Boredom

[Mallaky]

Hello.

I am starting to think that boredom is the worst enemy in my fight against PTSD. Whenever I am bored all my symptoms skyrocket violently and I have a very hard time controlling them.

I have not "explored" that for a long time, as it just recently occurred to me, so it is just something I suspect for now. I want to learn about this and would like to know if anybody had any experience or an opinion about this. Thanks.

 

[cherryblossom]

Yes, I think you are right. I guess that's why a lot of PTSDer's throw themselves into work. Or alternatively drink too much or take drugs. Anything to stop them thinking about the trauma and focus on something else.

I guess it's all about finding a happy balance, between work and play, but also keeping active or focused on something in-between. Finding something to do to fill the boredom, even if it's some sort of self help / self therapy. But otherwise try to fill your time with something productive, like exercise or cooking, read a book or even play a computer game. Something positive, that makes you feel good about yourself, and gives you a boost.

 

[Ice_Fire]

Oh yes, this is so true! I'm on a massive holiday, wasting time in-between finishing school and beginning university, and I must say that my symptoms have been far worse since I've had nothing else occupying my mind. Having realised this, I'm forcing myself to do something productive, something relaxing and something 'therapy-related' in order to weigh my life in a more positive direction. Otherwise, it'd be all too easy to let PTSD take over completely, because there's nothing else.

 

[maddog]

Mental stimulation becomes both more important and more difficult when one is very symptomatic, and I have found that sinceI stopped working, I have also had to work very hard to try to strike this balance. No matter how unwell we are, I do believe that it's necessary to try to maintain that stimulation and occupation as much as possible, bearing in mind that the degree to which one can do that will probably vary depending on the intensity of symptoms at the time. Stagnating and lapsing into learned helplessness/inactivity is a definite trap I think, and the best antedote for it is to focus on a hobbie or other distraction that you can indulge in as much or as little as possible on any given day, and which is ultimately aligned with something that you value in life and can set as a goal or series of goals to work towards through the course of your recovery.

Much easier said than done at times, but it's important for lots of reasons, including maintaining structure and purpose,activity/distraction, and a sense of worth and meaning in the world.

Maddog