I have been a paramedic in California for over 25 years. I have seen and experienced things that are indescribable. I’m sure it could’ve nteibuted to my addiction. I’m still in the business. Just curious how PTSD has affected others and what has helped. Love and Sobriety to all.
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I have never been diagnosed with ptsd but I have been through traumatic events one of which would change my life forever a car crash while I was young, one fatality. It had a ripple effect on my education, friendships and alcohol.
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My PTSD seems to be acting up. I don’t want to dull it anymore with booze. Struggling.
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Does your insurance cover therapy?
Trauma, direct and vicarious, is a tricky but important thing to address. If you can get therapy it can be really helpful. One book my therapist/counsellor/mental health worker recommended that I found to be a fantastic resource learning about my traumas was The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk. It helps understand the changes that happen in the brain in response to trauma, our various reactions to trauma, and available treatments and why they work.
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For my PTSD I am currently seeing a therapist that specialises in trauma for EMDR, which is one of the most effective treatments for this. I would recommend looking into whether it’s possible to access (I know insurance etc can get a barrier if you are in usa).
Also, I have been able to identify and minimise triggers to the extent possible (though was recently complaining to my therapist about having to reorganise my life in the long term, hence the desire to treat it). Sometimes flashbacks and adrenaline responses come on unexpectedly, so I’ve been learning how to recognize this and calm it down with deep breathing and reminding myself I’m in the present).
Meditation is another new thing I’ve been doing and that really helps.
I also do a lot of physical exercise that makes me be focused in the present and doesn’t let my mind wander (xfit and climbing).
I also figure out what activities make me feel can and relaxed and do more of those.
Finally, as recommended by @ifs I’m also reading “the body keeps the score” which is hard but excellent. I read little bits at a time as it hits so close to home and made me realize how much this has been affecting me for 15 years without me even realizing it.
So glad to not be drinking. In fact my diagnosis was the catalyst for sobering up as I was afraid of myself and what I might do. I’m now learning things about myself that I never ever would have had I been drinking and how much alcohol had been used to self medicate for the last 20 years.
PTSD is hard in sobriety, but honestly I think it’s harder when drinking/using.
to all.
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I will give some thought to sharing more about it - it is a really interesting and strange process. I’ve got a few intense sessions coming up so will try to remember to come back to this thread after those have settled to give more feedback. So far, I would highly recommend it!
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EMDR? Intrigued.
I have been interested in EMDR but never tried it. It is talked about in the book The Body Keeps the Score, however. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. To my understanding, basically it’s that something about specific eye movement patterns guided by a professional trained in EMDR, allowing memory to be accessed differently than normal, allowing our damaged traumatic memories that weren’t processed properly to be accessed, this time in a safe environment, so that we can process what was originally misprocessed in the heat of the moment.
It worked wonders for my kid. She was in a car wreck some years back and could not move forward with getting her drivers license recently. 2-3 sessions of EMDR and she’s concourse driving. Not good at it yet, but comfortable!
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It certainly sounds interesting. My PTSD has gotten worse since I got sober, not better, so I’ll try anything.
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I haven’t heard of Kava.
I started getting high to deal with flashbacks. I was abused a lot as a kid and have PTSD, BPD, bipolar, and general anxiety from all the trauma. The highs helped, but soon enough it became a problem and not a solution. I just made it 24 hours sober, the fever has passed and I’m slowly getting better. Wish me luck
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Glad to hear you’re getting better! Fellow BPD and GAD carrier here, with history of trauma and alcohol addiction, if you ever want someone to talk to.
I’m really happy I found this thread. Pstd is a real struggle for me right now. Thought I had work through a lot of early trauma. However, it snuck back in without me realizing it. I’m going to look for the book the body keeps score. I am seeing a therapist who specializes in trauma and substance abuse. So much to process. Nice to feel I’m not alone on this journey.
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Interesting. I’ll give it a try. Thanks!!
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Therapy is a great outlet for ptsd and addiction. I didn’t realize I had amnesia lapses of the traumas that have caused my ptsd and in turn fueled my addiction. I experience the ptsd daily now while being sober, which gives huge urges to drink (but i haven’t and I won’t!!) Almost to my 30 days sober. I picked up an exercise app and a tracker watch/band to calm me when i feel my heart is going to race out of my chest and down the hall. It’s apparently all in my head…
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Yes and you don’t have to have a big T event either. It can be cumulation of toxic stress. I am interested in how others cope with sobriety and PTSD/CPTSD
I am curious how you are making out?