Trauma – PTSD

Question:

Cricket wrote: > I find myself not being able to concentrate quite frequently.  I feel > that the reason why I have this problem is that I DO NOT want to think > about the things that have caused me to have ptsd.  Therefor, I keep my > mind racing at all times. Believe me, this is not a good thing.  I find > myself not even making sense sometimes… I just ramble on, not making > sense about a lot of things.  But one thing  I always keep in mind is > that I know that I am NOT crazy for dealing with things the way that my > mind thinks is easiest for me.  I hope  this makes sense to you all..And > if not I’m sorry.

Welcome. I hope you find the newsgroup again. Inability to concentrate is a very common symptom. Being back in school I find that somedays I just can’t do it. I have a lot of reading and writing to do. I just started a new course this week, and have several seminars starting this weekend. Keeping ourselves busy with "other things" is a very common coping mechanism. It also creates additional problems — like trouble sleeping. My therapist has been saying to me for years — substitute the word "won’t" for the word "can’t." Asking myself why I won’t concentrate on 3 chapters is much more productive than saying I can’t.

Response:

Hi Cricket Rambling is not a bad thing, in fact it is a good thing. During the course of rambling it is possible to work through ideas that remain unclear in our minds. I would be interested to read your rambles, at some point your rambles might connect with what others have thoughts on. Morine Cricket <Cricket1…@webtv.net> wrote in message

news:11534-3A6A76FC-71@storefull-618.iap.bryant.webtv.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi all!!!!  I’m pretty new to this posting thing, but after reading post > after post, I find that a lot of these posts have helped me understand > so much more about ptsd. All of you guys seem well educated, so I feel > like a real idiot trying to respond.  Here goes anyway……. > I find myself not being able to concentrate quite frequently.  I feel > that the reason why I have this problem is that I DO NOT want to think > about the things that have caused me to have ptsd.  Therefor, I keep my > mind racing at all times. Believe me, this is not a good thing.  I find > myself not even making sense sometimes… I just ramble on, not making > sense about a lot of things.  But one thing  I always keep in mind is > that I know that I am NOT crazy for dealing with things the way that my > mind thinks is easiest for me.  I hope  this makes sense to you all..And > if not I’m sorry. > Like I said before, I’m new to this, and will probably never be able to > find this board again, and incase I don’t, I just want to say you guys > seem like such good people and you should be commended for the help that > you give to others. > ~Cricket~

Response:

Hi Cricket! First of all, welcome from Lurker Land into the ng.:)  I’m sorry that you seem to belong here. :/ > I find myself not being able to concentrate quite frequently.  I feel > that the reason why I have this problem is that I DO NOT want to think > about the things that have caused me to have ptsd.  Therefor, I keep my > mind racing at all times.

Of course we all do this. :/ I’ve called in mental masturbation more than once, as I’ve watched so-called normal folks do the same thing.  It’s a survival technique similar to denial IME. > Believe me, this is not a good thing.

I agree.  But, it is a habit that made survival possible.  Now, in recovery I have to find a better technique to dealing with the traumas.  That’s a little tougher as I know that lack of focus has worked so well to make the pain go away for a while. :/  Why learn a new technique when the old ones work so well? The only reason I can think of is that I’m finally tired of the chaos from using the old technique. YMMV Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

Balie <ba…@home.com> wrote in message news:3A6933D2.BD17C75E@home.com… > Welcome. I hope you find the newsgroup again. > Inability to concentrate is a very common symptom. > Being back in school I > find that somedays I just can’t do it.

My school reports always said ‘…is often away on cloud 9′ or comments similar My mother thought that was really cool and used to tell everyone here daughter is known for being ‘away on cloud 9′ in a sense I was socialised to believe it is way cool! I think it is cool too, after where else do artists poets etc get inspired? not in concrete! >I have a > lot of reading and writing > to do. I just started a new course this week, and > have several seminars > starting this weekend.

hoping it is going well for you Bailie >Keeping ourselves busy with > "other things" is a very > common coping mechanism.

also a path to a productive life eh >It also creates > additional problems — like > trouble sleeping.

can do, if mental stimulation is too pronounced, however get out and dig up a potato patch, that’ll fix ya! > My therapist has been saying to me for years — > substitute the word "won’t" > for the word "can’t." Asking myself why I won’t > concentrate on 3 chapters is much more productive > than saying I can’t.

