Poll Has Anybody Tried Something Unconventional Such As Accupuncture?

[Invisible-Guy]

I'm going to see someone for accupunture this week. Meds, Doctors, and counselors aren't really doing enough andI was wondering what else to try.

 

[TeaLeaf]

I have tried acupuncture for PTSD, I think it did help some. I have gone about 4 times, the first time I went, I had a pretty strong emotional reaction that night, feeling like I was in the thick of it per se. The explanation was that acupuncture releases the stuck energy, memories etc. I did my best to stay present in the feelings, took a sleeping pill and went to bed. For the next few weeks I felt better, I plan to start going again.

I have found yoga to be the most helpful alternative treatment for my PTSD and there are many different types to chose from. I have a hard time being calm in my mind and focusing so I need something faster paced and more physically challenging- I do the heated vinyasa flow type. I was able to get some symptom relief from just the physical challenge at first and over time I was able to feel more connected to myself and process my traumas.

I have heard about magnesium threonate possibly being effective with healing the damage that traumatic memories have on the brain. I think I am going to try it as well.

Lastly, I've heard medications like propranolol (beta blockers) can be effective if taken during the processing of traumatic memories in therapy such as EMDR though this is not FDA approved and would probably be very difficult to coordinate I think. It is supposed to take some of the "bite" or emotional reaction away from the traumatic memories

 

[VDWngr1355]

I haven't thought about acupuncture, but hey give it a try. If it helps in anyway than it is a good thing.

I do yoga and exercise as mentioned above to help keep me sane.

I've had four hypnotherapy sessions in the last three months and that has helped tremendously. Took a lot of my anxiety away, the dissociation has gone way done since starting it. Before, the flashbacks were in black and white, now they are in color, which I am told is good because the brain is starting to process it. And the last session a week ago with my CBT therapist I was able to talk about one of the traumas, which I haven't been able to do because of the dissociation in sessions.

Also, EFT helps a lot. I seriously thought that was the most crazy thing when I was first showed it. But it does work and I really don't care how or why it works on me, but it does.

 

[TeaLeaf]

I second the EFT, I've been doing it as well and it seems to reconnect me with reality instead of being stuck in my memories.

 

[Invisible-Guy]

Thanks for all you input. What are EFT and CBT?

 

[Red Feather]

My mother is an acupuncturist. She also is one of my abusers, so well, I guess I have mixed feelings about it. She didn't use the needles in a bad way or anything. I am sure it can be helpful to move the energy in the body and bring back balance. That is what acupuncture is about, the five elements, fire, water, air, earth and wind. Also acupressure can be very helpful.

My mother use to give me cups of hot tea that was made of all the chinese herbs. And once when I was really hot with fever she poked the tips of my fingers till they bled. These are treatments in chinese medicine. It wasn't abusive. It was just really tough for a little girl growing up in Los Angeles, to have such an off mother, who wouldn't take her to the doctor but would give her all these wierd fluid's to drink, and little black pills.

Well, yeah, that's my rant. Still not saying it's a bad thing. Go for it!

 

[Invisible-Guy]

Thanks Nadia :) I go for my second treatment today. I'm not the kind of person that can be calmed by music, quietness, or guided visualization, but I'm still going to give it a few more tries. I know it can work for some people. I had a friend get rid of a migrain using accupressure in the past.

 

[TeaLeaf]

Invisible guy-
EFT is emotional freedom technique, it is basically tapping certain points on the body (head, chest, etc) and saying something specific about how you are feeling at the moment, for example, "event though I am anxious, I deeply and completely accept myself".
EFT also stands for emotionally focused therapy and even though that is not what I was referring to, that has been helpful for me too, it deals with breathing, internal focus on different parts of yourself and guided reflections by a therapist

CBT is cognitive behavior therapy, an accepted conventional therapy for trauma.

 

[mamachick]

I was just reading about a trauma program and the literature mentioned something that I forgot about traumatic memories. It stated that the memories per se are not the problem, but the meaning that we assign to them. I am trying to remind myself of this because I find that exactly true for me.

I have assigned a meaning to what has happened to me that I would not give to my worst enemy. It is what the trauma says about me, who I am, what I stand for, etc that leaves me feeling inadequate, damaged, worthless, etc. Just wanted to share-have not tried these methods but very interested.

 

[Invisible-Guy]

I'm finding that so far, the accupuncture is only relaxing me while I'm there. The cool part is that she's really a great counselor, too. It's like having two counselors that are on the same page, but with different methods. Been to five treatments so far and hoping to renew the referral after the initial twelve visits. Part of the reason I like it is that she's just a wonderful human being. I think that more really good people we surround ourselves with, the faster we can heal.