Reading Forum Increases Symptoms!

[Knak]

Hey guys, the DSM isn't written in stone.

You are right. Not so long ago the DSM itself instructed that it wasn't to be used for legal or insurance decisions!

It took EMDR therapy I had about 7 years ago to get through to my brain after trying to figure out what was wrong with me since I was 4 (and am 67 now). It also helped me to be being able to trust a person to love me unconditionally as a surrogate mom.

I had never trusted anyone but had decades of counseling, therapy, medication, hospitalizations that meant nothing. The pain couldn't be dealt with without the emotional protection in EMDR therapy and a good therapist. Then it took years to process and understand the lies about self-blame that warped my thinking in my head.

 

[Lauren Taylor]

At least this explains what's been happening to me that I don't understand. Thanks for writing this because I know a lot of people can use this

 

[BoN-bOn]

@anthony , I guess I never thought about how this site might be "fueling the fire..." I feel like I've gotten so much support here, but maybe I'm spending TOO much time here. Researching & reading & trying to seek all of the answers CAN become a bit obsessive I suppose, & maybe if it becomes too extreme, it actually hinders the healing process. I am very thankful that I stumbled upon this site, but reading this makes me think maybe I need to step away for a little while. I've read so many stories of others' pain & I think sometimes it makes me feel better about my own for a little while...but what is that?! Avoidance of my own pain? I haven't shared a lot of personal details on here...because I don't even think I've reached that point yet. I'm thankful that I have this MyPtsd corner of the world that I feel fairly safe in, but maybe I should let my mind focus more on my own healing rather than others' pain. I think that will be my new goal...limiting my time spent here.

 

[419can.dance]

I want to extend the overall benefit of what reading and posting on any community related to your trauma wil...

Thank you!

 

[Spock]

I want to extend the overall benefit of what reading and posting on any community related to your trauma wil...

Great stuff as always Anthony...thanks for all you do <ColA>

 

[Suse]

Yes, its normal to see such behaviours from people as they shift in and out of trauma's. Here is the thing though... if the forum makes you worse, then it means you are at a point when you need to be using the tools learnt, the knowledge, the skills you have applied to your previous trauma, and applying it all to each. The methods you use for one trauma shift to each other trauma. The only thing that changes, is the details of the trauma and emotions felt. The techniques to invoke change remain the same.

Moral of the story: at some point you have to draw that line in the sand for yourself, where you stop seeking the answers, but instead start putting into action what you know, and start walking the path by yourself, without the constant requirement of support. Support is a part of life, we all use it, we all need it, but it is a negative if you become dependent upon it vs. working things out yourself.

Its like a person living at home with their parents... they become so comfortable and dependent upon the easy life, maybe mum still washes their clothes, picks up after them, at 20... then still at 25, 30, 35, 40 years of age... it become a dependency because the person has been negatively supported, ie. reliant, even abusive to expect the parents to feed them, put a roof over their head, etc... when in fact the parents should have kicked them out of the house and made them go and start learning about life, to remove the dependence and negative behaviours.

Me as an example: I don't use the forum as support nowadays, compared to when I first created it. I don't come on here and read through others long writings of their trauma... because whilst it used to help me understand, it now only makes me ill constantly reading another's trauma. Its like re-traumatizing yourself over and over, when in fact your brain has reached an acceptable level of remission, or recovery, and needs to shift away from dependent behaviour.

I’m new here have ptsd from a stranger rape 13 years ago. I have done a lot of work and I no longer feel the need to go to therapy I just realized though that there is a big empty space and I haven’t filled my life with good people just isolated myself. Im missing people but don’t know how to start getting close to people again is this normal since the rape happened so long ago? Thanks

 

[bellbird]

I’m new here have ptsd from a stranger rape 13 years ago. I have done a lot of work and I no longer feel the need to go to therapy I just realized though that there is a big empty space and I haven’t filled my life with good people just isolated myself.

Hey @Suse , welcome :)

These forums are a great stepping stone for leaving isolation, and there are a lot of wonderful and supportive people here who understand what you have been/and are going through.

Im missing people but don’t know how to start getting close to people again is this normal since the rape happened so long ago? Thanks

I'd say your best bet for having people respond to your question would be to start your own thread in one of the forums.
If you're not sure where to post your thread, you can ask the staff through this link -> Contact Us and they'll be happy to help with that or any other queries you have about the site :)