Some days I can think differently but it can be a constant battle. For me I do not want the people who have hurt me take any more of me. If that makes sense. Yes I agree it is scary the thoughts that go on in the head but it’s when they get in your head. If that makes sense. You will find what works for you and I still have my moments but I try to keep it to a moment and not a day. Take care

It takes time and work. Reshaping the way you think is not easy. But the if you have the want and will to do it, YOU CAN! You are in control, you hold your own power and truth.

Part of my process was removing people and things from my life that brought me negative feelings of any type (guilt, anger, shame, envy, jealousy, etc). Sometimes you can't always get away from people (such as at work) but you can choose how and when you interact with those people. I also stopped being on any social media that negatively influenced me, mostly facebook. Now I am only on Instagram and I only follow people or groups who make me feel POSITIVE and JOYFUL. If I ever don't feel that way about something, I just try to stay away from it. Reading beautiful enlightened words help me change and refocus my thoughts.

Everyones journey is different. Do what feels right for you. Open your heart and your mind, Let peace and love fill your soul.

Gentle support your way, love.

Seems like it ought to be as easy as changing a DVD, doesn't it?

If only. . . Wishing upon a star. . .

Yes, I can change my thoughts, but it's way harder than changing a DVD and I seem to need a different tool for every round of thought loops. My own mean and/or stinking thinking tends to come in continuous loops where the same set of thoughts keep playing over and over with only minor variations on each go-round.

What have you tried so far?

Yes. I followed the suggestion of a fellow DS PTSD member to me here, and began to keep a daily gratitude journal two years ago. It sounded corny, like taking a slingshot to fight a rogue elephant because like you say my own negative thoughts can be huge.

However, it's now the center of my thinking life. The way I figure it, PTSD gave my hypervigilance, eyes in the back of my head to see any threat around me. So I see negative stuff more than other people do. It was a blessing growing up as a missionary kid overseas in a combat zone or I might not be here. But now it means I assume the worst all the time. After a while, that snowballs into the whole world seeming to suck all the time.

My gratitude journal, then, works to cut through all of my hypervigilance to force myself to see something good every day. I didn't realize how just seeing one good thing could cut through all of the negative fog that blinds me daily to what's positive in my world. It's really changed things for me more than even antidepressants or talks with my therapist can do, because I can do it myself without a prescription or an appointment. It works.

I agree that it's hard and we can often go back and forth with it.... At least I do..... An ongoing process but the effort is worth it..... Big hug.....xo

100% support, Patti

Agree it takes time and effort. I would say that for me it has been a gradual change over several years. That said my few close friends noticed a positive change in me after a few months of work. I guess my point is I am learning to be patient with myself and too celebrate the small victories. Hugs

struggling every day of my waking life......not doing well......need help.......thoughts killing me