PTSD – No, I Can’t “Get Over It”

By Abby Gardiner, M.A.
April 11, 2014
11
Apr

PTSD

 

I understand PTSD. I have been diagnosed with it twice.

It manifests something like this: some people experience chronic anxiety for no apparent reason. Others may have frequent nightmares. Others may have crushing fatigue, low energy, irritability they don’t understand. Avoidance behaviours. Shame. Guilt. Social Anxiety.

And none of it in a identifiable context.

These people may have undiagnosed PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

This is an affliction most commonly associated with military personnel. Those immersed in the horrors of war often suffer later with panic attacks, flashbacks, agitation – reeling, as they are, from horrific events they can’t forget. 

PTSD Affects Other People, Too

Other individuals have psychological wars waged on their minds for other reasons.

The trauma usually revolves around events that are frightening, deeply disturbing, impossible to process. The traumatic event is often unexpected, perhaps one the victim was unable to stop.

Examples include childhood sexual abuse, rape, violence and many more.

 

 The Brain Does Not Let You Forget Trauma

Time doesn’t magically heal this condition. It doesn’t work that way.

‘Scars’ are the coping protective behaviours, habits and symptoms that form early. They can include unrelenting and extreme nervousness, worry, difficulty focusing, lethargy, concentration problems, chronic problems with sleep, reclusiveness, isolation, serious depression.

For those who get help and support for trauma in reasonable time, the prognosis is good.

The prognosis is not as favourable for those who do not get proper help in a reasonable amount of time. PTSD-related habits, survival and coping mechanisms become engrained. They can set like cement.

“Brain areas implicated in the stress response include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex,” says J. Douglas Bremner, MD. And, “traumatic stress can be associated with lasting changes in these brain areas.”

As such, you don’t just “get over” PTSD.  You carry the trauma, symptoms and habits beside you for the rest of your life. The symptoms and habits, in some ways, become your protective shield.

But.

It is always possible, with help, to become more accepting of your condition, develop compassion for yourself, and cultivate a supportive environment where you feel validated and accepted.

 

 You Need Love And Support

When I was diagnosed with PTSD, later in life, I was shocked.

I was also furious.

Shocked, because I never knew that the exhausting and debilitating symptoms which I developed in childhood, and had exhibited for a lifetime, were trauma-based.

Furious, because these symptoms have been crippling and devastating. They have affected virtually every aspect of my life. These symptoms might have been mitigated had I received support or validation for them decades sooner.

And yet, there is good that can come out of a diagnosis of PTSD. You finally know, perhaps for the first time, that being stuck is no longer okay. You finally understand the ‘why.’ You finally understand “who.” There is hard recovery work ahead. But an increase in wellness is absolutely possible.

 

If You Suspect That You Have PTSD…

Take this test to gauge your symptoms.

Then:

  • Talk to your doctor about PTSD.
  • Find a therapist.
  • Research PTSD (see extra reading, below.)
  • Embrace self-compassion practices, here.
  • Learn to meditate.
  • Raise your awareness of co-morbid conditions, such as codependency. You may have adopted some of these conditions too.
  • Investigate EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and other practices which can assist with psychological stress.
  • Ignore those who dismiss your struggle as a failing. Judgement towards those with PTSD is not only inappropriate, it is surprisingly cruel and harmful.

If you already suffer with PTSD, the struggles you deal with every day are a testament. They are a testament to your incredible strength, courage and resilience.

For, as Michel Templet says,  “If you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because you have survived.”

 

Recommended Extra Reading

PTSD And The Science Behind Why You Can’t Just “Get Over it.”

Traumatic Stress: Effects on the Brain” 

Michele Rosenthal, Heal My PTSD.

 

 

 

 

This entry was posted on Friday, April 11th, 2014 at 1:47 pm and is filed under Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

comments

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  1. April 12th, 2014 | Wendy Kay says:

    Great article, Abby! This is something that took me a long time to figure out. As I recognized and healed from an acute episode of PTSD a couple years back using EFT, I went on to examine other responses in my life where, in this awareness, I began to realize that past traumas had colored the lenses I’ve seen through most of my life, manifesting other situations creating the self-fulfilling prophecies that our belief system has the power to create. WOW! is the only work I have for this discovery. WOW!

    And Awww. Awww to myself for what I have created, and awww to the people that had been kept at arms length my whole life for an incident they had not even participated in. The bright side is that with awareness and acceptance comes more healing – for that I am grateful!

    Life is an interesting and always exciting journey as we continue to access clarity into our own selves with courage and wonder to find even more joy.

    Much love ~
    Wendy

  2. May 2nd, 2014 | abby says:

    You are such an inspiration Wendy. You show that people can get through this. And they can, it takes a huge amount of work, strength, bravery. And access to help. One’s life views truly have to change. It’s all about acceptance really, for what IS. And joy and liberation is the gift at the end. Thank you.

  3. April 22nd, 2014 | WM says:

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  4. April 23rd, 2014 | Aileen H. says:

    Really interesting, You’re a very professional blogger.

  5. April 24th, 2014 | Jean W. says:

    Great article abby….so helpful to get started on the path to healing. I had completely buried my trauma for 40 years but my body reminded me of it everdagon for 35 years with one never-ending headache. I was is very blessed to have an amazing spiritual experience awaken me one day………the message from my body finally broke thru into my consciousnessness and subsequently into my voice. The dam burst and the floods poured.
    What concerns me most is that the healing for this requires extensive and expensive psychological therapy over several years. Few people can afford this path and so soldier on without adequate …….or any……help. Our prisons are filled with such people suffering doubly with psychological issues in the prison system……..the very worst place for them to be. Our society is run amok with the perpetuation of the abuse without resolve. Violence, anger, assault are passed down from generation to generation with no end in sight with people often totally unaware of the source. It is the children who suffer most from the violence inflicted upon their parents. There needs to be a movement toward free counselling for these people. There are some resources but certainly not enough and it usually comes far too late after several encounters with the law. My heart bleeds for all the children affected by their parents’ abuse …..in it intergenerational and from time in memoriam. I could go on and on. Hugs Abby. . Jean

  6. May 2nd, 2014 | abby says:

    You have captured the problem eloquently, Jean. PTSD survives and thrives when there is no support for the person, and when programs for those suffering do not exist, or cannot be accessed, which is so wrong. And yes these conditions and afflictions pound on, from generation to generation, unless the legacy is slammed shut somehow, someway. This problem also links to the scapegoating syndrome as well, which I have posted about. When one person in a family is victimized, due to being the victim of family abuse or another form of violence, other family members typically sweep that person under the rug of their life, rather than support or protect them. This is a very nasty human nature trait, which allows a dysfunctional group to survive, put out fake, pretentious appearances, hide the lies and sacrifice the one who is innocent. My heart bleeds for all these people too. The only thing we can do for ourselves is love ourselves first, try to recognize what we’re suffering from, do our best to show ourselves daily self-compassion, possibly for the first time in our lives. Thanks for the great comment.

  7. April 29th, 2014 | M. Thorsten says:

    Very useful. Thank you so much.

  8. May 3rd, 2014 | B. T. says:

    Really good information here. Thanks.

  9. May 5th, 2014 | L. Shunda says:

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  10. May 8th, 2014 | F. Fretz says:

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  11. May 12th, 2014 | T. Cavalle says:

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  12. May 14th, 2014 | S.W. says:

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  13. May 23rd, 2014 | Gita T. says:

    Wonderful blog!

  14. January 2nd, 2015 | L. Correia says:

    Very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

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