# Ptsd



## N.E.wguy

*First and foremost Please Share This Info With Others who you may know that do not use this site, or direct them here. This info is highly uplifting and may save someones life... The current average of PTSD suicide rate of returning troops is three a day, up to 5 per day (hxxp://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-case-for-treating-ptsd-in-veterans-with-medical-marijuana/251466/ here in the United States Information that leads to hope can save lives!) *

Currently I (N.E.wguy)suffer from this debilitating syndrome. [from being shot point blank 5 times in arm and chest, heart, lung, on fri 13th was a bad night and relive it non stop with next to no sleep.]

* Only recently recognized and even more so just recently begun to really be studied from all I can tell. So with all the new movement on mmj and PTSD I thought a thread was in need. I will post links to any thing I find on currently studies/research and ask others to do the same. pm me the link if you don't want to post it.*

*PTSD Treatment/Therapy*

*Okay, to start off I am by no means a doctor of any sort so will not give medical advise. 
I have many ask me what therapy/treatment works best for PTSD?*

You might not like my answer lol.  It will all depend on you!

There are a ton of different treatments, therapy methods, and medications that can help PTSD. But when it boils down to it, each person may respond differently to each one of them. There is not a set formula, there's not one pill, and even though PTSD symptoms are much the same, how they are treated may need to be differently then another person. It's all done on an individual basis.

You might notice I don't talk about which medications Craig is on, that's for a very good reason. What works for him may not work for someone else. I don't talk much about treatment or therapy (besides one on one therapy which I think everyone should have, just my opinion). It's because what works in one case may not work for the next.

Therapy and treatment options can be based around many things such as...

* Where a person is with suicide levels of thought or past attempts.

* What a doctor feels they can handle or can't handle as therapy.

* What medications or combination of medications a person is already on. OR if a person should even be on medications.

* Based on exactly what happened to them and finding which thing will help that "what happened" the best.

* Where a person stands at this time with coping skills.

* The symptoms that are most apparent at this moment.

Those are just a few examples, but shows you there are many things that have to be taken into consideration when making a decision of what to use or what could help per individual.

*PTSD does not have a "cure" as of this time...* again in my opinion... if there was one there would not be such a long history of PTSD cases as well as new ones. However, there are ways to treat the symptoms! Many different things available. You have to find what is right for you, and by all means talk with your doctors about the options! 

There are many people who hear something that worked for someone else and push doctors to use that for them. Be careful with this. If you show an interest in trying something new a doctor will take that as a good sign of you trying and might try it with you, however don't be pushy, make sure you ask your doctor if THEY think this is something that could be used in your case. Your doctor knows you, knows your symptoms, and can in majority of cases give you the best advice of what to try and what not to "at this time". It doesn't mean at some point you may not be able to try it, sometimes it means you just may not be ready for that method.

There is something that I hear a lot from actually many people and I want to address it openly.

&#8220;I didn&#8217;t go through what so and so did, my PTSD isn&#8217;t important.&#8221;
Or other comments along those same lines.

Well! I&#8217;m here to say something about that. PTSD is PTSD, period! PTSD is caused by many different reasons/traumas, but in the end of it, it is still caused by a trauma that effected you no matter if you view it as something large or not. Everything effects people in different ways, just because one person went through the same thing so to speak and may not have developed PTSD does not mean it is the same for everyone.

PTSD also does NOT mean you are weak, in fact it means you are one of the strong ones. &#8220;Best of the best&#8221; as I say it. The one that held it together, maybe dealt with your trauma alone and would not open up to others, the one that said no big deal I shouldn&#8217;t have issues with what happened, etc. The one that held it all in and kept going to the point your brain said &#8220;Hey you! Stop, you&#8217;ve had enough, I can&#8217;t take anymore in, I&#8217;m full.&#8221; Oh yes&#8230; it effects the strong ones! The ones that are the super heroes of handling stress and keep on going.

Well, yes you are a Hero by all means, but I hate to break the news to you but you are still human and no super powers there to keep PTSD from happening. 

PTSD is not something you can keep from happening, and when the brain has reached that limit, you might end up with PTSD. There&#8217;s no shame in that though! It&#8217;s just a new battle of a different kind.

PTSD can develop from war/military, what a First Responder/police/doctors/nurses have witnessed or experienced, from a severe car accident, sexual trauma/rape, home invasion, an attack, death of someone close to you, a natural disaster, ones death that was out of your control, or even a death that you were in the line of duty to cause, a dog attack/mauling, the list is endless. It all goes back to whatever the cause is for PTSD, it was a trauma that effected you.

There is no trauma that is greater then another. Facts on the table it may seem or feel that way to you, but in reality PTSD is PTSD. No matter what the cause is, the symptoms are pretty much the same&#8230; the stories of &#8220;why&#8221; or "what happened" are just different.

