If you suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder, I can help you -MOST SHRINKS ARE TOO IGNORANT TO ASSIST !

had it....sexual abuse... one trip on hbw seeds (LSA) and i felt like a new man.

I think that posttraumatic stress disorder is the consequence of an extreme trauma that emphasizes human mortality.

Some people think it's related to sexual abuse, but i am not certain about that unless somebody's life was actually threatened in the process.

Could you please give a list of some of the symptoms, as I think its possible my daughter may have this after a series of events that happened to her.

Pin for the vets !

Posttraumatic stress disorder is very difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are all very different and very difficult to understand unless you really know the person who has been affected.

Think of it this way, it is like the death of an old self.

The main trigger is a near death experience that suddenly alters your life in a profound way.

To understand the symptoms, you have to know who the old self was and who the person has become, as a result of the traumatic experience.

The symptoms are all unique and individual responses.

For example, when you grieve a loved one, you never really get over it and you never really know when or what is going to trigger the memory of that person you are missing.

That is what posttraumatic stress disorder is like, you never know what or who will revive the traumatic memory that is making it difficult for you to be the person you were before you were traumatized.

hypervigilance
anxiety caused by "triggers"
Sleep problems/nighmares
panic attacks

To name a few S and S

Symptoms include crying for a reason that would not have made you cry in your past life.

Withdrawl.

Avoid people.

Unable to focus on issues that would have been taken care of in your past life... etc...

For example, a combat veteran who used to care abut providing for his family returns home and feels helpless because, if he couldn't even save a 5 year old whose head got blown off in front of his eyes, how can he be expected to protect his own family?

One has to learn that this fear that is subconsciously transferred has an irrational dimension to be able to control or understand why you respond the way you do.

If your life was seriously threatened in the incident that caused posttraumatic stress disorder, you will invariably have extreme reactions that would be foreign to the existence of your past life.

You will invariably be preoccupied by whatever it is that you believe is responsible for saving your life or you may experience "temporary insanity/hyperactive response" as you you subconsciously trasfer fear/hysteria.

For eamle, if you are a combat veteran who has witnesses atrocities, the simplest expression, thought or memory/flashback may trigger an "irrational" response.

It is irrational in the sense that it is contrary to your typical nature and directly related to your tramatic experience.

The victim of posttraumatic stress disorder can never recover from this disorder but can learn to cope with it through awareness and understanding.

In time, once the person clearly understands that he or she suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder, he or she will be able to recognize the incidents, words, memories etc.,, that provoke hystericl/extreme responses.

The key to conclusively diagnosing somebody who suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder is to discover the expectation that has been shattered.


Posttraumatic stress disorder is instantly born at the moment an expectation is shattered.

For example, in the case of the combat veteran who faces an armed child and blows him away in self defence, the expectation that has been instantly shattered is clear and obvious.

If, upon his return from combat, he inexplicably murders his wife, his insane response might be due to an irrational fear of not being able to protect his own wife.

Another alternative explanation to explain his extreme response might be a sense of overwhelming helpnessness. For instance, you have this big, tough soldier returning with all expectations shattered, he sees his wife and he may feel a total inability to control anything about a relationship he had considered indestructable, and all hell breaks lose in his mind.

Its generally dealt with long term by a specialized psycho therapist.
Psychiatrists and psychologists might not be experienced in it enough so they will send you to someone who is.

I live in Canada, and I do not know anybody in the profession who actually understands posttraumatic stress disorder.

Most dismiss it or have a rather useless, textbook knowledge that is very confused -they will say things like,

"There is a great deal of controversy surrounding posttraumatic stress disorder..."



By the time they figure it out, somebody will invariably kill himself or herself and the world will scratch its collective head in unison.

So whoever suffers ought to try to bridge the gap between the old life and the new life, as far as possible.

Do not dismiss your new feelings. Try to understand the reason behind them and try not to let a shattered expectation overwhelm you.


Life is a learning experience, just try to use your intelligence to clearly understand the fact that the expectation that was shattered proved to be unrealistic, and you need to move on by realizing that the only thing that has really changed is your experience.


The challenge now is to not allow your experience to distort, confuse, discourage or leave you feeling helpless.

NEVER SURRENDER !

I think your understanding is somewhat limited, as is the case with most including the shrinks.

That's why we all need Jesus, he is a comforter and a healer.

Cast Your Burdens – Learning to Cast
by Brenda Blakely

Cast: “to chuck, throw out, or to throw overboard.”

"Cast" is a familiar term around the water.

Fishermen cast their bait in hopes of catching the big one. The catch, no matter the size, must be cleaned and prepared before the fishermen can fully reap the reward. After the work is done, the catch comes to the dinner table prepared for all to “Come and get it, eat and enjoy.”

Passengers who find themselves in an emergency situation while aboard a boat or ship may get a different concept of the word "cast." In order to survive, those on board may have to "cast" overboard the things that threaten the safety of the ship or hinder it from reaching its destination.

People "cast" their lot for the catch -- the big one in life. The catch may be a new job, new house, or new spouse -- things they want so badly. We think these items will make our lives complete, but soon learn otherwise. Beginning to live with the "catch," moving in, settling down, and /or beginning the new job may expose some flaws. There may be things to fix or work to be done before this catch really reaches its potential.

The "catch" can become a blessing or a burden.

