If you are familiar with my blog, you know that I have been posting about coping with PTSD interspersed with posts on other preparedness subjects. My apologies, if numbering this as five in this series of posts on coping with PTSD, is confusing. This is only the fifth post in this series, but it is the sixth in the list of things to do to cope.
Please learn a little about PTSD because most people in disasters have it to some degree. It can continue to be a problem long after the disaster is over.
Here goes the PTSD post:
6. Give yourself a break. PTSD is an injury or sickness. Just because no blood is visible does not mean PTSD is not as real as a broken leg. PTSD is like a very bad sprain or bruise on your spirit or emotions. Your PTSD injury takes some time to heal.
Just as you know it is not good to use a broken or sprained leg too soon, so you have to go easy on your PTSD injury until it is ready for load bearing again.
Getting tired too soon or for no "good" reason is part of your PTSD healing process. You have to know when to rest or take a break when you are recovering from PTSD. Sometimes you can feel overwhelmed and need to lie down for a while. This does not have to be for a long time. A minute or an hour or something in between is a good time frame for when you are somewhat recovered.
I like to set a timer or alarm to stop resting and get back to work. Sometimes I have to resort to the snooze button several times, but it helps anyway.
Part of how to give yourself a break is to take some time to enjoy life. You need a list of things that you enjoy doing and that make you feel good. When you are feeling at your worst is not a good time to try to figure out something that will make you feel better. Once you have a list of what makes you feel good, you can simply pick something off of your list to do.
If you feel bad enough it is possible that nothing will look good to do, or you won't be able to even think of something that you might like to do. The list eliminates these problems. Just pick the most appealing thing to do on your list or the easiest one to do.
An example of this is, that I like to knit or crochet. One of these is not a good choice to make me feel good, unless I already have a simple project going. This is because feeling bad can make it too hard for me to plan and start a project. If the projects I have going require too much concentration, I could get too frustrated to do them. If this is the case, then another item on my list of good things to do is better.
I used to live in San Francisco when I was having trouble with PTSD. I had a plan for a really good day on my list of good things to do.
It started with taking a street car to a drugstore that had especially good ice cream, that was also very cheap. The scoops were big enough for a meal. That was lunch.
When I finished the ice cream, I got back on the street car and went around to the wharves and watched the mimes and musicians for a while. I went home on the Cable Car for an amusement park ride. That day was inexpensive enough for financial hard times and always made me feel good. It was not too difficult to do and didn't require a lot of concentration. That day plan was perfect for my list of good things to do to make me feel better.
Taking a walk is another thing on my list. Reading a fun book is another one. Eating popcorn while watching a video movie has been added to my list recently.
Sometimes making something or finishing up a project can be on my list. One of these is making and decorating a box to use for storing and organizing. I rip out pictures from magazines and junk mail to use for this purpose. I always have a file folder full of pictures.
One of my boxes that I made this way is for organizing my outgoing letters. I keep stamps, envelopes, my own address labels and those of people I write to frequently, in the box. I decorated it with pictures that I liked. I just used a glue stick to put the pictures on the box after I cut them out. It makes me feel good to even look at the box for my mail.
Some other ways that I have made my storage boxes is by painting the whole box and labelling the contents. I may or may not further decorate the box. Another way to decorate these boxes is by covering it with wrapping paper or wall paper. Occasionally I will use Contact paper or fabric to cover a box.
I have other boxes that I have done this way, and will probably have more. It is not a bad idea to use your list of things you like to do, even when you don't feel bad, or have a problem with PTSD. Once your PTSD is better, your list is simply a good tool for enjoying life.
One of the things to remember when you are dealing with PTSD is that it will get better.
Showing posts with label How to cope with PTSD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How to cope with PTSD. Show all posts
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Coping With PTSD 4
Disaster preparedness is not complete unless you take PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), into account. PTSD is very common among people who are in or have been in a disaster. This is the third in my series of posts about ideas for helping to cope with PTSD.
I will only try to do 1 to 3 things in a day, if my PTSD is pretty bad. You can tell this if you can't do things or keep focused or remember very well. I try doing 3 things a day. If that is not working at all well, I will drop back to 1 thing to get done in a day.
I write the one thing to get done for the day on one or more post-it notes. It depends on how I am feeling, as to how many notes I use for the day and what I do with them. I may stick the notes in places where I will see them a lot during the day. I usually have one to keep with me.
I use a fanny pack to carry keys and other things that I might lose and I put the post-it note on top of the fanny pack or on a wrist band or watch. Sometimes I put the post-it on a pocket flap. I make sure that I look at the post-it and read it frequently, to help me to stay focused on the job to get done that day.
