How Do You Live Life After Ptsd?

[Notsowild]

I'm having a hard time getting back into life a year after my latest trauma. I'm not the same. I can't accomplish things like I used to. I get more stressed and anxious. I still haven't went out at all ( except for work ). I don't talk as well, I get nervous, I know no one understands me. Can anyone help? I feel like becoming a hermit and giving up on life.

 

[Barberian]

There is an after PTSD?

Seriously - medication and therapy has done a lot for me, hasn't fixed me, but has done a lot.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Do you mean after or with? Are you post-processing and in the third stage of healing?

 

[Tanishq]

Everything has changed within me. I am trying to live right now. One thing at a time and even that's like big challenge for me.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

I have had those feelings. I have wanted to just stay in bed forever and just give up. But almost every day I don't give in to that. I can't make myself do it, which is a good thing I guess. I look for the reasons why I want to keep going. Sometimes at I use a gratitude list to help me, but mostly that makes me feel guilty for feeling like I want to give up. Sometimes I write down the worst part of the day and what I hope for in the next day or in the future. Sometimes I just have to keep going out of sheer stubbornness that I am not giving up.

I've been in therapy for a year and for the last 4 months or so I have only had one major low period (of about 2 weeks) so I know things are getting slightly better. There is life with PTSD, it's just a different life. Take each day step by step, moment by moment. Sometimes setting little goals helps me, too. Like today I am going to go for a 5 minute walk or go to the library.

I also have been coming to terms with the fact that I have to remember that I am not the same person I was before, but that each day of willing myself to continue on with life is hopefully leading me towards a better future. It just might take a while to get there.

I wish you strength and courage and to know that you aren't alone.

 

[Recovery4Me]

((Notsowild)) hug if you feel comfortable enough to accept.

I know no one understands me

Please trust me that I am sincere as I ask you this,ok? Could it possibly be that you are rather intelligent and now just noticing their eyes glaze over as you communicate? Hypervigilance heightens sensitivity at times. :wideeyed: Ah, come on, smile a little with me.

Anyway, you are in the right place to be understood here. Perhaps it can build confidence with communicating with the "normies".:)

 

[Notsowild]

Seriously - medication and therapy has done a lot for me, hasn't fixed me, but has done a lot.

I'm on medication that has helped a lot but I'm still struggling a lot too. And I am in therapy with a good T but it seems like I'll be in therapy forever. There is just so much trauma and stresses in my life.[DOUBLEPOST=1406439569,1406439475][/DOUBLEPOST]

Do you mean after or with? Are you post-processing and in the third stage of healing?

I mean with PTSD. What do you mean by the third stage?[DOUBLEPOST=1406439712][/DOUBLEPOST]

Everything has changed within me. I am trying to live right now. One thing at a time and even that's like big challenge for me.

I don't know - am I rushing it? I just thought I should be better. Or I just don't know how to live with PTSD.

 

[Notsowild]

I also have been coming to terms with the fact that I have to remember that I am not the same person I was before, but that each day of willing myself to continue on with life is hopefully leading me towards a better future. It just might take a while to get there.

I wish you strength and courage and to know that you aren't alone.

How do you live life not the same as before? I just don't know.
Thank you - I know I have you guys

 

[Notsowild]

Please trust me that I am sincere as I ask you this,ok? Could it possibly be that you are rather intelligent and now just noticing their eyes glaze over as you communicate? Hypervigilance heightens sensitivity at times. :wideeyed: Ah, come on, smile a little with me.
:)

I used to think of myself as intelligent. Not so sure anymore. That's a big part of it. Not fitting in and feeling so different. Nobody really cares.
My hypervigilance is better but still there.
Thanks for the hugs - much appreciated. I feel like crying most days. So glad for this forum:hug:

 

[Seasounds]

If I understand your situation, you are still in a precess
of recovering from the last major PTSD event, and you are feeling frustrated, because you are still isolating and experiencing a lack of safety, in being in the world?

I've had big triggers of my trauma, that took me a year or two, to be as functional as I was before the trauma. I really had to delicately and consistantly work with myself, as well as get professional help, during theses periods: in other words I needed daily help, hand holding help, to rebuild myself.

Do you have access to having psychiatric and psychogical help, as well as having the ability to work with massage therapists, acupuncturists, craniosacral therapists, etc?

I understand PTSD as a condition that has periods of getting worse, and getting better--as I improve my skills of living with it. So I live with it, and get through exacerbations, but I don't ever not have it.

Does that make since? What are your thoughts about this?

 

[Recovery4Me]

What do you mean by the third stage?

Solara is referring to a three stage trauma therapy model although there are other models out there that offer four or five stages as well.

 

[Tanishq]

am I rushing it?

Notsowild, May I ask you some questions? When were you diagnosed? when did you come to know that you have ptsd symptoms and hit by traumatic life events?

If it is recent, then I will have to say you are expecting a lot from you. Starting is much worse of this ptsd. I remember back in 2012, I am undiagnosed. I had way too many issues, couldn't sleep. I used to feel immense pain. Now in 2014 I can get to sleep, I worked for many months to fix it. I am still having mental collapses, not able to get up. Not able to feel enthusiastic or lack of energy. Lack of will.

Yes, I was also having the same situation of not knowing how to live laugh. It looked very different. Like I said everything has changed within me.

It takes time to heal or start healing. I have heard it takes minimum 2 years and maximum could be long 5-6 years, depends what kind of treatment you are under, also depends how is your attitude and all.

it seems like I'll be in therapy forever

I guess you must be having feeling hopelessness there. You are doing good, it will take time. That doesn't mean you will have to stay in therapy forever. Just carry on therapy and one day it will be over. You will learn a lot, how to cope. How to manage yourself. You are new and different. One thing I will tell you don't compare to yourself to past. It will be meaningless, since you are completely different person. Just to save you from unnecessary hurt. :)