dulcinea2345

Open Sexual Abuse

Treatments

Art Too Soon to Tell

I've tried drawing with my left hand the images I have from the first rape/assault. I find myself physically reexperiencing the rape. At the same time I find myself feeling feelings that I separated off from through dissociation. I'm still working through it, the rape. Yet, now I'm having more emotional flashbacks and bad daydreams.

Group Therapy Too Soon to Tell

I've gained some relief being able to be in a mixed group relating my rape. In other ways I'm still stuck replaying parts of it like a broken record.

Talking Too Soon to Tell

I've been able to talk to my therapist one on one about parts of it. Yet, I feel like I'm holding my breath waiting for it to be over with, the repeated traumatic memories

Yoga Working / Worked

I have a wonderful yoga teacher who is working with me to breathe through with soft belly breath the panic attacks I can have during the yoga lessons. Ive made great progress since I began with her 1 12 years ago.

Open Eating Disorders
Type: Bulimia

I'm 60 yrs old. I eat when I'm hungry. I eat when I'm not hungry if I'm not careful to monitor my stress level and notice I'm eating from stress. I've often been addicted to exercise, often when I'm bulimic and at times when I've bordered on anorexia. I work with the dying and their families. My weight issues are clearly driven by effect of multiple traumas in my life. I grew up in Minnesota and it wasn't all "Mary Tyler Moore."

Treatments

Dietitian Consult Not Working

These consults didn't address the core of the problem or support me in my weight loss.

Outpatient Treatment Program Working / Worked

I lost 70 pounds and went on a hiatus for one year and gained 10-15 pounds back. I'm re-entering their maintenance program to deal with stabilizing, losing weight and in conjunction with psychotherapy working on a life style change.

Psychotherapy Considering

I've been in cognitive therapy for years. I'm now in psychotherapy and looking at the issues underlying my binge eating, binge fasting, and binge over exercise.

Running Working / Worked

In the 1970s I used running and other cross training to go from morbidly obese to almost no body fat. In recent years Ive used it again to lose 60 pounds and still have 50 to 60 pounds to go. Ive done this in conjunction with an Obesity Treatment Center program

Open Lesbian Relationship Challenges

I am 60. I am an m2f transsexual lesbian identified woman. I've been in a committed relationship with another woman who ended our relationship because I am not bf. She ironically is married to a woman who now turns out to be an f2m man. I've now been in an 8 yr friendship w/another woman which has its ups and downs. I am an ordained minister and have worked as a medical and hospice chaplain for 17 years. I'm in other DS groups related to earlier chronic trauma in my life. Yet, life is good!

Treatments

Psychotherapy Working / Worked

It was nine months ago that I really took over the reins of my own healing. During the previous ten years Id been in VA mental health outpatient programs for trauma related issues preceding and during my time in the USAF. What I received was focused on containment by medication and CBT and not on healing. Helped to some degree. It was not healing. Since 4/08 in intensive psychotherapy and have made great progress! I experience happiness now. I also can also feel more pain.

Open Depression

Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Somewhat Helpful

Well not much helpful if I think of only CBT. If I include DBT, what I received from the VA at the Menlo Park, Women's DBT program, helped keep the lid on my suicide attempts. It didn't help with my depression. Of course given the VA's resources the program was VERY MODIFIED. With someone like me it was little more than a bandaid at healing.

Positive Thinking Somewhat Helpful

When I'm in a place to remember this it helps some, sometimes a lot.

Psychotherapy Working / Worked

Through much of my life what seemed most painful was my gender dysphoria. I didn't believe it would solve everything. I believed in resolving it by living as a woman I would have the right life within which to work on everything else. I found that everything was far more overwhelming than I thought. Away from the VA I began this year to do psychotherapy r/t to all the other stuff. My VA case manager wanted me to stuff my stuff and just do DBT. It has helped immensely. It's also been painful work

Seroquel Not Working

I went totally numb emotionally. That scared me big time. My work as a medical chaplain requires at least some small ability to feel, some empathy, and some capacity to have compassion. I was afraid I'd never be able to work again! The medication was such a physical downer I didn't wake up until it was time to take another dose! I STOPPED TAKING IT! It was too depressing. I felt better after I quit and was still depressed NOT DEAD LIKE A ZOMBIE!

Support from Friends & Family Working / Worked

During a crisis their support has been very helpful. Eventually it becomes clear most of my support must come from my therapist, my aftercare group, and the VA suicide hotline. I also get a lot from CoDA. My friends and family have their own lives and what I wrestle with is overwhelming to them.

Wellbutrin Working / Worked

I don't know how well this works until I stop taking it. When I have I have gone down a rabbit hole that fills with snakes. I am beginning to feel like I might be able to reduce the dosage. So I'm going to discuss it with my therapy team.

Writing Working / Worked

For the first time in my life my journaling is healing. It has often sidetracked me into the life of another alter. Now as I journal I notice when one of the others comes up. If I can, which more often now I can, I interrupt them and I speak for myself. Or if it seems urgent that they speak I let them. If I am able when they are done, I return to writing what I began with. Often when they are done I am emotionally and physically drained and unable to continue.

Open Veterans

Viet Nam era veteran. 60 years old female. 7 level computer ops. at NORAD HQ, Colorado Springs. Applying for VA rating of PTSD and Depression r/t multiple sexual trauma and suicide of first permanent party roommate. Denied once again for PTSD. Just interested in listening for the time being.

Open Physical & Emotional Abuse

Treatments

Abuse Counseling Working / Worked

Forgiveness Considering

Group Therapy Working / Worked

Talking Somewhat Helpful

Open Rape

violated by 3 preteen strangers at age 9; violated in jr. high school; violated by a peer "friend" from 8th grade through high school; violated by non-supervising officer while dissociating; violated by a senior NCO of a different service again while dissociating; violated by hitchhiker

Treatments

Psychotherapy Working / Worked

Talking Working / Worked