Hello friends
I am early to learn about my PTSD and it's severity. I am struggling with the disease of addiction and any real coping strategies and my ability to relax. Along with PTSD there were some complication with my birth and I was told there was some birth trauma and I was born blue. I do have a prayer and meditation practice and I am experimenting with. Eft emotional freedom technique . I need help. Hope and healing. Feedback is most welcome.
Hello, WildernessScout.
EFT is supposedly very good. I can't afford it or I would consider it. ACT is also supposed to work well. I tried the tapping technique but it doesn't work for me. Neither does affirmations.
I cannot address the addiction of the birth trauma. I know that PTSD is physical brain injury. That doesn't mean it can't be improved and overcome. I believe that no matter what our difficulties, having supportive community is essential to healing.
This is a controversial subject and I am in no way endorsing it, but some people who have severe problems have turned to electro-shock therapy. Personally that scares me and I think it should be a LAST resort. I am just putting it out there as a possibility to think about.
Can you tell me more about the ACT concepts? Also would you mind sharing your experience, strength and hope with act? Thanks in advance
Hi!
Yes PTSD affects the hard wiring of the brain and neuro-chemical balance. The problems arise because the Limbic system (Old 'reptilian brain' - found deep in the brain- that kept us safe in cave man days) is 1000's of years old and hard wired to push the "Fight" Flight" or "Freeze" responses to ensure our very survival.
Our 'new thinking' brain is the prefrontal cortex. It is pretty swish, and has some very fancy features, but frankly is not a patch in speed of response of the limbic system. Unfortunately once the limbic system is triggered, we get full on body response. Poor new system has to get the message THEN work out how to stop the limbic reaction! Phew! No wonder we are anxious and stressed and exhausted!! Our mental Start and Stop buttons fighting each other!!T
The greatest news is that the brain has plasticity! Science has proven repeatedly that the brain has HUGE HEALING CAPACITY. PTSD IS A RECOVERABLE CONDITION!!!
The brain is constantly adapting! Pruning some bits, and forging new connections.
The exciting news is that each and every one of us has the power to forge new strong and hardwired responses, that shut that old reptile up! Each of us can work to rewire our brain and with rewiring comes the bonus of returning to neuro-chemical normality!!!
The harder news is that this takes WORK. LOTS OF DAILY WORK!!! Just like a stroke victim has to learn how to overcome their injury, and do physio, our brains also need brain physio.
There are online sites that give brain games that help develop plasticity through developing memory, attention span, speed of response and they are fun!! Or there is nintendo Wii-Hab, a programme used in Australian hospitals for exactly these exercises. Even try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, or reversing your knife and fork. Learn a new skill. Use your non dominant hand as often as possible. It all helps rewire. And be kind to yourself as you relearn. (Personally, I could take Gold at Self Loathing Guilt and Shame if they were Olypmic sports!!!)
It DOES takes time, daily commitment and a brave heart. But name me a pioneer who was not courageous??? We are our own pioneers for our own recovery!!
Exciting stuff eh? 
xx
Stuck1,
I must be getting rewired because changes are happening to me. My T has even commented on this. Mine has come through writing and because of that seeing things in a different way. And as a result acting different.
Hello friend
You are not alone. We are all together now. We Share a common problem, but we also share a common solution. Yes we,are being REWIRED and we can develope new grooves in the brain or new habits like. What we are doing here now. It's all a process. Let how far you have come! You and I are a miracle. Keep up the good hard work.
The Buddha said
Easy to do things that are bad and harmful to oneself, but exceedingly difficult to do, are the things that are good and BENIFICIAL..
Keep up .you are a good person. Keep up all that hard work. Work it because you are worth it.
Hi Lionyx2006!
BRAVO!! Change leads to recovery!! You are managing to Name, Reframe and Claim your Freedom!! You are creating new rewired responses! You are indeed a winner!!
THANK YOU for sharing your inspiring post with us. xxxxx
Hi WildernessScout! I'm glad you're here - it feels really safe and healing to be in a community where you can share what's going on, and people understand. I too have had issues with addiction, and PTSD issues.
