• 💖 [Donate To Keep MyPTSD Online] 💖 Every contribution, no matter how small, fuels our mission and helps us continue to provide peer-to-peer services. Your generosity keeps us independent and available freely to the world. MyPTSD closes if we can't reach our annual goal.

Sufferer Trying to deal with autism and CPTSD

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi. I joined this forum in the hopes of finding some resources to help me deal with my CPTSD, which has been difficult seeing as I also have autism.

I have tried CBT, which didn't do anything for me. Part of the problem was that I didn't know exactly how to formulate my problems, but I have worked on that. The way I would formulate my problem in general terms is:

"some events that happened in the past when I was a child are now causing my heart rate to increase, as well as difficulty breathing and sleeping, when exposed to certain things, and I don't like the way that makes me feel. Also, while I wouldn't say I'm depressed (I do experience happiness on a great number of days), there is a thing my brain does where I tell myself I shouldn't be happy, which in turn makes me sad, and I don't like the way that feels either."

So I guess I am here to find out about different forms of therapy that might work better for me. Also, general advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to respond.
 
Welcome to the forum!

I have no experience with autism, but the way you laid out your problem struck me as a pretty clear picture in broad strokes. Maybe cbt has helped a little...?!

I've found a great help from talk therapy, and my dog (probably he's been the biggest game changer tbh).
 
Welcome to the forum!

I have no experience with autism, but the way you laid out your problem struck me as a pretty clear picture in broad strokes. Maybe cbt has helped a little...?!

I've found a great help from talk therapy, and my dog (probably he's been the biggest game changer tbh).
I can relate to the dog thing. Used to talk a lot to our rottweiler as a kid, and it always made me feel less lonely
 
hello warehouseworker. welcome to the forum. sorry for what brings you here, but glad you are here.

peer support and group therapy have been my most effective recovery tools. they not only help me untangle the ptsd psycho snot knots, they help me overcome my social anxiety, as well. then there is my "critter therapy." one dog, 57 chickens, 4 barn cats, 2 donkeys, 4 million bees, 3 foster kids and a husband. have you guessed i live on a farm? in my heart, i feel like i ought to count the wild critters, too. i can therapute with them without having to make them dinner.

steadying support while you find what works for you. welcome aboard. i hope you find stabilizing companionship here.
 
Welcome to the community!

I have tried CBT, which didn't do anything for me. Part of the problem was that I didn't know exactly how to formulate my problems, but I have worked on that. The way I would formulate my problem in general terms is:
CBT works much the same way maths or music works. The details are vital for the whole.

A concerto with no instruments nor sheet music is not a concerto. It’s a word. Or an idea. Not a piece of music. Having acquired both the instruments/players AND the sheet music? There is still the matter of tuning the instruments, practicing the piece, etc.

Ditto for an equation. Each part of the equation is vital to both itself and the whole.

The following (links) are a fantastic breakdown of cognitive distortions, & core beliefs; which are one part of CBT (the brass section, perhaps, or the strings).



The following, however, is a series of posts that breakdown a whooooooole lotta aspects of trauma focused CBT, beginning with using a trauma diary as exposure thereapy, and then drilling down on different aspects.


^^^ There is a TREMENDOUS amount of information in the above links, and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with all of it. I would be hesitant to link them all in one post for anyone who is NT, but the neurodivergent crowd is far more practiced at self-limiting / pacing… so even though these are just the top of the iceberg? They’re a good starting off point.

>>> Conversely? If you’ve ever had a meltdown because the …everything… is too much? The following link isn’t on CBT, but the conceptualising the stress response from PTSD and will probably make instant & blissful (useful!) sense to you, if you’re in a place where you really need to limit your intake. The ptsd cup explanation
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top