Help Me Calm Down Please

[whirleygurl]

New person on this forum. Only had 2 sessions with my therapist. She asked me to list the last 10 traumas. I meet with her in about a week to discuss them.

Well, I've been going over in my head the last 10 and just doing that has me feeling so much anxiety. I just can't quit thinking about this stuff now. I feel depressed like I want to cry. I feel panicky.

My life has been pretty messed up, I guess. I haven't been thinking about this stuff now I'm being asked to and it's hard.

Pictures forming in my head. Recollections best left forgotten. I feel out of control.

I wish I had some alcohol to drink but I've been purposefully not buying it as I was self-medicating. Haven't gotten drunk in four days. I could sure use some tuning out right now.

How do you ground yourself when you get this way?

 

[The Albatross]

Sing along with songs on youtube that I like, exercise, call a supportive friend. Glad you noticed you were self medicating and that you haven't gotten drunk in 4 Days! Write a letter to your new therapist, and tell her what you're thinking or feeling. You don't have to send it... but sometimes writing helps. I hope you feel better soon Whirley Gurl

 

[whirleygurl]

Thanks albatross so much for responding. I'm going to take a hot bath and then have a cup of tea. Maybe that will do it. If not, there's walways valium. I'm only going to take a half tab. It only makes me sleepy anyway. I'll just pray and go to bed early. I feel so shaky right now.

Sorry to be so melodramatic. Thank you for answering my post. Just knowing someone is out there that cares is good enough.

 

[Shellbell]

You're not being melodramatic at all, it's how we feel sometimes. Therapy can feel really overwhelming as well as having to deal with all the trauma's.

I find writing in my journal helps too.

A nice hot bath and a cup of tea sounds good.

Hope you feel less stressed and calmer afterwards.

 

[Whitneys story]

Whirleygurl,

Welcome to the Forum. I am glad you have arrived. It is not easy getting it out to start. There are some really good articles on the Home Page which explain some of the process.

I wish you success on your journey. It is not a race, write as you are comfortable. Hugs if you accept them, Whitney

 

[Privateer]

Tea works for me. That or smoking my pipe.

 

[matthios]

So I read your other post about what the root of your PTSD is. I apologize a billion times over (and in advance) if this ends up offending/triggering you, it's not meant that way at all... I can't help but wonder if your T's assignment is actually, er, making things worse? (there's a thought process hear: please bear with me as I attempt to explain)

So "list the last 10 traumas"-- you said your trauma (capital T!) was a singular incident. A very, very intense and terrifying one- absolutely... but it wasn't, say, a chronic abuse situation. (I'm not trying to construct a hierarchy of trauma, just to clarify). While it's certainly not true of everyone, I'd say most people don't really encounter 10 traumas in their entire lifetime... I mean, in a vague sense of "injury"- sure, absolutely. But I think there's a real danger in throwing a "trauma!" label on things that maybe dont' qualify. (In this way, I'd say that the criteria we use to definite what the "t" must be for ptsd to qualify are a good, albeit somewhat too restrictive, starting set.)

Recently, I met someone who has PTSD and she was telling me how she keeps having all of these traumas... and while I get there are events that have caused her distress in her life (as most people do) I'm not entirely sure they really qualify as "trauma!" (I'm going somewhere with this, I promise)

I've got this worry, and I'm not a psychologist nor do I claim to be, that this over-labeling/use of "trauma" in a context like that can cause people, much like yourself, to feel suddenly overwhelmed by just how traumatic your life has been. I mean, if it's been trauma-ridden like that, how the hell are we surviving? It seems to me that if we view our lives as just surviving between the plethora of traumas, it's easy to get stuck in a victim mentality.

Clearly, (at least until you have a reason and a discussion to the contrary) follow the orders/advice of your therapist... but also engage your therapist to make sure this is the right approach for you. Maybe just take a little step back and moment to yourself: do you really think about your life as one long string of traumas? (or think of your recent past only-so-far-back as to bring you to the most recent 10?)

 

[safenow]

...I've got this worry, and I'm not a psychologist nor do I claim to be, that this over-labeling/use of "trauma" in a context like that can cause people, much like yourself, to feel suddenly overwhelmed by just how traumatic your life has been. I mean, if it's been trauma-ridden like that, how the hell are we surviving? It seems to me that if we view our lives as just surviving between the plethora of traumas, it's easy to get stuck in a victim mentality.

I so agree with you. I wish others would print this out and take it to their therapist(s). This is one reason I hate "labels".

safenow.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Hi, I found journaling helps so much. Remember to breath. Taking a hot bath and a cup of tea, sounds healing. Do kind things for yourself. Treat yourself well. It will be ok. You will make it. This stuff passes and grants you relief. Hugs.

 

[safenow]

Thank you cherryblossom
safenow

 

[xlivingdeadgirl]

I used to journal, now I talk it out. My ex-husband was the cause of my sexual ptsd and caused all of my panic attacks. Once I got rid of him, my panic attacks ceased for the most part. My last boyfriend caused me to have two but it's been almost year since my last one.

 

[who am i kim]

I'd say most people don't really encounter 10 traumas in their entire lifetime... I mean, in a vague sense of "injury"- sure, absolutely. But I think there's a real danger in throwing a "trauma!" label on things that maybe don't qualify. (In this way, I'd say that the criteria we use to definite what the "t" must be for ptsd to qualify are a good, albeit somewhat too restrictive, starting set.)

I would just like to say that for me I call them incidents that occur similar to the initial trauma that reoccur over the years again and again. Hope that I am not out of align here. :hug: