Trauma – PTSD

Question:

On Thu, 25 Nov 1999 23:04:58 GMT, "Sylvie" <acadi…@hotmail.com> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi Naomi, >    I know the feeling about being in an accident and escaping with my skin. >My accident happened almost 7 years ago and I am still dealing with it.  I >still get nightmares and flashbacks. >    I never realized that I was suffering from PTSD until one day I found >myself at the hospital at the end of my rope.  I fallen prey to severe >depression from the lack of sleep and the constant reminder of my accident. >    That was almost 3 months ago.  I am seeing a therapist and a social >worker to help me cope with my life.  I find sometimes it is good to share >you feelings and thought with someone neutral.  I prefer the social worker >because she isn’t trying to analyze everything I say.  She makes me feel >like I am sitting in a living room with an old friend recalling my accident >and everything that followed. >    Have you thought of seeking help?  Especially if you are having trouble >sleeping, your body won’t be able to get better.  This ng is good for >suggestions.  Most people here suffer from PTSD for one reason or another. >So don’t despair, just make sure that you go talk to someone about your >latest problems with your accident.  Don’t let it fester too long.  That’s >what I did and that’s why I am so messed up now.

Sylvie, Thanks for the advice. I have a good therapist whom I’m talking with daily by phone until I’m physically well enough to go into the office, and he helps some. Just knowing he’s there helps some. It’s hard to talk about, but easier with him… or here, where people understand. I really hope it gets better; I don’t want to be like you and still have flashbacks in seven years! I want to get it over with. I don’t know if this is realistic or not. >Take care and be good to yourself,

Doing my best. >Sylvie

        -Naomi

Response:

Run, don’t walk, to a psychiatrist..one familiar with PTSD and knows you need help fast while it is still in the acute stage. You need help with the sleep, too. It is important to find one that knows what can happen if treatment is delayed, and if you don’t get sleep. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Naomi Gayle Rivkis wrote: > Hello… I’m Naomi Rivkis and a week ago (ten days, by now) I was in a > disasterous car wreck that nearly left me dead. It was my own fault, > and I was conscious the whole time, so I remember every instant of > what went wrong, and it was so damned banal.. I wasn’t drinking, I > wasn’t speeding, I was just getting calmly to were I was trying to go > when I hit a rough patch, lost control of the wheel, and ended up > veering out across the median strip of I-80 where I got broadsised by > some poor folks who were going the way they should have been and had > no way of slowing down in time. Anyway, I ended up with a lot of > buising, a bad muscle pull in my leg that won’t go away, and internal > injuries that required emergency abdominal surgery. And a full-fledged > case of panic/anxiety caused by PTSD. I’ve been released from the > hospital a few days ago, am trying to keep active, but my mind doesn’t > seem to work for very long at a time (yes, they checked, no head or > spinal injuries) and I’m clumsy and in pain a lot. Sleeping is worse; > I get nightmares and I get nasty cramps in all my muscles from staying > instinctively still to avoid maybe stretching the belly incision. I > haven’t had a *good* moment, waking or sleping, since the accident, > and I don’t know what to do. I want this fear to go away. > Think well of me, and remember me in you rThanksgiving prayers if > you say any? I’ve got a hell of a lot to be thankful for in coming > through this as well as I did. >         -Naomi

Response:

Hi Naomi! > I don’t want to be like you and still have > flashbacks in seven years! I want to get it over with. I don’t know if > this is realistic or not.

I understand that you said the above through fear, not disdain However, I am learning that we all react individually.  Without acceptance, we continue to suffer; fighting against, struggling against and/or trying to rush the process merely prolongs the pain.  For PTSD, I believe that we have to work through our pain, not around it. You will get well as soon as you are ready to get well.  Therapists and psychiatrists can help you speed the process, but you get to do the work.:/ Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

On 26 Nov 1999 08:34:43 EST, <ki…@cris.com> wrote: >Hi Naomi! >> I don’t want to be like you and still have >> flashbacks in seven years! I want to get it over with. I don’t know if >> this is realistic or not. >I understand that you said the above through fear, not disdain

Absolutely. I realized after I sent it what it must’ve sounded like, but all I really meant was that it sounded likeyou’f been through something really horrible and I hoped I could get away with less of a rough peroid in between. No disdainmean; admiration for your ability to keep going maybe.. >However, I am learning that we all react individually.  Without acceptance, we >continue to suffer; fighting against, struggling against and/or trying to rush >the process merely prolongs the pain.  For PTSD, I believe that we have to work >through our pain, not around it.

