Complex PTSD

[lambchopp59]

This Mercury retrograde has got the wayback machine cranking on overdrive for me. Family and co-workers alike keep inadvertently bringing up early childhood traumas.
Complex PTSD, starting in my case with a fall all the way down a flight of stairs at just under a year old and sequelae keeps emerging in my dreams, if later traumas being subjects of discussion since I better understand the issues involved. There was some immature caregiver neglect involved.

Some years ago I had nightmare extinguishing therapy involving Blue Methylene enhanced exposure treatment for more recent traumatic events that was disrupting my sleep. It was indescribably intense, but effective. Now I wish I could find a similar treatment for my worst PTSD pickle that's effected me more profoundly than I ever have been cognizant of.

I know I've always been a bit

[SheltieLover]

1. Try Accelerated Resolution Therapy?

https://acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com/

A way of changing how you recall memories. Very helpful! I once took an art therapy course focused entirely on restorying endings to heal memories.

An eye movement therapy.

Or

https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/

Eye movement desensitization. This one I've not tried, but many therapists & clients swear by it for processing trauma. (Not for those with autism.)

[3catwoman3]

3. I have experienced EMDR, and I have no idea why it...

...works, but it does.

[SheltieLover]

4. I don't understand it either. Neuroligical, I think.

[Lulu KC]

10. The best!

It's amazingly effective, efficient, and often provides a pleasant afterglow. It keeps doing it's work when the treatment session is over.

[Backseat Driver]

6. Did you try "tapping therapy"?

My "trauma specialist" psychologist deserted me, one of her private practice patients for self-diagnosed complex PTSD, for more "interesting" and likely more remunerative but also deserving sufferers of forms of PTSD, actual and complex, having to do with Gitmo torture and 9/11 patients/survivors and families; so I've tried other methods lauded as helpful off the internet as I'm not a fan of pharmaceuticals and believing that mindfulness can help in maintaining a better mental balance.

https://www.thetappingsolution.com/tapping-101/

yoga and meditation

[SheltieLover]

7. I've not tried tapping yet.

But thx for the suggestion & link. I'll have a look!

I do my best to live mindfully.

Yale is offering their very popular Science of Well Being course free:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being?utm_source=gg&utm_medium=sem&utm_campaign=09-ScienceofWellBeing-US&utm_content=B2C&campaignid=9728548210&adgroupid=119657127259&device=m&keyword=&matchtype=&network=g&devicemodel=&adpostion=&creativeid=506816645212&hide_mobile_promo&gclid=CjwKCAiA2L-dBhACEiwAu8Q9YHe40AyPBW9XGhFYN3u3x6y-ktnx__omWF3vJtSyJkjsOY8AZ5yQDxoCfyAQAvD_BwE

The 1st videos are avail immediately after a very brief registration.

Those who have tried it said they felt better after the 1st video.

[Lulu KC]

11. I know of someone with autism--

who had a very successful experience with it. Requires the right provider, like everything, but really helped.

[lambchopp59]

12. Thank you for the resource suggestions

Threw me a bit it seemed the worst of the nightmares attacked me relentlessly just before the first night of work (I work 3-13's, so the rest period is mechanically abbreviated) so I was fortunate to have a slow shift friday.
Just kept waking up from the falling dreams.
I'm likely to go with one of those ART therapists re: this, eventually and utilize some of these other self-therapies in the interim. I see there is one of these specialists in Oakland, near enough where I plan to begin my retirement if all goes well.
It did occur to me that I took a non-injury producing slip in the mud that caused me to start my day's plan all over again at one point this last week. It scares the crap out of me to fall. Just my luck my addled brain would pick the night before work to process out some garbage.

[Backseat Driver]

2. Hold on, kitty, and wait it out; all that traumatic chaos ends on Jan 18!

https://bestlifeonline.com/mercury-retrograde/

"To compensate for all of the trouble Mercury retrograding causes, she says you should "build a lot of breathing room into your schedule, expecting the unexpected."

You should take my advice...Just breathe... if we last that long, I won't be much wiser, but at least I'll have made it and be another year older...

PS: Oh, and stay away from pain killers like benzocaine and lidocaine, and don't watch The Shining! (something about if you rest, you rust - methylene blue and oxygen is the treatment for rapidly developing methemoglobinemia, a serious problem with the ferrous iron transport system in hemoglobin that has all sorts of scary symptoms).

Oh yeah, Greetings and a healthy and prosperous Happy New Year 2023!

[SheltieLover]

5. Maybe, but this sounds likd a great opportunity for abreaction & catharsis.

Much preferred to stuffing memories & feelings back down.

[Backseat Driver]

8. Also helps that I'm still breathing and the perps are mostly all not!

though I did not wish for that eventuality. It's quite a shock to learn one's childhood and younger adulthood was all about religious "duty" and not love or kindness, but it sure explained a lot of the secrets, scapegoating, gaslighting, mixed messages inflicted--the family crappola that finally hit the fan of toxic permanent estrangement that my mother requested. I'm certainly not perfect, but I was always worthy of love, recognition, and support of my/our choices as a couple that she could only recognize as abandonment that deserved unjust discipline and punishment, just as we were and are at this moment in the natural order or need. None of us still breathing in my FoO need apologize; that ship sailed long ago.

[SheltieLover]

9. Sounds as if Karma batted cleanup on perps!

So sorry to hear of your family issues! I guess we all havs some level of family trauma. 😓

I'm glad you are healing!

[lambchopp59]

13. LOL.... 18 and countdown.

Retrogrades can be boogers, this one may be giving me some direction.