The traumatised brain & paragraphs

[biaaw677]

I've just read a reply elsewhere where @Lionheart777 mentioned needing short paragr...

Here what you say here.

Seems to me it is all about us as the reader being able to pace ourselves with issues that relate to our traumatic experiences.

On the other hand for the writer the only way to say what wants to convey is to say it in a block. Once a traumatised person has written the words for what they want to convey, they might not have enough strngth left to set about or cope with separating their comments into paragraphs.

In essence we all need to remember the full truth of how Complex Trauma effects our actions and behaviours. Be considerate of our fellow sufferers' needs but also recognise the communication limitations fellow sufferers have too.

 

[Teasel]

Absolutely @biaaw677 yes :)

For me my difficulty reading a post is absolutely not more important than another who manages to get stuff of their chest in whichever way suits them. I hope that comes across, if not, well I'm saying it here. X

 

[biaaw677]

Absolutely @biaaw677 yes :)

For me my difficulty reading a post is absolutely not...

I'm not talking about people who are "get[ting] stuff of their chest", when I'm talking about writers I'm including people who have experienced trauma and who are on their journey of recovery, trying to help others by writing constructive advice to others. These writers go through trauma related difficulties expressing their advice just as much as the readers who read that advice.

The people who contribute to these threads are mostly people suffering trauma but who are still on their journey to recovery; they are not therapists nor necessarily recovered victims of trauma.

 

[EveHarrington]

Here what you say here.

Seems to me it is all about us as the reader being able to pace ourselves wit...

Huh?

Not enough energy to divide their post into paragraphs?

I think most people write in paragraphs as they go.

Well, this is the dominant way that people are taught how to write.

If someone can't write in paragraphs then they must accept the fact that they are going to get less help.

 

[biaaw677]

Huh?

Not enough energy to divide their post into blocks?

I think most people write in paragrap...

I think you miss the point of this thread and the meaning of what I say. This thread began defining a difference between 'blocks' and 'paragraphs'.

Blocks are unformated text, that of text which is not sectioned into paragraphs. Writers here might find it difficult to create paragraphs when what they need to write invokes elements of trauma re-experience or related emotions.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Writers here might find it difficult to create paragraphs when what they need to write invokes elements of trauma re-experience or related emotions.

Agreed. I struggled with this when I first got here and still today have to tell myself to break up what I am saying and commonly re-read and break it up more before posting but its something I have to continue to tell myself to do. When I need to just get it out I tend to just write and not break anything up.

 

[EveHarrington]

I think you miss the point of this thread and the meaning of what I say. This thread began defining a...

Ok.

Understood.

But at the same time, the thread that spurned this thread was someone complaining about getting no responses after posting a BLOCK of text. Really, you have a right to post any which way you see fit, but don't expect responses or help when your writing style is that which makes it hard for others to read.

And no, I understand just fine. I had a typo in my response so please go re-read it. I know what this thread is about.

 

[biaaw677]

@EveHarrington

Not aware of "the thread that spurned this thread", I'm focussing on @Bearlinda starting this thread 08 Oct 2017. @Bearlinda is fundamentally identifying the difficulty in reading , taking in, and responding to long posts.

The CPTSD related issues here are about pacing oneself and handling triggers of trauma/emotional memories invoked by the content one reads in posts.

All I'm saying is that sometimes writers of posts are similarly experiencing Complex Trauma related symptoms whenbthey are writing posts. Isn't one symptom having racing thoughts? If you are having these and trying to converse with others in a thread then the likelihood is that your post will represent the racing thoughts 'gabbling' - the result long posts without structured formatting such as paragraphs.

It is actually quite normal these days (for all people, not just those recovering from complex trauma), even at work, that people/employees read only the first few comments of long emails. It is the nature of the electronic media formats. Now that many read threads on mobiles it logically follows that first few points in a post are read and the rest are ignored.

 

[The Albatross]

"On the other hand for the writer the only way to say what wants to convey is to say it in a block. Once a traumatised person has written the words for what they want to convey, they might not have enough strngth left to set about or cope with separating their comments into paragraphs." ... Certainly true however depending on my own ability to concentrate or not it will definitely affect whether or not I'll respond.

 

[biaaw677]

@The Albatross

Agreed, it is a matter of people suffering from Complex Trauma understanding the potential symptoms both writer and reader might have.

If one needs proper expert complex trauma advise then that requires a therapist, not somebody who suffers equally and as such can only offer their experience based support.

Of course, there is advice from many sources offered to those who live with people who have suffered Complex Trauma, but even help to sufferers from this group is limited.

In the end people with Complex Trauma conditions need treatment and support from therapists expert in Complex Trauma. - Few and far between, I know!

The main purpose of something like www.myptsd.com is simply to offer sufferers peer support from fellow sufferers. This invariably means that sometimes what we read here might invoke trauma emotional re-experience, and when we respond we sometimes do so at a point when we too are suffering.

Deciding as to whether reading and responding to threads is helpful or not is a personal decision. Certainly though the fact that this site demonstrates we are not alone in our suffering is in itself sometimes comforting.

Any feelings of say 'being abandoned' when our posts are not answered (referring to what @EvaHarrington calls "the thread that spurned this thread was someone complaining about getting no responses after posting a BLOCK of text" is most likely triggered trauma related CPTSD emotional re-living. It does not mean that fellow members are ignoring or abandoning you at all. Perhaps it a bit like the "Footprints in the Sand" scenario, accept that this is not 'the Lord' carrying you but fellow sufferers feeling similar pain and feeling sympathy with your pain giving a silent group hug?

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

Perhaps it a bit like the "Footprints in the Sand" scenario, accept that this is not 'the Lord' carrying you but fellow sufferers feeling similar pain and feeling sympathy with your pain giving a silent group hug?

I LOVE this statement!!!!! It COMPLETELY describes the purpose of the "like" option! I haven't ever been able to find words that expressed exactly what we mean when we check the "like" response. Thanks!

 

[joeylittle]

If you are having these and trying to converse with others in a thread then the likelihood is that your post will represent the racing thoughts 'gabbling' - the result long posts without structured formatting such as paragraphs.

And if you know this about yourself, you learn how to go back and insert breaks. It doesn't take any amount of re-writing. Just...breaks.

is most likely triggered trauma related CPTSD emotional re-living.

I don't think anyone can confidently say that it's most likely triggering, any more than it's most likely just hard to read without breaks. Not sure why you are feeling a compulsion to explain trauma-brain to PTSD sufferers, may of whom have expressed their own opinions already, and they seem to be in both camps.

Paragraphs help. Staff add them when they have time. Thinking about what question you are asking, and putting that in the title - also helps. Understanding the difference between a diary post (fundamentally, articulating your experience) and a forum post (fundamentally, looking for a dialogue on something - whether it's "am I the only one who...", or "what do you think about...", or "for people who have experienced [x] trauma...", etc) - helps.