When the circumstances of life become a burden, we want to cast it overboard, just as the person does who is onboard a conveyance in distress. But casting is not as easy as it looks either for the survivor or the person who has burdens in their life.

Cast Your Burdens – What do we do with our burdens?
So what can we do?

We can:

Carry the burdens to family or friend
Spend time unloading on a counselor’s couch.
Cast the burdens any place that there is someone who will listen, maybe even to the stranger on the street
Few people want to listen to our woes and troubles. Even fewer have any idea what to do about our difficulties. People may even want us to help them carry some of their load. No one seems to have the time to listen.

There is one place we can "cast" our burdens. A place that far exceeds the list above. There is someone who can be the best friend you'll ever have and you can be a part of His family. He is a counselor, who has no equal and He is available and wants to listen -- any time of the day or night. He takes whatever burdens you want to cast upon Him and takes care of them for you.

His name is Jesus. He waits right now for you to call on Him; to cast all of your burdens upon Him. Will you respond? Will you let Him take care of the heaviest burden you have, your sin?

Jesus gave His life so that you do not have to carry your burden. He knows this burden hinders you from having eternal life. He knows your sin burden hinders you from living the abundant life that God created you to live. He knows your sin hinders you from experiencing joy and peace that has no bounds and hinders you from receiving all that God has promised and created you to receive.

You just have to ask.

He promises not to cast you away -- no matter what you have done (see John 6:37). There is nothing you have done, no burden you have, that He can't take care of for you.

He cares for you, He loves you. You can call to Him now, right where you are.

Jesus, I am a sinner. I need You to take care of my burdens. Because "all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), I know, I too, am a sinner. Will You come into my heart, wash all my sins away, and make me whole? Will You clean me up and prepare me to live the life God created me to live (see John 3:5, 15-16)? Will You show me the way and the truth? Will You take care of my burdens?

In the Bible, God tells us how: "Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

That's why we're here, to discuss each other's limits.

But I get the impression that you are merely full of shit, as are most people who merely criticize without making a positive contribution.

I do not accept criticism that is not constructive.

Okay. Understanding who you were before has nothing to do with who you are after said incident. One has to understand you can never be the same person. You are changed for life, one has to accept who they are today.

Actually, Jesus could be a big problem (if you suffer from PTSD) because if you believe in him and your view of his world is suddenly shattered, you need to rely more on yourself and less on Jesus in an "Inherit the World" sort of way.

You have to watch the movie "inherit the Wind" with Kirk Douglas to understand where I am coming from...

pot, lots and lots of pot . ..

what if someone could remember EVERYTHING that's ever happened, your head would explode. I remembered everything that had been said, done, seen, till I was about nine. Then one day I realized that I didn't know, I'd forgotten ?

I really had to think about that, nothing happened, I just got to a spot where my head was 'full,' and I had to become discerning about what was important to keep in my head and what wasn't so useful anymore.

Pot 'Allows' you to more 'easily' decide what you WANT to remember, and YOU want to forget.
It allows that mercy to those who cannot forget, who can't sleep through the nite, and who deserve some peace in the rest of this life.

It's a fact .

Thank you very much, I agree with you.

The only reason I said "understand who you were" is so that you can understand why you are having such a difficult time coping with your new world.

Posttraumatic stress disorder is insanity if you do not understand why you are reacting the way you are and it is therefore vital to try to understand the change between what you were and what you have become.

Now we are talking --I hope !

You can and will throw religion out the window, it will not help at all.

That's not true.

The point of the movie is, don't take the bible literally. It can be very useful in a figurative sense.

It is not insanity. One will react or not react based on the individual and what they went through.

I am not talking about cold dead religion, I am talking about surrendering to God, talking to him, asking him for help (privately in prayer, every day, on on moment to moment basis).

If your unsure of this fact or you doubt it, then you don't have the understanding of PTSD that you think you do.

Sexual abuse especially in children creates a total break from ones core person. This breaking away is essential for the survival of the childes mind. No child can endure this kind of fundamental betrayal of themselves, their security. If it is repeated it is being traumatized repeatedly.

Yes, thank you, you are absolutely right.


Not being a victim of sexual abuse, I have no direct experience, but I understand what you are saying the way a student understands a textbook


Thank you for your contribution here.

Posttraumatic stress disorder is TOTAL INSANITY if you do not understand why you are reacting the way you are.

When somebody told me that I suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, I didn't know what they were talking about so I did a google search -go figure !

I came across a site which indicated that posttraumatic stress disorder was insanity and I instantly began to cry.

WHY? I have no idea really, but in my view, posttraumatic stress disorder is not insanity unless you let it control your life.

I have been suffering with PTSD since childhood. It's hard to be around people sometimes because of the physical symptons, such as nervousness, and strange reactions. How do I build my self-esteem up again? Sometimes I don't even talk because I feel I have no personality. I have had mental and emotional breakdowns.

An isane person does not know right from wrong. A person with ptsd understands right from wrong in most cases. A few, just as in the general population, don't. You can not clssify the majority of people with PTSD as insane, that is just plain stupid!

Your nervousness and strange reactions are normal. If you don't feel like talking, maybe it's just because you have nothing to say.

What you obviously need to do is to find something you like to do and that you are good at, and do it.

Do not rely on other people to build up your self-esteem, develop your own skills and the rest will follow without effort.

You obviously know how to communicate, think and write, so you are already on the road to discovering yourself.