSD

            Originally posted by Gleb View Post
            Then try this: When you have one of the bad days, when you wake up with the feeling of anger for instance, like you mentioned earlier, you actually are aware of this.
            You are aware of feeling something negative. Try then do something to prevent feeling it. For example isolating yourself for an hour. In your room, doing what makes you calm down. Whether it is music, breaths, what have you.

            Maybe it will help less than several hours.
            I haven't thought of trying that! I definitely will keep that in mind next time. Part of what makes it so.. difficult, is that when I wake up feeling such a strong and intense emotion, I tend to cause my own anxiety to spike to unreasonable levels. Thank you so much for the tips! Right now I'm trying to journal as much as possible because I've found if I do that throughout the day, my head is less full and I have a better chance of waking up in a better mood.. or so I believe. Is that fact? I don't know. I need to analyze that better.

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              #7
              Re: Dealing with PTSD

              I do not know if it would be helpful, but a friend recommended melatonin to help me sleep when I travel. It is natural and there is no hangover, but it is very relaxing and if I am awakened in the night I have no difficulty going back to sleep.

              "No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." -- Niels Bohr

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                #8
                Re: Dealing with PTSD

                Originally posted by nbdy View Post
                I do not know if it would be helpful, but a friend recommended melatonin to help me sleep when I travel. It is natural and there is no hangover, but it is very relaxing and if I am awakened in the night I have no difficulty going back to sleep.
                Melatonin is wonderful, and I have utilized that frequently over the years.. unfortunately, though it relaxes me? It's my head that keeps me awake most nights. Just can't seem to turn it off sometimes and it steadily causes my anxiety to build. Thanks for the suggestion though.

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                  #9
                  Re: Dealing with PTSD

                  Head cant turn off.... i have bad bad bad days like this if im stressed its more often. I wrote till my mind felt empty some days my hands hurt before i got to that point. Then i meditated. If i wake up angry and my mind running so fast i cant stand it i would go for a walk with music intill i felt calm. Another thing caffene is more then a cup in the morning? If so thats puts someone with annexity on over drive.

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                    #10
                    Re: Dealing with PTSD

                    Not trying to be nosy but can you tell us what your PTSD is derived from? As a term it came to the full front with the military and shell shock so it was approached differently than say a women who was responding to a rape caused PTSD.
                    I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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                      #11
                      Re: Dealing with PTSD

                      You haven't been online in awhile, I hope you're feeling more in control of things.

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