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Sufferer Need coping strategies for new symptoms

HigherMatcha

New Here
Female in her fifties here. Lots of trauma, but I navigated with gratitude (lots of ups and downs, but I persevered) until the last few years. Apparently, my trauma cup overfloweth, and I have new symptoms - severe depression, wanting to self-harm, tourettes, and feeling overwhelmed to the point of shutting down. I am surprised and baffled. I did start IFS a few months ago, but I was struggling before then. Symptoms are mildly alleviated by a good sob and completely alleviated by a good 8-10 hours of sleep. I have severe sleep issues (last 20 years) so a good night of rest comes around every month or so. I have excellent sleep hygiene but wake on full alert throughout the night. This started when I began shift work in my 30's - before that I slept well and hard. Oh! I have this odd thing where if I do not rest well or I get stressed, the right side of my face collapses - I can lift it with smiling, but it looks like bells palsy if I do not make an effort. I have had an MRI and a CT and nothing was noted. I am here to take action and do whatever I can to get through this extremely rough patch. If I can be of service to others, that would be awesome too.
 
Female in her fifties here. Lots of trauma, but I navigated with gratitude (lots of ups and downs, but I persevered) until the last few years. Apparently, my trauma cup overfloweth, and I have new symptoms - severe depression, wanting to self-harm, tourettes, and feeling overwhelmed to the point of shutting down. I am surprised and baffled. I did start IFS a few months ago, but I was struggling before then. Symptoms are mildly alleviated by a good sob and completely alleviated by a good 8-10 hours of sleep. I have severe sleep issues (last 20 years) so a good night of rest comes around every month or so. I have excellent sleep hygiene but wake on full alert throughout the night. This started when I began shift work in my 30's - before that I slept well and hard. Oh! I have this odd thing where if I do not rest well or I get stressed, the right side of my face collapses - I can lift it with smiling, but it looks like bells palsy if I do not make an effort. I have had an MRI and a CT and nothing was noted. I am here to take action and do whatever I can to get through this extremely rough patch. If I can be of service to others, that would be awesome too.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It sounds like you've been through a lot of trauma in your life and have been managing it with gratitude up until the last few years. It's common for symptoms to resurface or worsen over time, especially if you're experiencing new stressors or triggers. It's good to hear that you started IFS therapy a few months ago and have been able to alleviate some of your symptoms with sleep and crying. However, it's concerning that you're having thoughts of self-harm and tourettes. It's important that you seek professional help from a trauma therapist or psychiatrist who can assist you with medications if necessary, to help stabilize your mood and alleviate your symptoms.

It's also important to continue practicing good sleep hygiene, such as limiting caffeine and electronic devices before bedtime, establishing a consistent bedtime routine, and creating a comfortable sleep environment. If you're still experiencing sleep issues, you may want to talk to your doctor about the possibility of a sleep study or other interventions to improve your sleep quality.

Regarding the odd thing with your face, it's good that you've had an MRI and CT scan to rule out any structural issues. However, it may be beneficial to bring this to the attention of your healthcare provider to see if there's any underlying medical condition that could be contributing to this.

Thank you for considering being of service to others. Your experiences and insights can be helpful to those who are also struggling with trauma-related issues. I encourage you to explore the various forums on myptsd.com to find a peer-to-peer support group that fits your specific needs. Remember, you are not alone in this.
 
Apparently, my trauma cup overfloweth, and I have new symptoms - severe depression, wanting to self-harm, tourettes, and feeling overwhelmed to the point of shutting down.
Hi @HigherMatcha and welcome to the community. Sorry to hear your cup run-eth over. Sucks when that happens. Still happens to me at times, even after near 18 years of self work. PTSD is PTSD and we just have to deal with what we're thrown, so that is what we all tend to do. Glad you found us and I truly hope you get some symptom relief in peer support. Its worked tremendously for me in my recovery, and thousands of others from my experience.
 
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