Help - Girlfriend with PTSD

[dj_murloc]

This wonderful girl I've been talking to for months through a website. I've spent hours on the phone with her and she's really been through alot. She has PSTD and I've been doing a lot of research on it and reading some of the stories here to try to understand the nature of the beast. Last 2 weeks she has completely shut herself off.. getting involved with.. substances and refuses to talk to me on the phone like we used to.

She sleeps maybe 2 hours a night and wakes up from nightmares and I've showed her these forums in hopes she'd register and find something she could use to a healthier sleep schedule.

I really don't understand why she is on this self destructive path and has shut me out when she knows I am the one person trying to help her. She's knows this but suffers from major trust issues due to lot of abuse she has faced in the past.

I am beyond tired of this communication blackout and need some good advice.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Welcome. Nothing more you can really do, she has to take on wanting to heal for herself.

 

[dj_murloc]

Thanks!

Oddly enough we got into yesterday and exchanged some rather harsh words.. I definately over stepped the line. I feel terrible about it and we had a long talk about it. I realize the mistakes I've made and vice versa. She forgave me and I am not really quite sure why. Anyone else would of told me to go f--- off and rightfully so. I wouldn't expected anything else.

How do you deal with the avoidance? Obviously being persistant didn't help much. I think if anything it made things worse.

Also, any ideas helping her get to sleep would be appriciated to. I know she's read a couple of the posts I pointed out but so far nothing helps. It's the constant nightmares that take her long time to calm down from that she has a real fear of sleeping.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Nightmares come down to facing it over and over. Keep a journal to write out what was dreamed. You pull it apart and analyze. It takes time but now I hardly have nightmares so I know it can be done. It makes you ill and you shut down but it is one of many steps to get better. I hope she joins.

 

[dj_murloc]

She is pretty stuborn but, I will see what I can do. Thanks for the dream journal idea. I will ask her about it.:cool: