Bear with me here people. I've been thinking again (really ought to stop, but it's so addictive!). I've been trying to think of a way to explain things to my friends/work colleagues, cos I don't particularly like the "you just need to relax more" comments. The whole point is that I can't relax - hence the problems!!!! By the way, this is just my view on how things work - not saying I'm right!
My new therapist was telling me about the autonomic nervous system: 2 parts: sympathetic does the stressy flight/fight thing, parasympathetic switches it off. Apparently, we ptsd people have a very sensitive sympathetic part, but a damn lazy parasympathetic part.
My thinking is: In order to keep going, we end up over-riding the sympathetic using willpower. Effectively, we are driving with no brakes. This is fine if the road is level and straight, but we are buggered when we hit a bend or a hill.
So we have to do 2 things. 1. Fix the brakes; 2. Not drive the damn car til the brakes are fixed. Trouble is, we need to go places, so we take risks (like going back to work too soon).
What makes it so hard is that we end up sitting behind the wheel and revving the engine, but we can't or are too afraid to put it in gear. Drugs help, but they are the same as using your feet to slow down - if you hit those bends or a steep hill, you are still buggered. You can take tranquilisers, but that would be the same as driving with the airbags inflated - doesn't hurt so much, but you can't see where you are going, so you are more likely to crash.
Any thoughts?
My new therapist was telling me about the autonomic nervous system: 2 parts: sympathetic does the stressy flight/fight thing, parasympathetic switches it off. Apparently, we ptsd people have a very sensitive sympathetic part, but a damn lazy parasympathetic part.
My thinking is: In order to keep going, we end up over-riding the sympathetic using willpower. Effectively, we are driving with no brakes. This is fine if the road is level and straight, but we are buggered when we hit a bend or a hill.
So we have to do 2 things. 1. Fix the brakes; 2. Not drive the damn car til the brakes are fixed. Trouble is, we need to go places, so we take risks (like going back to work too soon).
What makes it so hard is that we end up sitting behind the wheel and revving the engine, but we can't or are too afraid to put it in gear. Drugs help, but they are the same as using your feet to slow down - if you hit those bends or a steep hill, you are still buggered. You can take tranquilisers, but that would be the same as driving with the airbags inflated - doesn't hurt so much, but you can't see where you are going, so you are more likely to crash.
Any thoughts?