Oh I'm so sorry you're going through all of that. We are all here for you. I have been trying this new way to deal with stress, it's called nootropics it's natural medicines that anyone can buy over the counter at health stores. Maybe you'd like to read up about it or look research that out. It might be something you're interested in possibly.

That's awesome... I didn't think I'd get a reply at all. Thank you so much! I'll definitely look into it. God bless you

Natural remedies have helped me, too. Just picked one up at my CVS pharmacy last week. In spite of its being a pharmacy, they had some natural remedies on the shelves. Good stuff.

The big thing was that I found a therapist with a PTSD specialty. I went to regular therapists for 12 years with so-so results. Then I lucked upon this therapist who was a VA doc by day, but took me on as a client in the evenings.

BOOM! Big difference. It wasn't painful therapy, either, as with earlier regular therapists. He was PTSD-experienced, so he didn't need for you to go into all the nitty gritty gory details of a trauma before he had an answer that really helped. He changed my life, and brought me here.

There's a therapist online like him, too: Pete Walker. Here's his link:
http://www.pete-walker.com/flashbackManagement.htm

Just speaking from my own patient's experience it makes SUCH a difference to have a therapist and a therapist who is a PTSD specialist. Much support to you.

Hi there, welcome to the board. I am so sorry you are dealing with so much pain. You are very courageous to come forward and ask for help, I know that is not easy to do.

Do you have a therapist? Do you take any medications to help with the symptoms? Everyone person is different in how they deal with the symptoms of PTSD. Do you self medicate with drugs or alcohol to numb the pain?

For me it took being hospitalized twice, finding a good therapist and medications to get me stable. I think it is important at this point to say that medications only take the edge off, so they are about 30% effective, 70% of the work has to be done by you. Part of my recovery was to learn mindfulness, work to identify triggers and stop them before they turn into full blown PTSD symptoms, working with a very very good therapist, and changing my thinking. The hardest thing for me has been trying to change the negative self-talk into positive self-talk.

Some of the immediate things you can do are deep breathing exercises. Sit quietly, take a deep breath in through the nose, hold for a count of 4 and slowly release it through the mouth. As you do this pay attention to the breath, the sensations, notice your stomach rising and falling etc. Repeat 4 or 5 times, and do this about 10 times a day. The thought behind this is that when we are experiencing PTSD symptoms we breath shallowly, which can contribute to the symptoms. In addition deep breath, is grounding it keeps you here in the present.

Another thing you can do is to journal. Write about how you are feeling, any aches or pains you have, what the day is like, what time you got up, what you did etc. Again this can be grounding and help to keep your focused on the present rather than your mind wandering back and reliving past experiences.

Meditation also really helps, but it does take a while to be able to do it. It can be frustrating at first and I always find it difficult when I am experiencing symptoms. Music is another very very good thing. Put the music on and sing and dance. Exercise can help with frustration too.

One of the things that really helped me was realizing, I am not sick, I had an normal reaction to a traumatic event. It is ok to feel the way you do. It is ok to be angry. It is ok to feel sad and upset. You have every right to feel the way you do. You also have the ability to deal with these feelings and move forward from the pain.

We are here for you and it has been my experience this is one amazing group. Kind, gentle and helpful and supportive beyond belief. Finding this group helped me so much. I hope you will keep posting and talking, it can be helpful to know that you are not along and others have felt exactly the way you do.

When I read your post, it brought me back to my first post on this board. I was like you tired of living this way, felt I could not go on and did not know how to get it to stop. It was controlling and ruining every aspect of my life. Well, PTSD no longer rules my life, there is hope and life can be good.

Hugs

Welcome to the forum, yas.

Yea, trying to ignore PTSD out of existence only seems to give it more room to grow ever more creative dysfunctions and self-deceptions. I learned that the hard way. . .

It is not a quick or justy heal for most of us. I like to take it in small chunks and you have already received more suggestions than you can process in one sitting. I just wanted to welcome you to the forum.