The places in my home where I have stuck up extra post-it notes are: The bathroom mirror, where I will see it when I wash my hands or brush my teeth. The refrigerator is another good place for post-its. I like a spot like the handle or at eye level on the door.
The kitchen sink or curtain or window in front of it is another place to put post-it notes. The front door at eye level or on the handle is another place. My computer monitor and my keyboard are other places. Sometimes it is my coffee or tea or hot chocolate mug. The cat does not work for post-it notes. :-p
Light switches have worked. Sometimes the toilet tank or handle has worked. I have put it on my pillow, or where I will see it as soon as I wake up.
If I do not manage to get my one important thing done in a day, I put it on the schedule for the next day. A note goes where I will see it first thing the next day. That can be on the places already mentioned, or the coffee pot or my bathrobe, or shoes or clothing for the next morning. Sometimes it has been my cereal bowl.
If I still do not get it done the next day, I will not make myself feel bad by saying bad things about myself. I will just give myself an encouraging pep talk or think silent encouragement and put it on the schedule again.
If this goes on too long, I will think about why it is not getting done. Is this too hard for me to manage right now? Do I need to postpone this and do something easier, and come back to the harder thing later?
Sometimes doing something easier will encourage me and help me to get the hard thing done next.
I will only try to do 1 to 3 things in a day, if my PTSD is pretty bad. You can tell this if you can't do things or keep focused or remember very well. I try doing 3 things a day. If that is not working at all well, I will drop back to 1 thing to get done in a day.
I write the one thing to get done for the day on one or more post-it notes. It depends on how I am feeling, as to how many notes I use for the day and what I do with them. I may stick the notes in places where I will see them a lot during the day. I usually have one to keep with me.
I use a fanny pack to carry keys and other things that I might lose and I put the post-it note on top of the fanny pack or on a wrist band or watch. Sometimes I put the post-it on a pocket flap. I make sure that I look at the post-it and read it frequently, to help me to stay focused on the job to get done that day.
The places in my home where I have stuck up extra post-it notes are: The bathroom mirror, where I will see it when I wash my hands or brush my teeth. The refrigerator is another good place for post-its. I like a spot like the handle or at eye level on the door.
The kitchen sink or curtain or window in front of it is another place to put post-it notes. The front door at eye level or on the handle is another place. My computer monitor and my keyboard are other places. Sometimes it is my coffee or tea or hot chocolate mug. The cat does not work for post-it notes. :-p
Light switches have worked. Sometimes the toilet tank or handle has worked. I have put it on my pillow, or where I will see it as soon as I wake up.
If I do not manage to get my one important thing done in a day, I put it on the schedule for the next day. A note goes where I will see it first thing the next day. That can be on the places already mentioned, or the coffee pot or my bathrobe, or shoes or clothing for the next morning. Sometimes it has been my cereal bowl.
If I still do not get it done the next day, I will not make myself feel bad by saying bad things about myself. I will just give myself an encouraging pep talk or think silent encouragement and put it on the schedule again.
If this goes on too long, I will think about why it is not getting done. Is this too hard for me to manage right now? Do I need to postpone this and do something easier, and come back to the harder thing later?
Sometimes doing something easier will encourage me and help me to get the hard thing done next.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Coping With PTSD 3
Please learn something about dealing with PTSD as part of your disaster preparedness. Even if you are correct that you will never be troubled with it regardless of your circumstances, you are likely to have to deal with it in someone else. PTSD is extremely common in people who are in a disaster.
Yoga is also helpful for dealing with PTSD. I can not usually manage this in my worst phases of PTSD, but everyone is different. Yoga might work for you at any stage of PTSD. Yoga classes are all over, including through YMCAs and Senior Centers. There are also reasonably priced videos, CDs and DVDs. I learned it from a book.
Remember that as long as it doesn't hurt you, there is no wrong way to do yoga. It is doing it that is important, not how you do it, or how you look while you do it.
You do not have to have the right clothes to do yoga. If you are alone and won't be interrupted, you do not need to wear anything. Wearing sweats or old underwear is fine. It only needs to be comfortable and let you move freely.
4. I sometimes have had thoughts coming into my mind repeatedly that were harmful and slowed or stopped my recovery. Sometimes the thought was a replay of something that caused the PTSD. Other times the thought was something negative about myself.
I found a way to almost entirely stop those negative thoughts in about 6 months. It is so simple it is kind of stupid, but it works.
