Can people with ptsd actually function?

[siniang]

Who has the luxury of "not being able to function?" I work full-time and live on my own. If I ever let myself go off the deep end I'd be screwed. I did this even during a period of being temporarily hospitalized for my own safety. There's not many people who have someone willing to take care of them and being institutionalized is a punishment so you wouldn't want to end up living in a psych hospital because you have no rights whatsoever.
If you're not in therapy you can find a therapist that will help you learn to manage the distress PTSD symptoms cause. Then you can begin to process and relearn healthier coping mechanisms yourself. It's not a perfect or quick process but it's better than having the extra worry of not knowing if you can survive on your own or not.

Wow, what a condescending comment and pretty much in line with "just pull yourself together and try a little harder"

This is not about a luxury of not being able to function. Do you understand what "disability" means? Yes, some people have a severe enough mental disorder to be disabled. Yes, you can learn coping mechanisms and learn to function somewhat, but for some people this will always be limited. Good for you that you're able to work full-time and live on your own, not everyone is that lucky with their specific symptom set.

Also, therapy costs money. Not everyone can afford to see a therapist. Not every country offers universal health care etc.

 

[Ptsdmiracle]

Oh I see so it's more of a day program, without overnight. Still not a viable option given my mental instability. I can't be with my parents forever that I know, but I don't have control over my current symptoms, especially agoraphobia and monophobia. I can't even be left alone for 5 min. When that happened, my heart rate and blood pressure shot up to an unbearable level, leading to ER visit, and the inhumane treatment. It's not a situation I want to be in again. No amount of deep breathing or logical rational thoughts could calm my body's physical response to this phobia.

Which part of my writing sounds manic to you? @Deanna

 

[Deanna]

Oh I see so it's more of a day program, without overnight. Still not a viable option given my mental instability. I can't be with my parents forever that I know, but I don't have control over my current symptoms, especially agoraphobia and monophobia. I can't even be left alone for 5 min. When that happened, my heart rate and blood pressure shot up to an unbearable level, leading to ER visit, and the inhumane treatment. It's not a situation I want to be in again. No amount of deep breathing or logical rational thoughts could calm my body's physical response to this phobia.

Which part of my writing sounds manic to you? @Deanna

Your earlier posts, after we joked around.. But no big deal. That's what the forum is for

Good for you that you're able to work full-time and live on your own, not everyone is that lucky with their specific symptom set.

I work too! I know exactly what she is saying.. Maybe she is naive but not condescending.. Nah! The board is mixed with both people that work and people that are disabled. I don't expect I can work forever but I have a physical issue as well but nothing seen by the physical eye. I actually could get disability for both.. But working now. Chill! :happy:

 

[joeylittle]

Oh I see so it's more of a day program, without overnight. Still not a viable option given my mental instability.

Yes, I should have clarified; these are outpatient programs, no overnight stays. A PHP will tend to be five days a week (M-F), from morning until early/mid afternoon. The level below that is IOP (intensive outpatient program) - those can be 3, 4, or 5 days a week, and are generally contained to a few hours in the morning or afternoon.

I can't even be left alone for 5 min. When that happened, my heart rate and blood pressure shot up to an unbearable level, leading to ER visit, and the inhumane treatment. It's not a situation I want to be in again.

With the severity you're describing, I'm not sure PTSD therapy is the right priority for you at this time. The monophobia you describe is severe. I would suggest looking up as much as you can about options for day programs in your area - even if you don't have the ability to do one right now, you may be able to use one further down the line.

I'd also say it's really imperative that you communicate this to your therapist, and encourage them to ask you questions if you aren't being specific enough.

No amount of deep breathing or logical rational thoughts could calm my body's physical response to this phobia.

It's true that at a certain point, it can become (nearly) impossible to manage one's own panic. The trick of it is to learn how to intervene before the panic has a chance to develop. Sometimes, this involves anticipating the stress response, whether you've felt it or not. It's also about knowing your own 'style' of escalation, and having enough practice/repetition with your intervention technique, so that it becomes nearly automatic.

It's not that hard to train yourself to do this - but you have to have a plan, in order to be able to practice it.

 

[talon]

Is ptsd a manageable illness that one can have while functioning in society?

Asking because I'm absolutely not functional with symptoms ranging from agoraphobia, monophobia, cognitive issues with planning, decision making, short term memory, derealization, inability to handle any stress, intrusive ruminative thoughts. None of my nightmares or thoughts are actually related with the traumatic event anymore, yet I still have these symptoms. I'm starting to think that most of my symptoms are coming from benzo withdrawal rendering me dysfunctional. I know I have ptsd since ive been diagnosed with this, but I wonder if I have to heal from benzo withdrawal first to be semi functional.

So to those who have ptsd without another illness affecting symptoms such S benzo withdrawal, is it possible to have a job, relationships, etc?

Just trying to gain some insight as to what's what in my complicated situation, most of my docs are clueless as to what's benzo withdrawal even is.

