Trauma – PTSD

Question:

Hi Bill! While it may be a male/female thing, often I cannot understand your posts.  Finally, I read some things that make sense to me.  I want to support these.  Specifically: > We had visitors from Denver, one of my best friends.  He has been > diagnosed w/PTSD but is trying some things at a Spa in Tijuana, Mexico. > They are working!  They use sound waves to relax the synaptic activity.

I’m not sure about the synaptic activity part of your sentance, but sound waves soothing my soul (relaxing me) are the reason I made my first Gurgle Machine. > They also do what we do in group, learn to talk very straight (gut to > gut) to people we interact with about not triggering us, showing them > why and how.

In my group we learn to ‘be real’ and ‘honor ourselves’ and ‘take care of ourselves first’ no matter what the trigger.   A couple of weeks ago, one group member was in total despair; everyone else in the group but the therapist started off into her own chaos.  It is really interesting, thinking back, how the therapist gave each one of us at least one clue about how to do our job of taking care of ourselves first.  It was very difficult for me to draw back and look at the chaos, without going into my own chaos …  but a wonderful learning experience.  The woman in despair subsequently checked herself into the inpatient ward for some ‘time out’ from life. When we did a post-mortem of the session in group this week, it was very interesting to see how we had each reacted individually.  Except for the therapist, we were all initially desperate to do something to reduce her pain and protect her from her own suicidal impulses.  Watching ourselves and taking care of ourselves had quickly gone by the wayside in our fear of her chaos.  The therapist’s idea that the PTSD member is responsible for reducing her own pain and chaos (and that the group, the therapist and psychiatrist can only provide tools for her to use) was not universally accepted. Note: I keep saying ‘interesting’ because I am still learning to observe emotions without making them my own.  I haven’t figured out a more appropriate word yet.   They also get into behavior modification so we limit how > effective our subconscious can control us.  Instead of caving in to an > impulse, to let it slip over you ever so gently.  As long as the > subconscious "controller" is the boss, we basically remain the same.

"ever so gently" is the phrase that caught my eye.  Noticing my body’s reaction, but not allowing my body to determine my thoughts and resulting actions is a very tricky task for me.   > They have found that picking apart ones past is a useless activity. > Apparently, what we do today and how we don’t allow the "controller" the > power over us today, we can keep from stimulating the damaged synaptic > clusters which send the negative message to the "controller" which will > then cause abnormal feeling and actions.

In reading your post, I believe the ‘persona’ which you call the controller is for me the oldest bugaboo: fear (in all its aspects). Moving from a fear-based life to a loving-based life is working for me as a PTSD symptom reducer.  The ‘moving’ is not really reducing my PTSD symptoms (like the startle reflex … I can hear a fire engine from a mile away when I’m driving), but it is making my life more enjoyable and worth living. > Thanks > Bill

And, thanks to you for helping me put this insight in words. Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

We had visitors from Denver, one of my best friends.  He has been diagnosed w/PTSD but is trying some things at a Spa in Tijuana, Mexico. They are working!  They use sound waves to relax the synaptic activity. They also do what we do in group, learn to talk very straight (gut to gut) to people we interact with about not triggering us, showing them why and how.  They also get into behavior modification so we limit how effective our subconscious can control us.  Instead of caving in to an impulse, to let it slip over you ever so gently.  As long as the subconscious "controller" is the boss, we basically remain the same. They have found that picking apart ones past is a useless activity. Apparently, what we do today and how we don’t allow the "controller" the power over us today, we can keep from stimulating the damaged synaptic clusters which send the negative message to the "controller" which will then cause abnormal feeling and actions. Thanks Bill

Response:

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