It is possible to ‘train the brain’ as they say to focus on two things at once. They say women are better at it then men. Studies have shown that a man watching tv will seldom catch what his woman just said, often men have trouble with two things at once women are better able to take on 2 things at once and are better able to talk on the phone AND monitor their environment and what the kids are doing etc. that’s what research says, i think it is positive. Morine

Response:

Hi mary – I’ve been thinking about your question…I’ve found that if I am struggling with concentration, I don’t get much done that day. For the most part,  I’m okay with that now.  I used to fight it and try to make myself concentrate, but that only got me more frustrated and feeling like there was something wrong with me when I still couldn’t.  Now, when I can’t concentrate, I ask myself what I *can* concentrate on, and usually it’s something to do with healing. Taking care of myself in some way. And when I do what I truly need to do, things feel better, like I’m in the right place. Hope this helps, Hannah Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/

Response:

Hi Hannah, Thanks for your post. That was very helpful. I’ve really been having a rough time of it, periodically, the past week. You reminded me that at least I’m trying to take care of myself. I forgot about that. Mary "Hannah" <blha…@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:945fg1$f6$1@nnrp1.deja.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi mary – > I’ve been thinking about your question…I’ve found that if I am struggling > with concentration, I don’t get much done that day. For the most part, I’m > okay with that now.  I used to fight it and try to make myself concentrate, > but that only got me more frustrated and feeling like there was something > wrong with me when I still couldn’t.  Now, when I can’t concentrate, I ask > myself what I *can* concentrate on, and usually it’s something to do with > healing. Taking care of myself in some way. And when I do what I truly need > to do, things feel better, like I’m in the right place. > Hope this helps, > Hannah > Sent via Deja.com > http://www.deja.com/

Response:

Hi Mary! > I must have said the wrong thing cause no one except you replies to my > posts.

Not exactly. :/  I don’t know of a direct way to enhance concentration, i.e. reduce one of the symptoms of PTSD, without actually recovering from all the symptoms. It’s not that I’m not concentrating, it’s that I tend to concentrate on the ‘wrong’ things … and my body pays me back by reacting in strange to me ways. I’ve learned that if I cannot do something _right now_, it must not really be necessary for me in the long run. :/  My mind can say it is necessary but my body doesn’t agree. :/ Sometimes the mind-body connection is a real PITA! YMMV Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

Hi all!!!!  I’m pretty new to this posting thing, but after reading post after post, I find that a lot of these posts have helped me understand so much more about ptsd. All of you guys seem well educated, so I feel like a real idiot trying to respond.  Here goes anyway……. I find myself not being able to concentrate quite frequently.  I feel that the reason why I have this problem is that I DO NOT want to think about the things that have caused me to have ptsd.  Therefor, I keep my mind racing at all times. Believe me, this is not a good thing.  I find myself not even making sense sometimes… I just ramble on, not making sense about a lot of things.  But one thing  I always keep in mind is that I know that I am NOT crazy for dealing with things the way that my mind thinks is easiest for me.  I hope  this makes sense to you all..And if not I’m sorry. Like I said before, I’m new to this, and will probably never be able to find this board again, and incase I don’t, I just want to say you guys seem like such good people and you should be commended for the help that you give to others. ~Cricket~

Response:

The last few days I’ve been having alot of trouble concentrating. I’d appreciate any feedback on how others handle this. ( Hoping you all haven’t "kill-filed " me )  LOL Mary

Response:

>Hoping you all haven’t >"kill-filed " me )  LOL >Mary

Well, I haven’t kill-filed you. But I will if you want me to…LOL I can’t help you with the concentration thing. It was never a big issue for me. Risa Time is money, money is the root of all evil, and knowledge is power. Therefore, procrastination is the key to world peace.

Response:

Hi Risa, I must have said the wrong thing cause no one except you replies to my posts. Unless my ng reader is acting up. It’s taking awhile to connect and download the messages, so maybe that’s it. Mary "RisaCaitlin" <risacait…@aol.comet> wrote in message

news:20010116190813.29816.00006449@ng-cs1.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> >Hoping you all haven’t > >"kill-filed " me )  LOL > >Mary > Well, I haven’t kill-filed you. But I will if you want me to…LOL > I can’t help you with the concentration thing. It was never a big issue for me. > Risa > Time is money, money is the root of all evil, > and knowledge is power. Therefore, > procrastination is the key to world peace.

Response:

Boy, oh boy. Where do all you people get the concentration to read such long posts! LA Chech The one and only chech is blurry eyed! Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Amen to that! La Chech <la_ch…@my-deja.com> wrote in message

news:7og3g0$63c$1@nnrp1.deja.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Boy, oh boy. > Where do all you people get the concentration to read such long posts! > LA Chech > The one and only chech is blurry eyed! > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

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