Cognitive distortions specific to ptsd

[Tinyflame]

Aw sorry @anthony I see & understand better, "sit for a minute or two". Like graduated exposure without going too far at once. Oops, that was my first mistake.

To be honest I thought this would be 'easier'. (It's really easy to say "I can" but never have to do it! :rolleyes: )

 

[Chava]

So to the best that I understand it, it is my responsibility to work on the thoughts that lead to the beliefs that are responsible for the behaviours (in my control) , prompted possibly by the triggers (not in my control).

This is basically where I understand trauma behaviors and trigger responses differently. I don't see thoughts as responsible for my behaviors...if anything, the issue is my absence of thoughts. Knee-jerk. Yes, prompted by triggers out of my control. But, through putting my thinking mind back online I can start controlling how I respond. And often, if getting over-aroused, removing myself from the trigger is fine...like if symptoms are getting to physiological (panic, heart rhythm changes, etc). But I appreciate that we can all frame our recovery in different ways.

So again, though this is the message from the 'lower brain', it's up to me to determine & pick apart my response to my body's/ lower brain response.

Yes. This makes a lot of sense. The lower brain stuff is ruling your responses up until you can pull in the observing and thinking brain (like a somewhat outside witness, if that makes sense). It's like reality checking. I do quite a bit of that. It's when my thinking brain has gone off line (triggered) that I'm headed for meltdown if I can't re-access the frontal or thinking parts that can actively assess the here-and-now and choose different options.

My trauma responses have been quite trapping in themselves...unchecked my world would keep shrinking. My therapist always encourages looking for new choices and testing them out when it feels semi-safe. And that's how I shift patterns and ultimately feel more in control. It sounds like that's what you're doing and that's good. I go in super, almost pathetically small steps...but only because after years of trying to massively overhaul some behaviors or symptoms I realized I kept falling on my face. The continual reality tests and manageable changes help a lot. Moving a little out of the comfort zone, then allowing yourself to also go back, then out again...

 

[Tinyflame]

My trauma responses have been quite trapping in themselves...unchecked my world would keep shrinking

Yes, same here. I avoid.

I go in super, almost pathetically small steps...but only because after years of trying to massively overhaul some behaviors or symptoms I realized I kept falling on my face. The continual reality tests and manageable changes help a lot. Moving a little out of the comfort zone, then allowing yourself to also go back, then out again...

Me too. Not pathetic but only thing that works I think. I think too it's important to write down the observations, & cross reference, something I've skipped .

:hug:

 

[Sasapooh]

I hope its ok if i ask a question, does this work where someone whom has severe social anxiety...

Yes, but it takes a long time and in my experience, is never perfect. I was much the same as you several years ago. I am somewhat better now because I did keep trying to at least do normal things like go grocery shopping. However, I often had to pull over part way there, have a panic attack crying and shaking and being angry with myself, then turn around and drive home only to try again the next day. I often would pull over part way to work in the morning and vomit on the side of the road. Now I enjoy going to work. I am able to go to a mall and get what I need, but do not enjoy it. I am on guard the whole time which is exhausting. I am able to tolerate attending conferences with strangers now, but I think par of this is my ability to dissociate in these situations. Perhaps not totally, but I definitely get the feeling of looking "out" at others from the safety of myself.

 

[anthony]

Is it better to step back a few steps when starting to feel pretty stressed out, or just dig in where I'm at, or take a mini-break entirely?

You have to judge that based on you knowing you the best. It is a repetitive behavioural modification process. By doing it gradually, and repetitively, you will change your brain from feeling threat to not feeling threat, hence you will stop all reactions eventually because your brain will just accept that the threat was in your head. Sure, there is always the possibility of threat around us. We could die any time, any day, and there is nothing we can do about it. But if you're doing this within typical society and an actual threat is so minute based on your perceived fear -- then your brain will override your irrational fear with rational.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

You have to judge that based on you knowing you the best. It is a repetitive behavioural modification proces...

Anthony, i know this inst about me or anything but i was just wondering if this would work where the fear of people are more geared to crowds or larger amounts of people or people that come to close or even look at me? Like i went nuts at walmart during xmas time because the amount of people in there, was overcrowded, so i found myself in the handicap stall curled in a corner hiding. I dont really even know how i got there.

My therapist has been forever trying to get me around people or in a group setting but i have yet to be able to.

I was gonna try a park since its ouside, non crowded one but havent been able to yet

i didnt know if it were the same therory of the car thing you described ealier?

 

[Chava]

I think too it's important to write down the observations, & cross reference, something I've skipped .

I take a lot of notes and keep a daily journal of meds, activity level, general mood, etc. I feel like I'm my own research project and, at times, it feels exhausting. But I slip quite easily into bad old habits. It's so hard to change patterns. So I am diligent in my notes and I do eventually see some patterns (like less meds and less hopelessness than last year).

 

[Tinyflame]

I'm glad @Chava . We don't notice our own progress often, I think. And you are worth the investment of time & energy! :hug:

@lostforgottensoul I'm not sure. But I would suspect the same principle apllies. I'm not sure if what you're describing is social anxiety, or rather being triggered in some way (trauma related).

Thank you @anthony , i understand. I did also today what I've never thought of doing and along with looking inward, looked outward at others, not looking for a threat but watching how they appeared. Calm is the word (though my initial thought was they were grossly "unaware!" :eek: :rolleyes: ) Strange how they 'all' seemed frighteningly 'uninformed'/ clueless lol. Of course, just kidding (mostly). I think too it's been denial on my part, thinking avoidance means I manage better (I'm not triggered), & also thinking try harder/ ignore/ suck it up will make everything 'ok' (it doesn't).

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I'm not sure. But I would suspect the same principle apllies. I'm not sure if what you're describing is social anxiety, or rather being triggered in some way (trauma related).

Its def trauma related. People = bad things happen/fear or terror.

I can handle like going to a store alone, theres a lot of anxiety & i shake but i do it. Its when the amount of people. The more there are, the more freaked out i become until i disassociate, i think, until i have no memory of the events between. I dont do that often but i also isolate myself so i never have a chance. The only other time ive ended up places and dont know how i got there is when im having a nightmare but i think thats different.

Im doing a lot in a lot of different areas but was unsure if the car thing anthony discribed would be better than starting w/ smaller amounts of people outside in a park and working my way to more people and inside. Or maybe both?

Just using a church building as an example, not that i care to go to one or that its important; but it is, along with the people in it, what i fear the most. Just wondering how to best do that.

Not that big of a deal, i'll figure it out.

 

[Friday]

Have you read this article? Link Removed
Specifically this section : Dares... The Art of Successful Recovery

***

This is what I've done / what I do with everything. The idea that exposure could be done by writing was brand spanking new :D But for everything else, knocking little pieces off, bit by bit, smoothing out the rough edges... From crowds to oral sex, movie theaters to perfume, loud noises by my head to durn near anything, really. If something triggers or stresses? Little bit by little bit teach my brain to chill. I could list out a lot of different examples in my own life, LOL "everything" is only a very slight exaggeration, but while not the best writing (here for crowds & here for oral sex) are a few places where I already have walked through that process.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

(here for crowds & here for oral sex)

I love both of these posts & bookmarked them both. I have severe social (crowds) anxiety & as for oral sex, well sex in general of all kinds, i do it in an obsessive sort of way & make sure it hurts but your post had some intresting stuff in it.

I always love your posts FJ!