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[CraftyCath]

H everyone,

I have been meaning to join the forum for ages but haven't had the chance until now. I am 47 and I have had Complex PTSD for around 27 years but it was only diagnosed about 5 years ago. I live in the North of England and there is little or no help here unless you can pay for it. I have learned a great deal about living with PTSD but I know I still have a lot to learn. At the moment I am trying to learn about how to stop dissociative episodes so if anyone has any advice just fire away. I hate dissociating and and want it to stop so badly. Anyone got any advise?

 

[Gamereign555]

Hi, welcome to the forum. That sucks about your dissociating issues. I have had a few episodes, I guess it really depends on what I am doing, the more comfortable I am the less I have those types of problems. Perhaps your own mind has been hypnotizing itself so that you don't feel the anxieties.. There is a huge section on flashbacks and dissociations with many topics. I think people also post about other episodes people relate to dissociation that can be quite scary, there is depersonalization and derealization which some people consider different levels of dissociation, but I think most believe they are different animals entirely.

Some people zone out and don't really grasp what is being said to them, some have sensations that they are not in their own body literally, or that things around them are unfamiliar or not real even though you know they are..., there are bizarre nightmare experiences that go beyond just nightmares. It's hard to put a word to some of these symptoms, and sometimes we experience more than one of these events at the same time, leading us to believe that they are all related somehow.

There is some statements from others on how they try to stop the dissociation in its tracks, or 'grounding yourself'. I for one spent my younger life dissociating around other people, but as I got used to interacting with other people it went away. Since developing ptsd I don't dissociate even as much as I used to as a teen, but when my anxiety is really up there I do experience it more often. I think if we deal with our ptsd, our stress and anxieties, we can at least give ourselves the opportunity to be more active and social, if we can be comfortable with that I think that's the answer....

But what does that mean? Well we all have different reasons for our anxiety and have different stresses in our lives, different experiences so the answer might not be the same as somebody else. It might mean facing a fear, or it might be lessening your stresses in life or avoiding unhealthy activities. The dissociation is likely linked to your response to stress, if it is from traumatic brain injury then that might be a different ball game.

 

[Froggie]

Welcome to the forum CraftyCath. There are many people who have C-PTSD, so many will be able to relate to you. I imagine you have read some articles and posts. Take your time, as it is important to be kind to oneself and when you are ready, you can post.

 

[Ron]

Welcome to the forum !

 

[Kim]

Welcome to the forum. I also suffer from PTSD/Complex Trauma.

 

[CraftyCath]

Thank to all for the welcome and the comments. I've looked through some of the articles but there is soooooo much to read I will have to take my time and study as much as I can. gamerrign555 - thanks for your comments. I only found out about the dissociation DP/DR a few years ago. I think I've been doing it all my life as a means of escaping childhood trauma but never knew it. It has become a bad habit as much as anything and I think if I can grasp the 'why' I will learn how to deal with it. I am learning some techniques to bring me back to reality and they have been helpful so far. I always know where I am when I dissociate but things get very confusing at the time. I often don't know which trauma is setting it off but it always happens when I am very anxious to the point of panic, feeling threatened or ill. I think it has taken root because my PTSD was misdiagnosed and it is only now that I am learning about it.

I'll never give up even though I often get bad days - I'm too stubborn to let this win! Onward and upwards!

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

You Go Girl! You have the right attitude to be able to heal! It does takes awhile after admitting to ourselves that we need help.

Welcome, and hope to see you around the board. I am new also, and still learning my way around.

Have a blessed journey!