Left Brain Struggles To Put Right Brain Emotion Into Words

[anthony]

Whilst I agree with the principle behind a person not knowing about the brain changes, its not healthy for healing in general, because to heal and manage PTSD, you must know exactly what is occurring to understand WHY you must manage it. People ask me quite often, "if I heal, why do I have to manage PTSD for the rest of my life?" It is for these exact reasons that a person must come to terms with the physical changes within their brain to ensure they are truly at an acceptance stage of their illness. Its not to frighten a person, or to make them think they have brain damage, but its part of moving out of denial about what really is wrong, and into a space within yourself where you can accept things for their factual understanding, and that you cannot change some things, but instead to understand the change and know that its incurable, is to accept that you must learn effective management strategies and be prepared for a lifestyle change in order to cope with PTSD for the rest of your life.

 

[mac]

“OIF and OEF veterans like computers,” Marmar said. “The Internet could help.”

I scanned through that post about "Air Force Times," and the last sentence caught my attention. I agree, but its also no surprise that it seems nearly everyone who has access to a computer and internet likes it, Veteran or not. I'll tell you one thing though, when I was told there was no weapon or flack vest for me at my location in Iraq, you best believe that I found a way to communicate this to my home station and my family: e-mail!

And this site (which is obviously computer driven), is about as close to socializing with anyone outside my family (and occasionally with Vet Center counselor) that I do. I appreciate it and post when I feel up to it. Thanks for the site Anthony:thumbs-up

 

[lrs]

Permission to jump in.

 

[becvan]

LOL permission granted although not needed...

bec

 

[lrs]

I am the person who wrote "I Believe PTSD is Curable", which is posted on this website. I read Paul Valent's article, and I think it's amazing. I believe it to be totally accurate. I think PTSD is starting to give up some of it's secrets.
I had PTSD, probably since infancy. My father was a violent, rageaholic. My childhood was as miserable as it could be, and my adult life even worse. My life was full of depression, flashbacks, dysfunction, and so on, until the events I wrote about occurred.
I believe that my personal experience with PTSD, connects with Dr Valent's writing.
For the past 3 years I have tried gain understanding of what happened. This gentleman's writing is profound and accurate, in my opinion.
I will state with all the conviction and honesty I am capable of, I have been free from symptoms associated with ptsd since march 2004.

 

[becvan]

I am very glad that this has worked for you.. however, personally I need to see more than three years as a cure (nothing personal.. just my usual skeptism LOL).. as PTSD can be in the background until something whams you..

The big issue I have with the whole right vs left hand thing.. is that kinda leaves us ambidextrious people outta the picture eh?

the fish oils is very interesting though.. hmmms

bec

Ugh I had another point/thought/ thingy.. and it's gone.. LOL

 

[Jim]

Whilst I agree with the principle behind a person not knowing about the brain changes, its not healthy for healing in general, because to heal and manage PTSD, you must know exactly what is occurring to understand WHY you must manage it.

True enough. Once again I must fight the urge to protect her from everything.

Jim.

 

[batgirl]

Hey Batgirl, I just don't believe that hippocampus size relates specifically to PTSD. To me, its not proven research. I know its a part of the brain associated with memory, but fail to see how its size matters, especially if there is no "before" MRI to compare its current size to (to demonstrate shrinkage). To me, you need to have many MRI's that show 'before trauma and after trauma' to compare... I don't think that's available.

Thanks mac, sorry I didn't respond earlier. Makes total sense, what you're saying. I've wondered all that stuff myself. And yes I never had a brain scan before the trauma, so who knows really what my brain looked like then.

I don't know how 'shrinkage' can be determined in the first place and also tagged to PTSD. Is everybody's heart the same size as their fist??

As far as shrinkage being determined though, in my case there definitely is shrinkage on the right side of the brain, it is 18% smaller than the left, which is considered a big difference, and abnormal. In a "normal" brain, both hemispheres are nearly identical in volume. But why I have that shrinkage is debatable, you're absolutely right there.

I wish I wasn't so worried about it, but Anthony is right, better that I know as much as I can so I can deal with it as best as possible.

 

[mac]

Hi Batgirl. I could be reading into this wrong, but if not, I think this is promising news though:
"Exciting recent research has shown that the hippocampus has the capacity to regenerate nerve cells ("neurons") as part of its normal functioning..."

 

[anthony]

That is mac... yet PTSD is not just about hippocampal change either. Knowing one would definitely be good though, because if this can be done if we give our minds enough peace, and allow them to regenerate without being under stress, then that might mean other aspects of change within the brain may achieve the same goal??? Nice info mac...

 

[Nam]

Interesting that this topic has come up since I am reading a book about using both sides of your brain. I've always thought that I was heavily in the Right side category, but after taking numerous tests in this book, I have found that I'm right in the middle. Which, according to the author, is where you want to be. It makes me wonder what I would be before I was diagnosed with PTSD. I think suffering from PTSD has made me use the left side of my brain to analyze and learn about my symptoms and ptsd to conquer the emotional effects. In doing so, as Evie mentioned, I became much less artistic. In fact, if I do go into that realm of creativity (the zone, I call it), I get melancholy and depressed. Because of this, I rarely do any art at all that might use expression as the main emphasis. I feel as if I'm wasting a gift that was given. Maybe this will be my own personal indicator when I'm "cured" of ptsd.....

Talking about being "cured". I believed that ptsd was curable for a long time until I started to think how much I have changed my life in order to live more stress free. Although it may sound depressing to have to handle ptsd for the rest of your life, please remember that the intensity of the symptoms will ease dramatically. You will be able to function in normal activities. The only part of ptsd that seems to stick with me is depression and I'm beginning to think that maybe it's not ptsd related. It just compounded my ptsd at it's worst. I believe that ptsd can not only be lived with, but will fade in the background. When stress levels get high, ptsd will shine is lovely face again to get things back to equilibrium. I guess that's what we are all striving for: Balance.

 

[lrs]

Nam, what is the book you are reading?