Hurts Before It Gets Better?

[SimplyComplex]

I have been in therapy for almost a year. Before therapy I drank too much, was way too busy, worked out a ton...kind of just did too much. Stopping those things were an early part of my therapy and working on healthy coping. Then we started opening up the memories. I have a ton of flashbacks it seems like. I feel awful for days at a time sometimes. It can be rough.

I asked my therapist if this was normal and that is when she told me she has me diagnosed with PTSD and it is normal for my condition. But what I am wondering, is this what therapy for PTSD is suppose to be like? Cause it kind of sucks. And pre-therapy...I mean I wasn't normal. I had nightmares nearly every night, was afraid of the dark, had regular panic attacks and was irritable...well and more but you get the point. I kind of never felt anything though. But I never spent an afternoon laying in bed crying. It feels so strange.

So...normal?

 

[SimplyComplex]

I should add that I have much better control of my symptoms though, so I think it is working. I am just wondering if it always is like this?

 

[Heather]

Yes, what you are experiencing is pretty much typical for what someone goes through when dealing with PTSD. I know for myself it's pretty much a rollercoaster of emotions.

I'll go for a few weeks feeling better, managing symptoms and then something may happen to trigger something and I find myself struggling all over again. Very frustrating.

I've had those days where I've been in bed until 1 or 2 p.m. feeling so depressed and by the 2nd time my therapist calls me and I'm still there..... He finally DEMANDS that I get up.

Take it easy and take as best care of yourself as you know how. You're right this does suck but the only way to get better is to do the work necessary to heal yourself.

Hang in there. Hugs. Heather

 

[SimplyComplex]

Thanks for the words and encouragement. I can pretty much push back my feelings if I don't write. Darn journaling. Do you have to journal? The only things my therapist has me do is journaling and some sort of weird not thinking thing (its awesomely helpful). But if I dont write, I can totally bottle up feelings...but my other symptoms seem to come back. So complicated!

Your therapist calls and tells you to get out of bed? I rarely ever have contact between sessions and it is only emailing her my journal and her saying she got it. And it has only been a couple times over the year. How often do you see yours?

 

[Heather]

Do you have to journal?

Your therapist calls and tells you to get out of bed?

:)Not usually. I was having a particulary rough time and the 2nd time he called to check on me at 2p.m. I was still in bed and then he said, "get up". It only happened once.

I used to journal A LOT. I'm tired of doing it....so I stopped. What I do now in therapy is I write down what I want to talk about and bring the list in each week and give it to him at the beginning. I do cuz otherwise I will skip stuff that is too hard to talk about.

 

[anthony]

Agreed... mixing writing with therapy is a good mix, because most will write things down before they speak about them. Making lists to give the therapist is excellent... because it forces you to be challenged, without them having to go digging, and causing harm to the therapeutic relationship. The more you participate, the more you get from therapy.