I got a cloth covered elastic meant for holding hair back and put it on my wrist. Every time one of those negative thoughts came into my mind, I snapped the elastic. It was not a hard snap. It does not require a lot of pain to train your brain. The most important part is to do it a lot.
After a little while the negative thoughts came less often. After I had done this for about 6 months, the thoughts were not coming much. I could get rid of them without the elastic. Every once in a while the thoughts will start coming back. If it is very bad, I use the elastic again for a while, until it is better.
5. No matter how bad off we are, we usually have some things we must get done to keep our lives going. Part of your recovery will be finding ways to get these important things done.
I used to cut up small pieces of paper and write the important things I had to get done on the paper. I have since discovered post it notes. I like those because they come in different sizes and colors and you can get a lot of them cheap. The small ones that are only about the size of 4 postage stamps are good for when your PTSD is still pretty bad.
This seems like another place to break this subject and continue in another post.
Yoga is also helpful for dealing with PTSD. I can not usually manage this in my worst phases of PTSD, but everyone is different. Yoga might work for you at any stage of PTSD. Yoga classes are all over, including through YMCAs and Senior Centers. There are also reasonably priced videos, CDs and DVDs. I learned it from a book.
Remember that as long as it doesn't hurt you, there is no wrong way to do yoga. It is doing it that is important, not how you do it, or how you look while you do it.
You do not have to have the right clothes to do yoga. If you are alone and won't be interrupted, you do not need to wear anything. Wearing sweats or old underwear is fine. It only needs to be comfortable and let you move freely.
4. I sometimes have had thoughts coming into my mind repeatedly that were harmful and slowed or stopped my recovery. Sometimes the thought was a replay of something that caused the PTSD. Other times the thought was something negative about myself.
I found a way to almost entirely stop those negative thoughts in about 6 months. It is so simple it is kind of stupid, but it works.
I got a cloth covered elastic meant for holding hair back and put it on my wrist. Every time one of those negative thoughts came into my mind, I snapped the elastic. It was not a hard snap. It does not require a lot of pain to train your brain. The most important part is to do it a lot.
After a little while the negative thoughts came less often. After I had done this for about 6 months, the thoughts were not coming much. I could get rid of them without the elastic. Every once in a while the thoughts will start coming back. If it is very bad, I use the elastic again for a while, until it is better.
5. No matter how bad off we are, we usually have some things we must get done to keep our lives going. Part of your recovery will be finding ways to get these important things done.
I used to cut up small pieces of paper and write the important things I had to get done on the paper. I have since discovered post it notes. I like those because they come in different sizes and colors and you can get a lot of them cheap. The small ones that are only about the size of 4 postage stamps are good for when your PTSD is still pretty bad.
This seems like another place to break this subject and continue in another post.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Coping With PTSD 2
This post continues the series on coping with PTSD. I am assuming that you will get professional help if you need it. My suggestions are things that have worked to get me functioning again, and helped others as well.
2. Art or music can also help. They can help to vent your strong negative emotions. I have occasionally punched a pillow or stuffed animal for this purpose. If you are very strong, a pair of boxing gloves and a heavy bag might be a good idea. If you have no access to these, you could wrap your hands to protect them and slug away at a tree or brick wall.
Art and music can help you express your feelings in a less physical way. Artistic ability is not required for this to work. You can either try actual objects or scenes to represent something or just go for making marks on paper, canvas or fabric or make something three dimensional like carving, clay, weaving or knotting.
Remember that your purpose is not the art itself, but your feelings. It is good no matter how it looks if it makes you feel better.
3. Exercise is also very cathartic. It helps to get bad feelings out of you. You will have to decide whether you need to walk alone or with company. When I am having a very bad time with PTSD, I usually want to walk alone. When I feel better, I am more likely to enjoy company.
Having a dog to walk with is very good for me during PTSD recovery. Being able to take care of an animal may be too difficult to manage during the worst part of your PTSD. In that case, neighbors may like you offering free dog walking. The dog will certainly like it. If the dog you are walking is older, you may have to arrange shifts for the dog and find a spare dog to walk. It can take a lot of walking to get you through PTSD.
If you are feeling agraphobic, or a fear of open spaces, as part of your PTSD, you may want to just walk laps inside or back and forth, or use a treadmill or stationary bike or mini-trampoline. If you are going for the laps or back and forth, you may wear out a carpet. It would be a good idea to find some way of protecting the carpet. One way could be plastic runners that are meant to protect carpet from wear and dirt.
This is one of my longer posts, so must be continued again.
