Improper Use

[Warrior Chicken]

When you can’t find the right way to deal with challenging flashbacks, and the only way thru you can find is mixing substances.

How do you make it thru and stop that? What else stops the flashbacks?
Breathing, exercise, grounding, nature, doesn’t touch it.

 

[LuckiLee]

My guy "thanks" his brain. He acknowledges the thought, follows it through to the end and says "Thanks for that, Brain. Now move along". That seems to be the only thing to elevate his thoughts. Doesn't stop them but makes him able to process them much quicker.

Occasionally, when things are reeeeally bad (SI), yes he does do the whole avoidance thing and gets drunk and sleeps a day or two away. We both know it's not the optimal way to deal with it but when he hasn't slept for days, alcohol calms the thoughts enough to get some actual sleep. This happens about every couple of months so I don't worry too much about it. If he was doing it frequently? We'd have a problem.

Sometimes all the tools you have in your toolbox just aren't enough. PTSD will make damn sure you realize that. ? PTSD is a tough s.o.b. and it takes an iincredibly strong person to live with it. Sufferers and supporters alike.

I hope that made some kind of sense. ?

Thanks for this thread. I'll be following along.

(Hmm?? While I'm thinking about this...maybe J is having intrusive thoughts and not flashbacks? Gonna do a quick google/forum search)

 

[Ronin]

Getting busy, in get smashed by something outside & be Now, kind of distractions...

So maybe the same kind of overload & refocusing that my body's looking for if being all about substances and craving, anyway...

But aside of that, beats me.

Or using the flashbacks. In, if whatever I lived then can be useful to someone now, good. Because I'm going to be reliving it anyway, no matter what I do, but if it can be a teaching tool meantime, mentorship, guidance, help out in the hood, what have you, at least ain't completely wasting the day.

 

[Sideways]

I also use the “Thanks brain, but...” (thought diffusion - will be in ACT guidebooks and materials and multiple different ways you can approach it) strategy.

If I’m going through days of it? I try and work out what the stressor(s) in my life are that I can reduce, so that other tools (like your grounding, nature, full on exercise, relaxation, etc) become useful again.

And, of course, try and identify the possible trigger...?

 

[blackemerald1]

and the only way thru you can find is mixing substances.

^If you have reached this stage then really harm minimisation.

Tell someone that you really trust what substances you are mixing and how much... and be as aware as you can that some substances don't mix well at all and never will so don't do them.

Make time and space for the time you will not be in complete control. ie don't be expecting to drive, cook, handle machinery or make important life decisions of any sort while you are 'off'.

Give yourself a time frame and stick to it. Then when you reach the end of the 'session' make yourself come back and get on with living in the real world.

And yeah as @LuckiLee pointed out too often is too much.

 

[The Albatross]

Play em through/ride em out to the place/points where you were beginning to feel safe (flashbacks) and then kick it all the way through to where your base point resumes. Desensitize known triggers... a lot of mine were auditory or olfactory (sp? smell).

If you haven't already done so, identify and then categorize known triggers. Pick activities to desensitize them.

 

[Freida]

Ya....I got nuthin . I do the same thing. Only difference is that t an I have an agreement that I will tell her what/when/how much so we can work it backwards and figure out what caused it. :(