My life being robbed by trauma

[the10thleper319]

I feel like the trauma is robbing me of my life. Anxiety's avoidance, depression's lack of interest in enjoyed activities, and the need to always return to my safe zone, my bed, is stealing me the enjoyment of my life. I look at other people going to work, living their lives different from mine, etc. I try mindfulness and self-compassion, saying to myself that they haven't been through the 4 years of health hell I went through and the resulting emotional/mental fallout. I want to enjoy my life! I have a business goal! Unfortunately the sadness of feeling my life is being robbed is often overwhelming. Have you also felt robbed by trauma and how did you deal with it? Thank you.

 

[arfie]

full empathy on the feeling, 10th. as a teenager, i felt like i never had an honest shot at having a life worth living. i felt robbed from first awareness. ouchus maximus.

i deal with it on a two-pronged approach.

1) grieve the lost potential. grief is a mysterious process which does not run on a timeline. it comes and goes by rhymes and rhythms i seldom understand. i **simply** lean into it, ever so gently. often times those gentle leans lead me to potentials worth nurturing here and now.

2) i reframe all that lost potential as a blank slate. i get to develop whatever i choose on that blank slate. i remind myself to resist spending so much time staring at the door that is closed that i miss the door that is open.

 

[the10thleper319]

full empathy on the feeling, 10th. as a teenager, i felt like i never had an honest shot at having a life worth living. i felt robbed from first awareness. ouchus maximus.

i deal with it on a two-pronged approach.

1) grieve the lost potential. grief is a mysterious process which does not run on a timeline. it comes and goes by rhymes and rhythms i seldom understand. i **simply** lean into it, ever so gently. often times those gentle leans lead me to potentials worth nurturing here and now.

2) i reframe all that lost potential as a blank slate. i get to develop whatever i choose on that blank slate. i remind myself to resist spending so much time staring at the door that is closed that i miss the door that is open.

Thank you for sharing and providing useful info!

 

[VictoriaSanchez]

Thank you so much for the information.

 

[the10thleper319]

I just want to wish everyone--not just in this section but throughout the whole forum--a great weekend. Thank you for your support and advice. My prayers and thoughts are with us all as we travel the healing road of trauma/PTSD,

 

[Freddyt]

I feel like the trauma is robbing me of my life. Anxiety's avoidance, depression's lack of interest in enjoyed activities, and the need to always return to my safe zone, my bed, is stealing me the enjoyment of my life.

Regret is a terrible thing. If only I didn't...... is a trap, it makes you a prisoner.

Learn skills to control your anxiety. Learn skills to control other symptoms . Those you can do in your safe zone.....

 

[the10thleper319]

Regret is a terrible thing. If only I didn't...... is a trap, it makes you a prisoner.

Learn skills to control your anxiety. Learn skills to control other symptoms . Those you can do in your safe zone.....

I appreciate your message and advice.

 

[Friday]

Have you also felt robbed by trauma and how did you deal with it? Thank you.

Prison.

As in? I could have spent the last 10 years in prison, and another 10+ to go, with a felony record on exit. Instead? I have this. Which is better than that. With faaaaar more opportunities.

Dark? Certainly.

But still? Better than cancer. Or being on fire. Or a thousand other ways I’d be dead -or dead screaming- without this f*cked up bullshit to figure the hell out.

Life? Can always be worse. When I’m eyeballs deep in regretting what my life is? It helps me to remind myself how much worse it easily could be. Helps me find solutions. Helps me man up and get creative.

 

[the10thleper319]

Prison.

As in? I could have spent the last 10 years in prison, and another 10+ to go, with a felony record on exit. Instead? I have this. Which is better than that. With faaaaar more opportunities.

Dark? Certainly.

But still? Better than cancer. Or being on fire. Or a thousand other ways I’d be dead -or dead screaming- without this f*cked up bullshit to figure the hell out.

Life? Can always be worse. When I’m eyeballs deep in regretting what my life is? It helps me to remind myself how much worse it easily could be. Helps me find solutions. Helps me man up and get creative.

I am the same way: it could be worse. I call it looking for the silver lining. I spent six weeks in March and April in a physical rehab center for a spinal stenosis fall. There were stroke victims including my roommate with the bent arm. One guy was so bad and he shook that he had to be spoon-fed. There were single and double leg amputees, and other poor souls. I also saw suffering in the ERs. My friend, same age as me 59, died 6 1/2 years ago from cancer. Like you said, it could be worse. My legs are not what they used to be, but I still have both, The falls never involved a head injury and I was always rescued. All my illnesses are under control with medicines, This is not minimize the four years of health hell--one thing after another including unexpectedly finding out my coronary artery was 60-70% blocked, and the nine falls over the past year I've experienced. This has all taken a toll on me physically, emotionally, and mentally. I am very proactive with my health especially with the trauma treatment. But...like you said: it could be worse. Thank you!

 

[VictoriaSanchez]

Prison.

As in? I could have spent the last 10 years in prison, and another 10+ to go, with a felony record on exit. Instead? I have this. Which is better than that. With faaaaar more opportunities.

Dark? Certainly.

But still? Better than cancer. Or being on fire. Or a thousand other ways I’d be dead -or dead screaming- without this f*cked up bullshit to figure the hell out.

Life? Can always be worse. When I’m eyeballs deep in regretting what my life is? It helps me to remind myself how much worse it easily could be. Helps me find solutions. Helps me man up and get creative.

Yes, I agree with every single word you said.