I would think that your birth trauma would really be scarring. I was born illegitimate, and because my Mother came from a prominent family, with the doctor's cooperation, they came up with a story that I was "premature." I was put into an incubator, and left screaming and crying - alone. It took a long time to realize how traumatic an event that was. So your birth trauma - I can only imagine.
Prayer and meditation can help. EFT can also be helpful. I have engaged in a LOT of different things to provide relief. I think you're headed in the right direction. I have used 12 step work, inner child exercises, individual and group therapy, acupuncture, writing therapy, the release of old feelings, and anything else that I thought might help.
Sometimes it takes a while - but there is hope. One of my sources of PTSD came when I was 8 years old. My grandmother threatened to have me locked up in an insane asylum if I ever became a writer, which was my earliest dream. She reinforced the message in hideous ways.
I had a severe writer's block, and walked away from publishing two books.
I have worked through that abuse to the point where I have published my first book. I'm about to publish my second - about the healing journey from the events with Grandma. I expect publishing that book to really expose her lies and craziness to the world, and be very healing. I now work as a freelance writer, and can write any time I want. There is hope!
Warmly,
Dan
Hey dan h
I appreciate your kind thoughts and understanding. I have,considerd writing a book about me and my family plus a woman I had married and then having two children with her , but then the trauma of reliazing she wAs a closet lesbian really threw me into a emotional tailspin for several years. There more of this jerry springer special in my life but there is to much shame to share right now. Thanks for reaching out to,me. The more I talk and get love and compassion instead of judgement the more I heal.
I'm so glad my kind thoughts are appreciated. I'm glad to hear you're thinking about writing - even if just for your own healing, it can be a tremendous benefit. Sounds like you've got a lot of things that have happened to you. I understand about the shame and not wanting to talk about it. What I discovered as I did start to share the things that had happened to me - I was not alone, and others had gone through things as well.
Glad to reach out, and just know we will be here in whatever way we can.
A.C.T. stands for acceptance and commitment therapy. Basically it means to be in the present. Accept where you are right this minute and commit to doing something right now. It is about mindfullness. It's about doing and acting: involving the physical body, rather than just thinking or talking. At least that's what it means for me. Here is more and better information. contextualscience.org/act
I have other ways of coping too. I used to yell out loud at my tormentors even though they were not in my presence. Some people tell you to sit in front of an empty chair and yell at it but I don't need the chair. I can almost see and hear my tormentors and I respond to those phantoms as if they were right in front of me.
I know I have to physically move when I get mentally stuck. I pace, go out and get the mail, take out the trash, load the dishwasher or do any movement that will break the spell of rumination.
Or like Dan, I write it out. I draw also. I turn my tormentors into harpies, pigs, and evil creatures of the night. It's very healing.
Hi Wilderness. You state that you are struggling with the disease of addiction, and I have been down that path. What I found is that I had to deal with addiction in the sense of being able to abstain from the substance of choice for a while as I was self-medicating with it and couldn't really deal with my underlying issues effectively while using. I do want to be careful though, as I also recognize that in some ways "using" is a coping mechanism and different substances have different risks and trajectories. For example, if you are crushing up Percosets and injecting them. I would suggest your number 1 priority is to get into a detox/rehab. If you are pothead, something less drastic would be in order so the circumstances matter a lot.
When I got sober one of the best tricks I would use is to delay using for just 10 minutes at a time. By doing so, I built up to day at a time, and sobriety can be achieved and maintained a day at a time - I think you have been in a "meeting" or two given how you asked for "experience, strength and hope". This is how I developed the ability to stay clean. I hope this helps and know that many of us have walked in a similar path to yours and arrived at a better place. Sending you the best vibes I can!
Thanks glennd1
I do appreciate your kind words and support to help realize I am not alone.
No help available 
Need your help
Just need to talk about this...
Medication Help..AD's 
Psychiatric help after detox
