How long after a therapy session do you feel low?

[LuckiLee]

Sometimes J is stressed a couple days before and up to a week after. And he sleeps afterwards. Weirdly enough he's more stressed about group therapy then one on one. (I guess that makes sense, hearing about their issues causes more stress sometimes).

I'm glad your guy is getting the help he needs. Just be there to listen if he opens up to you.

Good luck!

 

[Friday]

I have realized that he is quite symptomatic and low in mood for a couple of weeks after therapy. I know the PTSD symptoms can get worse after a therapy session. My question is, can the effects of a therapy session hold on for ‘as long’ as 3 weeks?

For me, if I’m going in once or twice a week, the hangover tends to last about a day or two.

If I’m going once or twice a month, a week or two.

If we’re usig a 1-10 scale on symptoms

5 - Normal (ie bad enough for me to be seekigntherapy)
8 - New Normal - first year after starting therapy
10 - immediately following and leading up to an appointment.

So EVERYTHING // my “normal” gets much worse for awhile, and then there’s also pre&post therapy smackdowns :wtf:

 

[BoyfriendqwithPTSD]

Thanks to you all for your responses, means a lot!

@Freida yepp he is starting EMDR in a few weeks. I’m going to make sure that I give him extra space when that happens as it sounds it may a difficult experience. But I’m really hoping it’s going to help him. Right now he is so numb and not himself at all.

@LuckiLee i agree, I’m very pleased he is getting help. He is actually being so brave for taking it head on like this. He’s fully committed to going therapy and getting better.

Most of the responses here are that you feel low about a week or so after a session. He has been to 4 sessions which of I think 3 Of them have been discussing trauma in detail and timeline of this. After therapy he has said himself ‘I had to talk about things I forgot, but now I remember them and now it hurts even more’
He’s made to discuss absolutely everything in detail. I’m not a therapist but I hope that this method helps. He’s been very low recently and it’s upsetting to see him like this.

He often feels like every day life is too boring (going to work, going gym, meeting friends) and he isn’t happy with his job at the moment. I think this may make him feel worse as he spends so much of his time at work, so it may be a cause why he has felt so low in particular. He says that he is craving excitement and something new, something fast, something that will ignite the fire within.

Personally, I believe life will always come to some sort of routine..but I know that for him it doesn’t fulfill him right now, and I’ve also read that other PTSD sufferers find this difficult. The every day life I mean.

So my question to sufferers; how do you sort of get around to being happy/content with everyday life and routine?

Any advice or experience is much appreciated.

Lots of love

 

[EveHarrington]

Is your guy an adrenaline junkie?

I’m coming at this from the other side sort of. I’m on mood stabilizing medication so my life is a lot more boring. I’m sitting here thinking “is this what life is supposed to be?!?” Because yeah, my crazy moods have always made life interesting. Now I have a lot less of that. I feel bored for the first time in a looooooong Time. I’m trying to get used to the monotony of the “normal” life. (Although who am I kidding? I’m still a bit far from normal lol). I’m still chasing “highs” of sorts. And well at least I can recognize that I’m chasing these highs, and fighting that, but it’s not easy in the least!

At first I felt like a part of me had died. OMG where is my fun side?!? This feels like DEATH!!!

But over time I’ve been getting used to it. I honestly think it’s a realization that normal life is indeed boring much of the time. I’m getting used to it. And I’m learning to be ok with finding my pockets of excitement here and there.

 

[BoyfriendqwithPTSD]

@EveHarrington thank you for sharing! I’m glad you are adjusting and getting used to ‘everyday life’

It definately can get mundane.. but I suppose that’s life. Sometimes I get bored of the routine too, wake up/work/come home/eat/sleep, the occasional gym sessions/seeing friends. I’m attempting to be more social now a days to get my focus of my so.

He is a little bit of an adrenaline junkie, but not in the sense that he loves bungee jumping/ skydiving or anything to risky as he has many fears. But more that he wants to be out and about/ experience new things/ out socializing/ be creative. He’s a peoples person and very creative, and stuck in a job that isn’t creative at all. He needs to kind of be stimulated all the time. He likes partying although doesn’t go much, but he likes the loud music, being around people. That’s how he is an adrenaline junkie ^

Right now he’s not happy in his job and personally I think that affects him a lot and possibly makes his symptoms worse? Majority of the day is spent at work so I’d say it sets the tone of how someone’s mood will be.. just my two cents