I think so too but ‘mnot sure how to do it. Well, my therapist is phoning today. I can ask >You will get well as soon as you are ready to get well.  Therapists and >psychiatrists can help you speed the process, but you get to do the work.:/

<grin> I know. But at least there’s someone there holding your hand. >Smile and there will be something to smile about!

This made me smile all by istelf. Thanks. Ill keep trying. >Nancy

        -Naomi

Response:

Hi Naomi! > all I really meant was that it sounded likeyou’f been through > something really horrible and I hoped I could get away with less of a > rough peroid in between.

I hope so too. Remember that what is really horrible to one person is merely a flea to another. There’s no prediction for what trauma will have which effect upon a person.  My trauma could be a hang-nail and to me be just as traumatic as your being in an accident or being assaulted. PTSD is a only a handy label for a set of reactions to trauma.  Other folks, especially therapists and psychiatrists, use this label as a way to ‘get a handle’ on what our reactions are.  We are more than our dis-ease. > This made me smile all by istelf. Thanks. Ill keep trying.

Your’s wecome.  It’s enough to just keep being:) Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

>Thinking back on my own situation, I can see now that I often interpreted some

of the effects of the PTSD (panic, inability to leave the house, paranoia, hypervigillance) as a "failure" on my part.>> ME TOO.  You put this in words so well Mae.  I totally blamed myself for "going crazy" (what it felt like to me when the PTSD came on full force this last time).  I had a great life, no reason to be "out of it" but I couldn’t force myself to not be anxious, an insomniac, etc. >Recently I’ve gotten closer to seeing that all those reactions – the

hypervigillance, fear, etc – THAT WASN’T MY FAULT. Because of the PTSD>>> Exactly.  I figure that realization is a big step in healing, it was for me. I wonder if an indicator for developing PTSD is that perfectionist/self-condemnation trip that I’m naturally on.  Its been part of my personality from the beginning, and sadly I see it in my little one that’s almost 8.  Just wondering… Kristine – great post Mae, thank you

Response:

Hello… I’m Naomi Rivkis and a week ago (ten days, by now) I was in a disasterous car wreck that nearly left me dead. It was my own fault, and I was conscious the whole time, so I remember every instant of what went wrong, and it was so damned banal.. I wasn’t drinking, I wasn’t speeding, I was just getting calmly to were I was trying to go when I hit a rough patch, lost control of the wheel, and ended up veering out across the median strip of I-80 where I got broadsised by some poor folks who were going the way they should have been and had no way of slowing down in time. Anyway, I ended up with a lot of buising, a bad muscle pull in my leg that won’t go away, and internal injuries that required emergency abdominal surgery. And a full-fledged case of panic/anxiety caused by PTSD. I’ve been released from the hospital a few days ago, am trying to keep active, but my mind doesn’t seem to work for very long at a time (yes, they checked, no head or spinal injuries) and I’m clumsy and in pain a lot. Sleeping is worse; I get nightmares and I get nasty cramps in all my muscles from staying instinctively still to avoid maybe stretching the belly incision. I haven’t had a *good* moment, waking or sleping, since the accident, and I don’t know what to do. I want this fear to go away. Think well of me, and remember me in you rThanksgiving prayers if you say any? I’ve got a hell of a lot to be thankful for in coming through this as well as I did.         -Naomi

Response:

Hi Naomi,     I know the feeling about being in an accident and escaping with my skin. My accident happened almost 7 years ago and I am still dealing with it.  I still get nightmares and flashbacks.     I never realized that I was suffering from PTSD until one day I found myself at the hospital at the end of my rope.  I fallen prey to severe depression from the lack of sleep and the constant reminder of my accident.     That was almost 3 months ago.  I am seeing a therapist and a social worker to help me cope with my life.  I find sometimes it is good to share you feelings and thought with someone neutral.  I prefer the social worker because she isn’t trying to analyze everything I say.  She makes me feel like I am sitting in a living room with an old friend recalling my accident and everything that followed.     Have you thought of seeking help?  Especially if you are having trouble sleeping, your body won’t be able to get better.  This ng is good for suggestions.  Most people here suffer from PTSD for one reason or another. So don’t despair, just make sure that you go talk to someone about your latest problems with your accident.  Don’t let it fester too long.  That’s what I did and that’s why I am so messed up now. Take care and be good to yourself, Sylvie

Response:

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