2. Art or music can also help. They can help to vent your strong negative emotions. I have occasionally punched a pillow or stuffed animal for this purpose. If you are very strong, a pair of boxing gloves and a heavy bag might be a good idea. If you have no access to these, you could wrap your hands to protect them and slug away at a tree or brick wall.
Art and music can help you express your feelings in a less physical way. Artistic ability is not required for this to work. You can either try actual objects or scenes to represent something or just go for making marks on paper, canvas or fabric or make something three dimensional like carving, clay, weaving or knotting.
Remember that your purpose is not the art itself, but your feelings. It is good no matter how it looks if it makes you feel better.
3. Exercise is also very cathartic. It helps to get bad feelings out of you. You will have to decide whether you need to walk alone or with company. When I am having a very bad time with PTSD, I usually want to walk alone. When I feel better, I am more likely to enjoy company.
Having a dog to walk with is very good for me during PTSD recovery. Being able to take care of an animal may be too difficult to manage during the worst part of your PTSD. In that case, neighbors may like you offering free dog walking. The dog will certainly like it. If the dog you are walking is older, you may have to arrange shifts for the dog and find a spare dog to walk. It can take a lot of walking to get you through PTSD.
If you are feeling agraphobic, or a fear of open spaces, as part of your PTSD, you may want to just walk laps inside or back and forth, or use a treadmill or stationary bike or mini-trampoline. If you are going for the laps or back and forth, you may wear out a carpet. It would be a good idea to find some way of protecting the carpet. One way could be plastic runners that are meant to protect carpet from wear and dirt.
This is one of my longer posts, so must be continued again.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
How To Cope With PTSD 1
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is sometimes called Battle Shock or Battle Fatigue. It is caused by stress like seeing a friend die, or be badly injured. It is not limited to soldiers in battle.
Women and children who have been abused often have PTSD. Civilians living in, or near fighting often have PTSD. PTSD is common among disaster survivors.
The severity of PTSD can vary a lot. It is possible to become completely non-functional or be almost normal with PTSD.
Regardless of how severe your PTSD is, coping with the effects can be difficult. The passage of time will help, but it is possible to do things that will help you recover better and sooner and be able to get important things done meanwhile.
I can not say what will work for everyone, but I can offer what has worked for me. I hope it will help readers. I have had numerous bouts with PTSD during my life so have had way too much opportunity to work out how to deal with it.
Sometimes we do not have the luxury of a lot of recovery time and we still have to function as best we can, in spite of having PTSD. It is better to take whatever recovery time you can manage before you start trying to function too much.
Find something that makes you feel better and enjoy a lot of it for a while. Repetition of something soothing has been very helpful to me. Some examples to get you started finding what might work for you are:
1. Games. I have used the old single player computer battleship that Windows used to come with. I am not sure whether bloody video games will help or not. You will have to test how you react to them to know. They could cause flashbacks. I have also used a deck of playing cards to play solitaire over and over. If you use this one, you will probably need extra decks of playing cards because you will wear them out. Jigsaw puzzles can also help, as long as your mind and hands are up to them. Do not use these if you get frustrated from them.
This is a very long post, so it is necessary to break it up into several posts.
Women and children who have been abused often have PTSD. Civilians living in, or near fighting often have PTSD. PTSD is common among disaster survivors.
The severity of PTSD can vary a lot. It is possible to become completely non-functional or be almost normal with PTSD.
Regardless of how severe your PTSD is, coping with the effects can be difficult. The passage of time will help, but it is possible to do things that will help you recover better and sooner and be able to get important things done meanwhile.
I can not say what will work for everyone, but I can offer what has worked for me. I hope it will help readers. I have had numerous bouts with PTSD during my life so have had way too much opportunity to work out how to deal with it.
Sometimes we do not have the luxury of a lot of recovery time and we still have to function as best we can, in spite of having PTSD. It is better to take whatever recovery time you can manage before you start trying to function too much.
Find something that makes you feel better and enjoy a lot of it for a while. Repetition of something soothing has been very helpful to me. Some examples to get you started finding what might work for you are:
1. Games. I have used the old single player computer battleship that Windows used to come with. I am not sure whether bloody video games will help or not. You will have to test how you react to them to know. They could cause flashbacks. I have also used a deck of playing cards to play solitaire over and over. If you use this one, you will probably need extra decks of playing cards because you will wear them out. Jigsaw puzzles can also help, as long as your mind and hands are up to them. Do not use these if you get frustrated from them.
This is a very long post, so it is necessary to break it up into several posts.
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