Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Support Group

PTSD does feel like the most horrible unjust affliction. We are now changed forever and none of it was our own doing. There is hope though. I never thought that I was going to be better. I even tried to hurt myself so bad that I would go to the hospital and be taken care of because I felt so alone. I lost most of my friends by refusing to see them and my family just kept say.."you're a smart girl, get over it, your safe now, why live in the past." I understand how terrible you feel at this moment. I will tell you though that it does get better and those moments are exciting. This year I have realized that I have made strides. I took a small lifetime but it is happening to me. I feel sure in my heart that it will happen for you too. My heart goes out to you. I pray that you see the light at the end and that living will be sweeter once this begins to lessen little bit by little bit. God bless you on your journey. Hear to talk when ever you need it!

PTSD is not something you can say "Get Over It" to. It's part of your past, and it has affected you on many levels.

Are you in therapy? If not, I'd suggest finding a good therapist trained to treat PTSD'ers.

Also, you may consider a Pdoc to help manage your symptoms with meds. There are meds that can help you sleep at night, and get you back on a 'normal' type sleep schedule.

There is Hope in Healing!

Some good resources to check out are:

www.sidran.org - You can ask for referrals to Trauma Therapist's there too!

EMDR.com - This is a technique used in PTSD Therapy, but you can also search for a EMDR trained therapist there. This is helpful b/c EMDR therapist's most likely are trained to treat PTSD.

It's time to start your Journey to Heal...There is Hope!

Oh my dear - it is AWFUL! It is so yucky. It is everywhere. And it sucks. I don't remember a time either when this wasn't a part of almost every day. I remember years of my mother saying- you're only as happy as you make up your mind to be - and feeling so bad because I was so miserable. And being told to think of the rape like a purse snatching and just get over it. It is secondary abuse actually. I work at night because I have a really bad time sleeping at night. I'm not safe then so I'm always awake. Healing hurts and it's such a long journey. Keep walking towards the sun - you will make it. Hugs and moments of peace. If you ever want to chat - I'm here.

I am with you...
I just got diagnosed a few months ago... I am under medication and I was going to a psychologist but he would not help so I stopped.
I know how you feel... It's like mind numbing, I don't feel like living, my smile faded, I isolate myself. I don't go out. I am on holidays and for me it just means prolonging the state in which I was, but lonelier...
My boyfriend never understood; I told him but he was too overwhelmed by everything. He said he wanted to help and be there for me, but then today he was sending me an email to tell me that this was just too overwhelming and he could not deal with someone who has as many problems as I do. I called him before he sent it, so he just broke up with me over the phone. Saying I needed a friend, not a boyfriend, when he never cared about my suffering.
No one understands... I, myself, didn't. I was in denial. I thought this was just something stupid, but now I am coming to realize how serious it is. And how one day I feel like it will improve, everything will be fine, but then the other, I feel like dying.
I have hurted myself... I feel so lonely that I complain and I yell and I do everything to call out for attention because I would like to feel that someone cares about me, about my wellbeing.
My family just tells me I need to be strong and I need to stop crying and move on: there are people going through real tragedies in their lives.
What am I supposed to do?
If you want to chat... I am here.

Ginny's reply is right on the money. None of us here deserved what happened to us..and for some reason, something changed inside from that moment on. People on the outside judge what they do not know or understand. Those judgements are secondary trauma's that only worsen our feelings. That is the case with me.
I had felt like giving up a many times over the past two years but haven't yet. I used to feel a light, way deep down inside of me..in the pit of my stomach...now, there is no light. I am trying to find that again. I can't do it by myself and that is why I've gotten with a therapist who had studied under a woman who came up with a program specifically for PTSD. You need to find such a qualified therapist. We all need to be given encouragment, validation, and hope. One day I found myself telling her that she just "had to" have a crying machine in her room....because I had never cried so easily before. This is and was a good thing for me. To feel safe and able to just let the tears flow and to know that she understood.

It is hard work..and sometimes feels like I'll never get back "me"....but overall, there has been progress. I just need to keep doing the work and not give up. That is the easy part...to give up...and sometimes I just want easy. Nothing will change though unless we work at it for ourselves....so keep plugging forward for you. One day you will feel the sunshine on your face again and be able to be free of the intense pain inside. We won't forget, but we don't have to be held prisoner's of what was done to us. You are understood and if I could reach out and hug you, I would. Just know you are not alone.

Hi sister,

You're not alone. Look at all these wonderful people who care enough to post replies. And all of them are loved here, too. This is a great place for healing. Come on in and stay a while. Daisy has great resources that will help you learn more about it, and posting here can help, too.

We're all trying to "get over it." Trying together makes it easier. Hang in there, and look for a little sunshine in each day.

Hugs,
Wistala

its a wreck ups and downs flash backs mood swings fear we just have to stay strong and look forward when we can good luck trac mac boyfreind ptsd suffer

Yeah, I used to feel that way too.

I had all those problems and symptoms before the PTSD cocktail. Staying inside, being isolated/agoraphobic, feeling safe to sleep only when I knew it was daylight and everyone had left to work. Definitely annoyed I couldn't control it and that, even though I was *totally* aware of what was happening to me, I couldn't control it at all. Sometimes I even wondered why I couldn't "get over it" and *always* sick and tired of people telling me to get over it. {rolling eyes}

Sleeping all the time, huh? When was the last time your doctor checked your cortisol levels? It's a fasting blood test between 8 and 9 am. Your levels may decrease over time and make it physically impossible to deal with stress. It's also life threatening and having it would probably get people off your back. Some symptoms are fatigue, weakness, body aches (particularly back pain), sometimes skin darkening (though not always), swelling/water retention, dizziness, low blood pressure and digestive problems such as vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, etc.