Sufferer 24 Year PTSD Sufferer, DX’d A Few Years Back, Wanting To Learn To Live Better

[Putsch hysteria]

Thanks survivor 3... With me having ptsd for 24years then I skipped the whole facebook/ twitter thing, so whilst I'm very pc savvy, I'm useless at the social networking side of things lol

 

[Sideways]

Definitely it's still a struggle. But things are a lot better for me now than they were, and it's been worth it:)

 

[Putsch hysteria]

@Sideways,
I'm no expert, but I highly doubt ptsd ever being curable, and therefore only manageable.. Glad to hear your doing better, I have done better previously, so I have hope, this year's just kicked my ass stress wise with covid 19, so hopefully the risk dissipates soon, and I can get back on track somewhat.. I'm extremely impressed by this site and its feedback,

 

[ladee]

Thanks for being patient @Putsch hysteria. The edited version. Thru therapy and the right meds, I was sitting on a ton of hurt. And with anxiety and chronic depression, those two things kept me so stressed and on the edge all the time. I would just end up blowing up.

CBT helped lay the foundation to rewiring my brain and picking up skills for the PTSD toolbox has helped me to catch the stress before I get to the explosion stage.

I always felt so powerLESS that I overcompensated with anger. Took time to unlearn many things and put the things that work in thier place.

I know this isn't detailed enough, but two culprits were depression and anxiety. And it is hard when there is obstacles to finding the right meds. I have been very fortunate in that area. Now I take Citalopran and PRN Klonopin. I have been on different anti depressants thru the years and all have been succesful without sideeffects. I am one of the lucky ones that I didn't have to play antiD-roulette until I found the right one.

And yes, the virus has stressed everyone to the max. Another reason I like coming here to the forum. Pretty much everyone relates to this new f'kd up normal.

Glad you are finding the forum a place you can relate to and get lots of information. I'll answer questions if I can.

 

[Putsch hysteria]

@ladee, many thanks for your reply, and your issues are very similar to mine, finding a manageable solution to life with these issues is a constant battle, a battle that I was slightly keeping on top off until covid struck, now all my hard work has slipped and I'm mega struggling to get back on track, had some cbt recently but had to cancel due to covid. So really glad I found this site last night, I've been reading mental health problems for years before being diagnosed, but some of the stuff I read on this site has blown me away... Including what I always expected, that ptsd will not heal, and that I can only try to manage as best as possible

 

[ladee]

It's not a life sentence, because we have so much help learning to manage. You haven't forgotten all that kept you upright and moving forward. But that is the nature of the PTSD beast. Here today, more quiet tomorrow!!!

Glad to hear you feel that you belong. That you are among people who get you, understand, and are hearing you. The support here is awesome. Real support because we all or on the same journey. Just at different stages.

Keep comin' back!!! We aren't going anywhere!!!

 

[Kittie]

Welcome!
Glad you found this forum! I'm rather new and have found it extremely comforting knowing there are other people I can relate to, who also understand my squirrely thoughts and feelings. Just knowing I'm not totally alone with this sometimes debilitating problem helps.

The medication I have is Klonopin, it does a good job of keeping anxiety down and less panic attacks. I credit any sleep I get to that.

Other things I do to help myself are...nature walks, camping, kayaking, anything active that requires my attention so I don't dwell on unwanted thoughts. If I can't get out, exercise at home, cyr wheeling, petting my cats and playing with them, art. I started a home business but it doesn't distract me much, it still feels uplifting to be productive so it earns a point on the happiness scale. When I've saved profits and can get my vehicle repaired, I get a positive feeling and improved my life. I always have something playing in the background...music, mystery stories, audiobooks, anything to direct my thoughts to better places.

I've been to therapy off and on over the years, self-help books. I've found more useful information here, written by people who actually have similar experience with the way PTSD affects life than I have with college educated professionals.

Hang in there, its worth it! Best wishes!