Setbacks During Recovery

[Phaed]

I feel like all the strength has just been sucked out of me. I am lost and I don't know what to do.

((((AMY and kids)))) You are doing the right thing. Therapy was hard for me too but I am so much better than I was before I did it. I can now do a lot of things I didn't before. It will get better but the therapy brings it all to the surface at first. Hang in there and know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[gsryoga]

I am clearly one that struggles with setbacks. They cripple me. I have all the helpless feelings described in the article. And I hate it. I feel like I have been teased, that there is no real recovery. I find myself paralyzed in bed with trauma and high anxiety for a few weeks.

My latest setback came a couple of weeks ago. It was the first in three months. It came as a result of a new recovery modality I tried: hypnotherapy. My nervous system is so damn fragile. I can't stand precious days and weeks of my life just drifting by with nothing to show for them but suffering.

 

[Tinyflame]

Dear gsryoga,

As an article says here you can't experience a setback without first making progress, but I do hear you and understand. It can get better, just never as quickly as one seems to need.

 

[gsryoga]

Junebug,

Thank you so much for the kind words. As incredible as it sounds, This has been going on for 39 years. So I have to wonder exactly how much more time could it possibly take. I am pushing 60 and not getting any younger.

 

[Tinyflame]

Dear gsryoga, I've had 28 years at this and I'm 42, -that's 2/3rd's of my life too, but some times are definitely worse.

Hang in there, try not to concentrate on that fact, everyone has 'something', let us hope something 'positive' can come forth from it, somehow, some day. You are already helping others here- though you probably don't know it- try to remember.
-Hugs if you'll accept them,
xox

 

[gsryoga]

Junebug:

You have just helped me; thank you so much!

Love,
Glenn

 

[Tinyflame]

Dear Glenn I don't know how but thank you, there will be better times.
xox

 

[Serene]

I found this article encouraging. I may need to read it every day for a long time. It is true...you can't have a setback without having made some progress first.

gsryoga,
I feel just like you described. I feels good to realize that I am not unique with these feelings. I have been trying to heal for 25 years. I am 48. It is so exhausting. I think coming to this site regularly and connecting with others like myself is going to be a major part of my path out of this hole.

Let's all keep going together.

 

[etroy]

Setbacks can be triggered by memories of old fears, new fears and stresses, or even minor changes in your life that threaten your sense of security. There can be a surprisingly quick return of all the old patterns (for example, "all or nothing thinking"). The setback can be small and resolve itself quickly, or it can be a devastating, catastrophic event. People tend to withdraw from setbacks in fear and fall into the trap of trying to fight them. Many revert back to old patterns of avoidance and feelings of hopelessness. It can seem as if you are back where you started with no possibility of any forward movement. In other words, you feel despair, and you feel stuck.

I feel like you are looking directly into my head and describing my experience. Thank God. I really am not alone.