If you take benzodiazepines as recommended, and take them as a one-off dose, you would not normally have any problems in stopping them.
But if you have taken benzodiazepines regularly over a long period of time, you could become physically addicted or psychologically dependent on them. For example, you may experience physical withdrawal symptoms if you stop or reduce your dose, or you may feel that you cannot cope with your day-to-day life unless you take them.
The longer you stay on benzodiazepines, the more likely it is that you will find it difficult to stop taking them and the greater your risk of withdrawal symptoms. If you want to stop taking benzodiazepines, it’s important to reduce the dose gradually, and to get as much information and support as possible. You are more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop or reduce your dose suddenly As with most drug sleeping tablets and other you need to be weaned off these drugs gradually overtime until your body returns to its normal function . As with most drugs legal or otherwise withdrawal symptoms can play havoc with the system . Speak again with your Dr and ask if there is any other alternative less intrusive med . But if you need to come off these drugs as it appears they are now the problem rather than the solution then it must be overtime to adjust. Take care of yourself

 

[shatter eyes]

The insomia could be from benzo withdrawal depending on how long you stopped. Post acute withdrawal and then slowly mind starts rebalancing itself.

The functioning with PTSd is a meaning each of us view subjectively possibly comparing to pre trauma life. People in rehab and doctors have said i am high functioning TBI, i disagree if compare myself to what i did before, i would agree if i looked at the medical reports and constellation of symptoms from polytrauma injuries. Today i recognize i can and do function well. At times very well then there are days when i hide. I am on disability, no work, cannot drive, recently cooked mac n cheese successfully on my own, able to wash 6 pieces of laundry every month or so, etc... this is my new level of function. It took me sometime and lots of grief talk therapy to let go of what i considered to be "function".

I understand the part about luxury, sometimes i misuse the word like telling someone "i dont have the luxury to chat or hang out" because my head is constantly busy even when i am "lazy" so taking a break or not working could be a luxury but likely one cannot afford.
With EMDR i would tell T what you told us and try have help buiding symptoma and goals. Remember you are the boss?

 

[Sideways]

My therapist has really only been doing emdr and talk therapy with me, when I mention specific cbt or coping skillls, she seems to just gear towards breathing and pushing myself mentally by planning some things throughout the day or doing yoga.

You mentioned this earlier, and also that you’re only 3 months into therapy.

Slow down. Of course you can’t control your panic attacks with your breathing. Yet.

But you will. If you’re able to get through days doing things like watching tv, doing crochet, taking short walks when you can (which you’ve mentioned), start there. Add the yoga, add daily practice at breathing exercises, and give it time.

I’m not trying to minimise what you’re going through (I’ve been anxious to the point of being stuck in my apartment plenty of times - I totally get how much that sucks), but I think maybe you just need to slow down.

Your T’s suggestion to work on breathing exercises is an excellent idea.

Your T’s suggestion to practice yoga daily (can do that at home) is an excellent idea.

Your T’s suggestion to start writing out daily plans for what you’re going to do from when you get up to when you go to bed is an excellent idea.

I was in that phase of therapy, doing breathing, yoga, daily planning, and a bit of cbt (with zero work on my trauma) for at least 3 years, and it took me even longer to get to the small amount of function I currently have.

It doesn’t sound like benzo withdrawals to me. It sounds like you’re expectations are unrealistic. So slow it down, follow your T’s (excellent) advice, and it will happen for you.

 

[frogthroat]

Wow, what a condescending comment and pretty much in line with "just pull yourself together and try a little harder"

Get off your high horse. Technically, if we take away the "let's not hurt anyone's feels" part of this conversation trauma therapy and meds do help people who are too symptomatic to function. If you don't have access to that then, yes, I can see it becoming a disability if not quelled somehow. Let's also remember PTSD isn't something fatal like schizophrenia or Alzheimer's. You can learn skills to help to change your neuro-pathways and rewire your brain and get it to where you're relatively symptom free. It doesn't always have to be disabling.

 

[siniang]

Who's on a high horse is you. Or yes, maybe you're really just incredibly naive. I see you're inactive, now, but I really encourage you to read actual trauma diaries here in the forum...

Let's also remember PTSD isn't something fatal

All the people with SI beg to differ.

It doesn't always have to be disabling.

No it doesn't. But it can. For some people. Meds may take away symptoms, but can leave you debilitated (numbed) to the point of still not being able to function properly in a society.

>I< personally am high-functioning. My PTSD is mild for most parts/days. I'm working full-time, am a graduate student, keep a marriage, ... But I'm not going around telling people that they just have to try harder or take some (stronger) meds or go seek therapy to learn coping mechanisms because clearly, if they're not functioning they're not doing any of that, yet...

 

[joeylittle]

@siniang - if you're finding the topic to be triggering, take a break from the thread.

 

[siniang]

Sorry! :oops: :bag:

 

[joeylittle]

I'm in therapy and have been in therapy once a week for the past 3 months, we do emdr sessions every other week. The interesting thing about my ptsd is that's I'm able to revisit literally every thing about the traumas without feeling triggered, fear, or any other intense emotions really, so when we do emdr I'm telling the story with no issues.

Was re-reading the thread, and this jumped out at me.

If your therapist agrees - working on the monophobia can take priority. I know I'm repeating myself - but it doesn't matter whether it's a side-effect of withdrawal, or just popped up out of nowhere, or has a connection to your trauma that you're not aware of. At this point, five months out from the benzo use, it's no longer withdrawal, it's something that's happened and is now part of your reality. Time alone isn't going to change it.