I am bumping this thread because it was interesting to me. Someone on my treatment team recently suggested to me that one (or both) of my parents might have been dissociating during my youth. I am having lots of mixed feelings about it, since I now have tremendous problems with dissociation...
I was very glad to see that he was sent to a maximum security prison and will be kept in isolation for the rest of his life. I suppose he assumed he'd never be caught--that no one would believe those kids--and that even if he were caught, that he could handle prison. I'm glad it will be hard on...
Hashi, I very much agree with what you wrote. When I started treatment, my doctor told me that one thing that was a powerful predictor of post-traumatic difficulties was whether or not there were people available after the trauma to respond with compassion and support.
I had a short time in my life when I would tell people what happened to me and that I had PTSD, but they generally never "got it" and didn't understand why I was still having the troubles I am, which left me very angry and feeling misunderstood. After working with my therapist and having the...
I have found that art helps me manage and express some emotions that I can't yet communicate in words--especially anger. I don't worry about making a work of art, just using artistic materials to express the feelings. I'm sure that I've painted dozens of virtually identical pages of black...
I had reactions for several weeks while coming off it. I titrated down pretty slowly, though, because of the reactions--100, 75, 50...by the end I was taking pieces of pills! I hope you are feeling better soon.
Grounding strategies. When I dissociate, I feel kind of like a balloon that's floating away, and grounding pulls me back to earth. There are lots of different strategies (Google them!) but what works for me is tuning into my senses, each in turn. I usually don't have much for smell/taste but I...
I do this. Luckily, not often in front of other people, because that is the height of humiliation. Mostly it's when I'm alone or with my therapist, and I am pretty okay with freaking out in those situations.
I won't do any social media. Partly because I know I'd be jealous of what a lot of my acquaintances present as their lives, and partly because I'm afraid of my real life and my online life crossing paths.
When I first learned about dissociation in therapy, I was shocked by how often I did it. I also felt overwhelmed by the prospect of trying to change something that happened, literally, dozens of time every day. It was mind-boggling.
I think I dissociate less, now that I am aware of it and know...
Great post, BloominWinter. I always have to remind myself of this. I was flipping out once because I was to scared to talk and felt like therapist was obviously infuriated by my lack of participation. Finally I begged him, "what are you thinking?" and he said, "that you're so scared you can't...
You do need to tell him about the cutting, but you will do it when you're ready. When you are able to make that leap of trust with him, you'll blurt it out.
I relate a lot because your post describes the early days of my treatment. Therapist asked about abuse, I said no, nothing like...
I am so glad she was respectful of your wishes! The dissociation is understandable--you were probably panicked long before you got there, then added the stress of the visit--it'll take time to come back to yourself.
I took my meds and did, eventually, sleep for about 7 hours straight (yay)! It's a holiday here so I turned my alarm off and slept an extra two hours. It will be hard to get up tomorrow but I figure after not really sleeping Saturday night, I probably needed the rest for mental stability.
I've told a couple of friends, who quickly became acquaintances. My two dearest friends have really stood by me, though. I don't, like, have talks with them that are singularly focused on my PTSD, but I mention my symptoms in passing and they aren't weirded out and if we go out and I flip out, I...
This is an awesome trick! Thanks for sharing it.
I am chronically dissociated, too. I go in and out of a checked out state all day long, a lot of times as a reaction to strong feelings (in myself or in someone around me). I can use the grounding exercises I've learned in therapy pretty...
My anxiety begins rising steadily once I get home from work. For me, I think it's partly because night triggers fears in me (I am terrified of an intruder and I can't visually check the outside perimeter of the house at night) and partly because work keeps my mind busy--occupied. When I get home...
I had my pdoc cut my Trazodone dosage lower because I was afraid the dosage was keeping me from hearing and responding to threats at night (hello, PTSD thinking!). Now as long as I am willing to take it (ie not too scared to sleep) it works just as well as the higher dosage, but it took a few...