Ptsd Interventions And Management: What Methods Have You Tried? What Works Reasonably Consistently?

[The Albatross]

Sometimes I do well to remember the efforts I have taken to curb PTSD or to restore some semblance of normalcy to my life. Last year or so ago I did an exercise which asked me to list out what methods I had tried. The outcome was largely beneficial because it showcased to me the amount of personal resolve I had and how much willingness I had to pursue recovery and healing in as much as I am able.

So I'm asking. List what interventions, you have tried to recover from PTSD.

 

[ms spock]

Counselling
Individual Therapy (psychologist/s) some good and some really destructive.
Individual Therapy (psychiatrist) (ongoing)
Process Orientated Psychology. (really really dangerous and bad for me)
Group therapy
Incest Survivor workshops
ASCA groups
Medication
Diet
Nutrition
Online Forums Depression/PTSD
Mindfulness course
Meditation groups
Tai chi
Yoga
Belly Dancing
Walking
Boogie Boarding
Rung helplines.
Made art
Journal/diary writing
The Happiness Advantage Challenge
CBT (ongoing)
DBT (ongoing)
No matter how many times I got knocked down I got back up.
Studied
Read Self Help Books
Affirmations
Gone to support groups
Al Anon
CoDA
Volunteering/contributing to the local communities
Creative Visualisations
Relaxation tapes/CDs
Spirituality
Trying to think things through.
So many things from age 15 to now at 44. I don't think I could remember them all.
Massage
Acupuncture
Peer support
Dissociation
Derealisation
Depersonalisation
Avoidance
Numbing
Spacing Out
Rumination
Obsessive Compulsive activities
Comfort Eating
Crystal Healing
Cranial whatever Alba wrote
Osteopathy
Chiropractor
Homeopathy
Allergy management.
Sleep studies
Bowen therapy
Vegetarianism
Body work
Joining numerous self help groups.
Working on friendships.
Joining craft and sporting groups.

Throwing myself out amongst it again and again and again, despite not really knowing how to do things.

 

[The Albatross]

I put this in Chit Chat instead of private discussion intentionally.
I have tried:

• Maladaptive coping (booze/sex/workaholism)
• Talk therapy
• Recovery forums (for both substance abuse and mental health)
• Self help books and workbooks
• Lifestyle change
• Desensitization and goal setting
• Dealing with underlying health issues
• Peer support (online or via phone)
• Accupuncture
• Accupressure / deep tissue massage
• Cranio Sacral Therapy
• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (self study)
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (self study)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (self study)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (self study)
• Relationship and boundary setting
• Prescription drugs, Mood SSRI's (Effexor for one year)
• Xaanax (bad reaction and a definite no go for me)
• My own concocted pet theory of triangulation (improving my base point by doing a minimum of two to three things for body, mind and soul/spirit).
• Meditation
• Grounding and relaxation techniques
• Aromatherapy
• Journaling

Likely there are more and I'll add to the list as I think of them. But sometimes I do well to remember the lengths I am willing to go to recover.

From an article: "Everyone can expand upon their assertiveness skills, no matter how limited they think they are. You just need the desire to change your behavior and value yourself more. Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to change my behavior?
• Do I believe in myself, as well as others?
• Am I willing to set reasonable goals and take reasonable risks?
• Am I open to new ideas?
• Can I accept the facts that things may not change overnight and not everything will always go my way?
• Am I willing to make the effort, practice, and have patience while building my new skills?"

 

[The Albatross]

Thanks for the reply Ms. Spock. Some may well view the topic as things that have been tried but failed. That is not my intent. I think I needed to be reminded about past willingness to get to my consult tomorrow.

 

[ms spock]

You have had a good basis for your recovery Alba. You have worked with dedication and persistence, prayer, patience and perseverance.


I see you have peer support in there as well Alba. I appreciate your feedback and questions as well as you calling me on stuff and challenging me to be just that little bit better at times.

 

[arfie]

My list formally started in 1972. I don't like typing well enough to give you a complete list. I use what is available on any given day.

A daily inventory is serving well enough these days. As I go through my morning wake up rituals I take an inventory of my physical and emotional pulses. This morning I woke slow and easy. Good rest last night. My thought loops have eased, but I my belly started hurting pretty soon after I woke up. I suspect I am repressing my thought loops instead of resolving them. Monitoring underway. My time on my musical instruments brought forth strong rhythms but I was not finishing songs, nor creating new ones. Perhaps a good day to pull an old project from the moth balls.

Just my example of the day. Tomorrow will be another day.

Hope you find your reminder of past willingness, Albatross. That is a just need. It is a foundation you can grow on.

 

[The Albatross]

I am trying to bolster some resolve I think as I endeavor to remind myself that I have consistently tried at least darned near everything at my disposal to improve my life and my PTSD management. You for instance, have listed some things and perhaps others will contribute to things beneficial that I have not yet tried.

