Unable To Fully Feel Joy

[Raina]

Hey guys I'm new. I've stumbled upon this site and wish I'd have found it in the midst of my fully blown PTSD! I have gotten past most of the flash backs and been able to after approximately 3 years get some semblance of normalish feeling back. I've allowed myself to feel everything bad and now am ready for the good... But its just not happening. It's as if there is a lid on happiness or joy. I feel it more when its happy for others. but for me, whether it's love for my partner, or enjoyment of something I'm doing, or congratulating myself on something I've done or overcome, it's just lifeless and curbed. Has anyone felt this and overcome it? How did you do that?

Thanks so much for reading, any help would be so great. Thank-you.

R xx

 

[sun seeker]

Felt it? Yes. Overcome it? No. But I'm not giving up yet!

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Raina]

Thanks Sunseeker!

It's good to know why it's happening, I was starting to think it's just me...

How long have you felt like that for?

 

[Deleted member 541]

When I was diagnosed, I decided then that all I wanted was contentment. I don't think joy is in the world for me. But contentment is something that I can live with....

 

[ForgotToLive]

all I wanted was contentment. I don't think joy is in the world for me. But contentment is something that I can live with....

I cannot believe you just said that. That is how I think too.

 

[Muted]

Hey guys I'm new. I've stumbled upon this site and wish I'd have found it in the midst of my fully blown...

Give yourself time, you will get there.

 

[sun seeker]

How long have you felt like that for?

Years. More of them than I like to think about. May your path be easier than mine.

 

[Raina]

When I was diagnosed, I decided then that all I wanted was contentment. I don't think joy is in the worl...

I felt the same, but I want more. I refuse to let this be it, I can't. I can't allow what they've done to me to take my future happiness as well. I have to believe I can find a way around it. Which is either naiive, or just me being willful lol.

 

[Raina]

Give yourself time, you will get there.

Thanks so much Gia. How long did it take you? Was there anything else you did?

 

[Raina]

Years. More of them than I like to think about. May your path be easier than mine.

Thanks so much xx I hope you find again it too xx

 

[Muted]

Thanks so much Gia. How long did it take you? Was there anything else you did?

After a year with my current t I felt happier than I'd ever felt possible and I felt at a point of contentment in my life even without everything being perfect. I did quite a bit of EMDR.

Then, we got deeper into issues as past trauma and beliefs got triggered at work and that's been extremely challenging. We've also been working on parts. On one hand I feel like I'm worse on the other hand I see myself respond differently to some things and these are positive changes.

In general, I feel happier with me and more trusting in myself but it still feels like a rollercoaster.

My family and I started going back to church. For me every day and many times throughout the day it's a choice between choosing faith over hopelessness. I have to have things in my life that feed my faith.

 

[Arebas]

For me happy was not feeling bad. Guess that is contentment? I haven't felt joy in a very long time. Real joy. But I'm still working on it and I'm also hopeful that I will, soon.