Trauma therapy is.................. exhausting

[Punky143]

I have to vent to someone about it because we feel alone. Based on the last two weeks and how a part was finally able to speak out loud and formulate a sentence to tell our t something. I don't like using the word progress and I'll leave it at that. What I do want to say is how physically and mentally tired we've become. It feels like we could sleep for days, foggy headed, falling asleep at work, like someone basically beat us all over our body. And I'm confused how to deal with it. If we're supposed to take care of ourselves- self care etc, and we know what helps the best but we can't access those skills because: work full time (although some days just being there is enough) and then try and meet all the expectations at home. This has been where the road splits and frustration floods in and we retreat back inside. Because we know what works but it's not accessible and it gets so frustrating and very overwhelming that all we feel like is falling at everything. Viscous loop that at this time I can clearly explain it but maybe what I'm asking is: how do you feel after t therapy and what do you do to deal with everything after?

 

[Freddyt]

So heres the deal - you nailed it. Therapy that's working for you IS hard work. It makes you all those things - fuzzy headed, tired, and all the rest.

So start here. It was the first tool I was given here and one of the best.

The ptsd cup explanation

Nearly a decade ago (2006) I wrote The PTSD Cup Explanation, a simple view of how PTSD causes symptoms in day-to-day life. This article is an update to that original piece. Regardless of the type of trauma endured, the PTSD Cup does not change, deviate or apply differently to your circumstance...

www.myptsd.com

And think that you have a toolbox that goes with your stress cup - all the things you can do to lower the level of the cup, are tools in that box.

You also need to learn to say "enough" to your T. Stop doing therapy for a couple weeks and learn coping strategies instead. When you do that you will learn to "do therapy" - "do something else" and when you are ready to do more work in therapy.

If all you do is therapy - therapy - therapy, you end up in what I call "the mail slot of tolerance" instead of the window of tolerance. All you do is bounce between barely functional and dissociation, when you could have a window that opens more and lets you have time to use your tools before you get really bad, and learn to manage things better and better.

You are the judge of when you can do more work in therapy and your T doesn't know when to let off - you do, so try working on your coping skills the next couple sessions before going back to doing therapy........

 

[Friday]

Trauma-Therapy hangover is BRUTAL. Mentally/Physically/Emptionally exhausted. ((When it’s done “right”. As opposed to the next level of too-far-too-fast suicidal/homicidal/psychosis.))

The recovery time shortens with practice/experience. I still booked at least 24hrs to manage the faceplant, when I was practiced, and a week if I was diving back into dark waters after time living life.

 

[Freddyt]

Trauma-Therapy hangover is BRUTAL. Mentally/Physically/Emptionally exhausted.

......and unfortunately - that's how you know you are doing it right......

 

[Brumbyinthesunshine]

You also need to learn to say "enough" to your T. Stop doing therapy for a couple weeks and learn coping strategies instead. When you do that you will learn to "do therapy" - "do something else" and when you are ready to do more work in therapy.

If all you do is therapy - therapy - therapy, you end up in what I call "the mail slot of tolerance"

Spot on.

 

[Freddyt]

Spot on.

The odd thing is that many T's don't think to share this with patients. Or continue to share it as our ability to remember it is often impaired too.

 

[Ocean147]

After doing therapy for around 2 years, yes it is indeed exhausting. Maybe try after your session to do something you love. Watch your favorite TV show, buy yourself a little treat, or call up a friend. That's what I try my best to do. Reward yourself for putting in that effort. The point I'm trying to make is this: it absolutely sucks the loneliness and physical exhaustion. And yeah, self care is hard but try 5 to 10 minutes doing something you enjoy. It may be hard at first, but with practice and giving yourself some grace, you'll get better.

 

[mszl]

After leaving therapy room I immediately put on headphones, put vol on 11 and play my favourite music on loop and focust on beats.

 

[Starfish]

I have to vent to someone about it because we feel alone. Based on the last two weeks and how a part was finally able to speak out loud and formulate a sentence to tell our t something. I don't like using the word progress and I'll leave it at that. What I do want to say is how physically and mentally tired we've become. It feels like we could sleep for days, foggy headed, falling asleep at work, like someone basically beat us all over our body. And I'm confused how to deal with it. If we're supposed to take care of ourselves- self care etc, and we know what helps the best but we can't access those skills because: work full time (although some days just being there is enough) and then try and meet all the expectations at home. This has been where the road splits and frustration floods in and we retreat back inside. Because we know what works but it's not accessible and it gets so frustrating and very overwhelming that all we feel like is falling at everything. Viscous loop that at this time I can clearly explain it but maybe what I'm asking is: how do you feel after t therapy and what do you do to deal with everything after?

I take "therapist breaks", I don't go back when it feels like they are trying to "fix me or shooting for some goal or "progress" or trying to make me "better". I'm not going to get better. I just need to cope.

 

[Survivor3]

Yep I agree with alot of others on here that your feeling exhausted because it's working for you. Immediately after therapy I used to buy food. Ready made meals and sandwiches so I could just eat. If you have it in you then you could cook for yourself but that's optional. I would listen and watch concerts, or cds etc. Anything to relax and process the session. Self care and being kind to yourself are so important. Reading if you can focus for a few minutes can be a nice distraction (I set a timer on my phone).

 

[Freddyt]

After leaving therapy room I immediately put on headphones, put vol on 11 and play my favourite music on loop and focust on beats.

the old "dissociation avoidance" manoeuvre....it works.....

 

[Friday]

After leaving therapy room I immediately put on headphones, put vol on 11 and play my favourite music on loop and focust on beats.

I’ve never found any peace in earphones, I’m envious of you, as I’ve always found peace with music pouring through me so loud my bones could feel it. Whether in a vehicle, or all but curled up inside of -or dancing on top of- a speaker as big as I am.

Finding the same sense of relief/release/rightness with earphones would HUGELY open up that coping mechanism.