 

[The Albatross]

Arfie this is in chit chat for a reason as it is publicaly viewable. I do think though if you can find your way clear perhaps a little at a time (as I intend to do because my initial list is not inclusive) we might do well to remind ourselves of what we have been open to try, and perhaps receive benefit from others. A way perhaps of brainstorming for mutual benefit.

 

[Seasounds]

@Albatross, you have done a lot of work! Refering to all of the different things PTSD people do to help themselves, it seems to take a village. :)

I believe sharing things may help others, and I relate to being helped by remininding myself, what a trooper I have been, too.

I can say most of the items on your list have been reliable for me, when I have used them. Currently, my bread and butter 'reliables' are Craniosacral Therapy, Psychoanalysis, and the following four modalities:

• Voice Therapy: helps me externalize and release internal, 'self-talk','self-messages' and it helps me verbally push back, releasing the messages back to their originators. Clears my mind and builds my confidence.
• Linklatter Voice Technique: releases over-all body tension, including chest, throat, jaw, so that I could breathe deeper, speak easier, and reclaim my body as my instrument.
• Alexander Technique (Alex. Tech. International): helps me with mindbody integration, releasing body tensions, releasing through triggers, helping my body keep up/be congruent with, my emotional work.
• Model Mugging: the only self defense class that I could find, to be able to go full force, until the assailant is disabled. Going full force helped me move from being frozen (in fight or flight response), gave me education and permission to fight back, and hence, allowed me to internalize the right to have psychological and physical boundaries, allowed me to move out of being stuck in fear, and it connected me to my inherent right to life.
• Therapeutic Touch: helps associating, and clearing energies.

 

[CVC]

I felt humbled when I saw such long lists posted. Then, I made my own. I never realized how much I've done and how much I still do. Thank you for this thread, it's really made me feel positive about all the hard work I've put in so far. It's nice to take stock sometimes!

TRIED:
sedatives
SSRIs
CBT
ACT
EMDR
DBT
anger management
therapy for ADHD
body work
pilates
yoga
alexander technique
borrowing a pet
sleep supplements (herbal)
anti-anxiety supplements (herbal)

STILL TRYING:
work on breathing
healthy and regular eating
sleep hygiene
cannabis
quit alcohol
intensive physical exercise
stretching
self-massage
self-soothing practices on standby (hot baths, music, art)
desensitization thru thinking (think about upsetting stuff in small doses)
private journaling about thoughts/feelings
private trauma diary
public trauma diary
mindfulness exercises & practice
meditation
gardening
radical acceptance
radical honesty
cultivate gratitude
cultivate compassion (towards self and others)
cultivate connection (including w/ strangers, like you all on this forum)
cultivate knowledge (read SO MUCH, mostly about therapeutic approaches and Buddhism)
keep at it: try new things, learn every day, do something for myself every day

 

[ms spock]

• Do I want to change my behavior?
• Do I believe in myself, as well as others?
• Am I willing to set reasonable goals and take reasonable risks?
• Am I open to new ideas?
• Can I accept the facts that things may not change overnight and not everything will always go my way?
• Am I willing to make the effort, practice, and have patience while building my new skills?"

@The Albatross these are good questions.

 

[Abstract]

Dissociation
eating disorders & abuse of exercise
alcohol
obsessions/compulsions
workaholism and sleep deprivation
self harm
reading as escape
risk taking behaviour
self hatred
silence
-
* Therapy
(for trauma, depression, breakdowns, eating disorders, dysfunctional relationships including work bullying).
CBT
DBT
mindfulness + awareness
radical acceptance
controlling empathy and understanding others
self help reading - general stuff
*self help - trauma focused, unhelpful coping focused and skill focused, workbooks
education and research of trauma and relevant mental health issues
journalling of varying types
online support
groups aimed at unhealthy coping
medication
relaxation exercises
autogenic training
NLP
Stress Release massage+acupuncture+massage+trauma focused massage
*self care of all types
*assertiveness
*grounding skills
pilates + walking and organised walks
Breathe, posture, dress
desensitisation/exposure
dream recording and analysis
correction of perfectionism
identification, understanding acceptance and expression of emotional states and development of emotion moderation skills.
boundary setting skills in general and specifically with family members
Separation from family and mother
Work on increasing self acceptance and trust of others.
work on tolerating and accepting body and the necessity of a physical self.
Successfully treating social phobia

• Do I want to change my behaviour? Yes
• Do I believe in myself, as well as others? Mostly No and no
• Am I willing to set reasonable goals and take reasonable risks? Yes
• Am I open to new ideas? Yes
• Can I accept the facts that things may not change overnight and not everything will always go my way? Yes
• Am I willing to make the effort, practice, and have patience while building my new skills? Yes

I think the willingness to try something is important actually. In a way that truly gives it the opportunity to work. Good questions Alba. I think the ones marked with a * are an essential for anyone to try to do.