Ptsd, An Enemy Or Ally?

[Me Myself and I]

I can't seem to find an answer for that yet. What is yours? And why is that?

 

[ashdawn8287]

It was an enemy, now it is my friend after learning how to control it.

 

[heidi]

It was an enemy, now it is my friend after learning how to control it.

How have were you able to get it under control, ashdawn? What methods worked best for you?

PTSD is something that is so hard on everyone around you that of course it's not an ally. Even if it were one for you the fact that it's so hard for others cancels that out.

 

[ashdawn8287]

I take the approaches that work best for me. CBT, EMDR, this forum, a mix of medication, yoga. I had to change my lifestyle. I am more at peace now. So yes, I don't fight it anymore I just have good outlets and redirected my energy and learn to adapt to it. Anything that's bad is out of my life and I am and have been surrounding only by positive. It is a lot of work, it take practice and patience but all that work is worth it.

 

[intothelight]

For me it is neither as it is something that I have and how it has impacted my life can be viewed as negative or positive depending upon the circumstances. There are plenty of negatives when it is uncontrolled and the detrimental effects that has upon my physical health, my mental health and my relationship. But there are plenty of positives in the personal changes that have been made when working to control this disorder.

 

[Abstract]

I see it as the body and minds attempt at being a friend or protecting but in actuality it isn't. That there are better more useful ways of processing and dealing with trauma. So it is an attempt at being a friend but in actuality it is an enemy even though I don't really like using the word and don't find it useful for me.

 

[heidi]

I had to change my lifestyle. I am more at peace now.

Hi again. Do you have many symptom-free days?

 

[quic]

I definitely had an enemy with me every day. I too used CBT, EMDR, lots of talking, writing, and crying, I now have many symptom free days. It is not gone; it just gradually lost its power over me. Now I see it as a part of my core primitive mind that tries to protect me from something bad happening again. Every reaction is simply a thought or emotion to be experienced and let flow through.

When I saw IT as my enemy I think I was creating a sense of separateness, giving it an identity. It was something in me or something attacking me. The more I pushed it away the stronger it became. In reality it has always been just a part of me and could not be pushed away. The good, the bad, and the ugly ideas are all mine, and there is room in there for all of them. I have learned to love ME, even the ugly parts.

 

[ashdawn8287]

I have more symptom free days than I've ever had before.

 

[senji]

For me its not an ally, its enemy.

Right now I'm doing CBT as a therapy and I started to feel better.

The symptoms are still there and I still feel different and afraid to do somethings in my life because I'm still consider "Unstable".

I have been suffering for 10 years but because of the lack awareness in my country about PTSD just this year I have been recognized as suffering.

It's hard for me to except it, because I fear that the PTSD symptoms will "destroy" my future and I will end up with nothing.

 

[Britt.f7]

PTSD has made me more aware, more sensitive, more compassionate. In that way it is an Ally. It's also played havoc on my personal, professional, and, yes, sexual, life. That makes it an enemy.