Sufferer Traumatised Paramedic, Diagnosed With Ptsd 2 Weeks Ago

[Cooper]

Hi Everyone.

I found this site with the intention of speaking to fellow sufferers of PTSD. I work as a Paramedic and over the past few months I have unfortunately been to several traumatic incidents involving dead children. This seems to of activated PTSD but strangely enough it seems to be more about the traumatic childhood I have experienced. I am waiting to have some CBT and have been prescribed Mirtazapine for my heightened state of anxiety and constant worrying. Hopefully I will get the chance to speak to others and perhaps find a sense of hope that I can get over this.

Cooper

 

[Deleted member 20280]

@Cooper firstly welcome to the forum.

You will meet varying different people here all with varying PTSD traumas to share.

Sharing on here with fellow sufferers will aid your CBT I ak sure as it did mine.

I too have huge childhood issues and served in HM Forces as a trauma medic in the late 80s.

None of us can guard against that initial flashback or trauma trigger.

I wish you every success with your therapy.

Kindest regards and :hug:s if you accept them.

Laurence

 

[Lionheart]

@Cooper ...I am a survivor of prolonged childhood traumas and what I find to be true for me, is that it isn't about 'getting over' PTSD so much as it is about having a good quality of life "even though." I think you are in a good place to do that.

C.B.T. and medications have helped me tremendously and although it took awhile to get the right combination of medicine and different types of therapy, I now live a life relatively free of the intense symptoms I used to struggle with.

You have set yourself on a healing path and reached out to people here and that is the kind of direction and determination I think it takes to improve our quality of life. You are not alone and I wish you the very best as you continue forward.

Lionheart777

 

[Cooper]

Thank you for you're replies, Its comforting to know that having a good quality of life is achievable. Thanks for you're words of encouragement Lionheart777. I gratefully accept your kind regards Laurence.

Cooper

 

[Alfred.Greene]

I think Laurie and Lion said it wonderfully.

You may never overcome PTSD. But you can manage it, and you can get the upper hand, and technically you can reduce the symptoms below what is considered "PTSD". But you may find that PTSD is more then in some textbook, or what a counsoler, psychiatrist or whatever may say, and every case is unique. For me it is a mixture of ,training, intellectualism, creativity, and spirituality that keeps me going.

I am always looking for God's next steps for me. I believe firmly that if I died, and God asked me if I lived a second life, would I forsake the life I have lived this far? No. I think PTSD has been a gift believe it or not. It is tough to handle, and it definitely makes it harder then it is for most people.

But we aren't most people, we are PTSD survivors.

 

[Deleted member 20280]

But we aren't most people, we are PTSD survivors.

Very well put @Alfred.Greene I like that word a lot and us it myself all the time on this forum 'Survivor' ... not 'Sufferer'

 

[intothelight]

Hi Cooper,

Welcome to the forum!

Take some time and look around and you will find the success stories here. We are all a work in progress and I hope you find this forum beneficial to your healing.

Debbie

 

[ktbox]

Hi Cooper,

This is my first post here. I only wanted to thank you... for your work. I hope you stay in the strive toward coping/overcoming/surviving -whatever it is we try to accomplish here - I am grateful for and understand a bit the sacrifice of first responders... and wanted to just -say "thank you."

 

[ghotiff]

Welcome :)

 

[Cooper]

Thank you ktbox. Thats very kind of you. I am new here myself so welcome from me. This site is an excellent example that you do not have to go it alone. Its so reassuring to hear other peoples experiences and gain some good advice.

Luckily tomorrow I have an appointment for some EDMR therapy ! I wondered if anybody else had any experience of this ??

Cooper