I have come across many that feel shamed by why they have PTSD. There is nothing to be ashamed about, PTSD happens and can happen to anyone that has experienced a severe trauma of whatever magnitude. PTSD does not, as I have always said, does not choose one nation, color, man or woman, young or elder, sick or healthy, rich or poor, and it sure does not care if you are a mother or father, brother or sister, friend or foe, and it sure doesn&#8217;t care about what morals you have or don&#8217;t have or religious beliefs. PTSD is just PTSD and can affect anyone.

*A huge key to battling PTSD is accepting it, accepting it has happened to you, and getting help for it. The reported suicide rate among veterans/military (only the reported numbers and cases) is up to 22 per day, and that's only USA numbers! Only reported cases? Could you even begin to imagine what a true number would really be if all cases military, civilian, world wide were included? I can&#8217;t!*

None of you are alone in this battle, and no one&#8217;s PTSD is greater or less then the next. There is no reason for the suicide numbers we are seeing, reach for help, place the shame you may feel to the side, swallow that pride and help yourself or the one you love. Each of you are extremely important and I don&#8217;t take that lightly!

*If you have PTSD or think you might, reach out your hand and ask for help, you are worth it!!! And to those of you that do not suffer from PTSD, take the time to learn about it, let others know about it, educate&#8230; you might just save a life and sometimes without even knowing. Ones with PTSD need support! And even if it&#8217;s just spreading awareness or learning for the day you run into someone who has it, what a change you can make in another person&#8217;s life!*
*
PTSD is PTSD my friends. Don&#8217;t put yourself down because of why you have it. Do what you can to battle it, and know you are never alone!*

*hxxp://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Marijuana-May-Cure-PTSD-208900021.html*
Marijuana May Cure PTSD
Veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder may find help through marijuana.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, which can also affect civilians who undergo a traumatic episode, may be cured by using marijuana, according to an East Bay Express report.

*A researcher at Yale University is conducting a long-term study with 120 people -- veterans with "intractable cases of PTSD" -- who he thinks can be cured of their debilitating condition with marijuana.*  (N.E.guy.. says: I have personally talked to him thru email)

Most people suffering from PTSD go through a regimen of drugs or more-invasive "exposure therapy," in which they dig as deeply as possible into their trauma for 12 weeks. Most drop out in Week 3, according to the report.

The theory of R. Andrew Sewell is that tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, one of the active ingredients in cannabis, can help the brain learn new information. This in turn helps people suffering from PTSD forget the old -- as in bad -- information.

This is called "extinction learning," Sewell says. And such learning is made easier when a "switch" in the brain called CB1 is activated. It turns out cannabis is very good at activating the CB1 receptor.

"We're talking about a cure," said Sewell, who noted that after treatment, no drugs -- not cannabis and not antidepressants -- would be required.
Copyright NBC Owned Television Stations


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## N.E.wguy

*Maine: Medical Marijuana Program Expanded To Include Patients With PTSD, Other Debilitating Disorders*

    by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director June 27, 2013

    Patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, Crohn&#8217;s disease, and other debilitating disorders will now be eligible for cannabis therapy, under legislation approved yesterday absent the Governor&#8217;s signature.

    The new law expands the list of qualifying conditions for which a Maine physician may legally recommend cannabis to include &#8220;post-traumatic stress disorder,&#8221; &#8220;inflammatory bowel disease&#8221; (such as Crohn&#8217;s and/or ulcerative colitis), and &#8220;dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders and other diseases causing severe and persistent muscle spasms&#8221; (such as Parkinson&#8217;s disease and/or Huntington&#8217;s disease). It is the second time that Maine legislators have acted to expand the pool of patients who may have access to medicinal cannabis.

    Under state law, qualified patients in Maine may either cultivate their own cannabis or obtain it from one of eight state-licensed dispensaries.

    Four states &#8212; Connecticut, Delaware, New Mexico, and Oregon &#8212; specifically allow for the use of cannabis to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Clinical trial data published in the May issue of the journal Molecular Psychiatry theorized that cannabinoid-based therapies would likely comprise the &#8220;next generation of evidence-based treatments for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).&#8221;

    Survey data published in 2011 in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology reports the use of cannabis therapy is common among patients with inflammatory bowel disorders. Most recently, researchers at the Meir Medical Center, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Israel reported that inhaling cannabis reduces symptoms of Crohn&#8217;s disease compared to placebo in patients non-responsive to traditional therapies. Investigators concluded, &#8220;Our data show that 8-weeks treatment with THC-rich cannabis, but not placebo, was associated with a significant decrease of 100 points in CDAI (Crohn&#8217;s Disease and activity index) scores.&#8221; (The CDIA is a research tool used to quantify the symptoms of Crohn&#8217;s disease patients.) Five of the eleven patients in the study group also reported achieving disease remission (defined as a reduction in patient CDAI score by more than 150 points).

- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2013/06/27/ma...r+Debilitating+Disorders#sthash.fky5MFrf.dpuf

*hxxp://www.rockethub.com/projects/26525-veterans-post-traumatic-stress-and-medical-marijuana*


Latest Updates
05/25/13: Veterans, Post Traumatic Stress, and Medical Marijuana
View More Updates
05/25/13: Veterans, PTSS and the Alternative or Complementary Use of Cannabis

*Research Question: "Do Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress benefit from the Use of Medical Marijuana ?"

The Steering Committee for the project are requesting funding only for Stage 1 of the study as outlined below:*

Stage 1 Funding Sought for the Steering Committee (7 members, who have been donating their time and expertise in online meetings for three months) to conclude the Study Pre-Planning phase. Funding will be used for a (Denver) research planning meeting the weekend of June 7th-10th, travel, accommodations, a small per diem for food allowance, technology purchases for the project website, website support resources, implementation of website for study signup, social media news notices, portal for study technology, and costs associated with 501(c)(3). The study's Independent Review Board ("IRB") has been identified as part of Stage 1.

Stage 2 funding of the study will involve recruiting approximately 10,000 study participants ("Veterans") who are currently living in states which authorize the use of Medical Marijuana (MMJ). Study participants will qualify with "PTSD" diagnoses as either the primary or the secondary diagnosis. Participants will receive pro bono symptom/medication usage monitoring services for a period of 12-18 months. (A subsidiary of Enigami Systems, Inc. has pledged  in-kind technology services. The Steering Committee members have pledged to donate their time and expertise pro bono for the term of the study also.) We plan to analyze which mixes of the components of MMJ are better at treating certain symptoms, This should reduce the uncertainty of choosing the correct MMJ products and reduce unwanted side effects for all MMJ users.  The Stage 2 budget will be outlined as part of the completion of Stage 1.

Stage 3 funding will be for data analysis and costs associated with publication for a tier 1 professional journal. The relationship between diagnostic symptoms and medical marijuana cannabinoids will be established. The projected budget has not been outlined as of yet.

For Veterans in states where medical marijuana states who want to participate in the study, please contact Mary Lynn (ML) Mathre at [email protected] . 
Description
For Veterans who want to participate in the study please contact Mary Lynn (ML) Mathre at [email protected]

*(The Harvard Link below, was personally emailed to me from Dr. Sewell at Yale, I am yet to follow up  with the B.U professor, Terry Keane, a longtime PTSD researcher, Boston University psychiatry professor, and associate chief of staff for research and development at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System)*

*hxxp://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/03/post-traumatic-stress/*

HarvardScience > Health & Medicine >
Post-traumatic stress
It&#8217;s a condition both more prevalent and more treatable than previously thought, researcher says

By Alvin Powell
Harvard Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 24, 2010



*In the United States, women tend to develop PTSD at higher rates than men, something that is not fully understood but that may be related to the personal nature of violence against women, says Terry Keane, a longtime PTSD researcher, speaking before an audience at the Harvard School of Public Health.
*
The diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder has come a long way since the 1970s, with research now showing it is both more common and more treatable than once thought.

While early doubters dismissed the condition as a Western phenomenon that arose because researchers pathologized a nonmedical condition, subsequent research identified physiological changes to the brain because of extreme trauma and led to the development of a consistent ability to diagnose the condition, both in Western and other nations.

In fact, while surveys show that 7.8 percent of Americans have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the numbers are far higher in some other nations, particularly those that have experienced intense violence. In Algeria and Cambodia, for example, which suffered through long civil wars, 37 percent and 28 percent of their populations, respectively, have experienced PTSD, studies say.


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## N.E.wguy

Terry Keane, a longtime PTSD researcher, Boston University psychiatry professor, and associate chief of staff for research and development at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, described progress in recent decades in understanding PTSD during a talk at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Tuesday (March 23). Keane delivered his remarks as part of the Barry R. Bloom Public Health Practice Leadership Speaker Series, sponsored by the HSPH Division of Public Health Practice.

Though rates of PTSD are not as high in the United States as in some war-torn nations, Keane said surveys show that PTSD is nonetheless a significant problem. Further, he said, studies show that the numbers and the levels of disability of those suffering from PTSD are higher than those of conditions such as major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

In the United States, women tend to develop PTSD at higher rates than men, something Keane said is not fully understood but that may be related to the personal nature of violence against women. About 60.7 percent of men experience trauma severe enough to potentially trigger PTSD during their lifetimes, with 8.1 percent of them developing PTSD. For women, 51.2 percent experience trauma, with 20.4 percent developing PTSD.

PTSD is caused by an extreme trauma, which Keane described as a &#8220;massively disturbing event&#8221; that sparks intense alarm, anger, or distress. The condition is marked by apprehension and avoidance behaviors.

PTSD also imposes an economic burden on society, Keane said, with its sufferers missing 3.6 days a month from work, costing an estimated $3 billion in lost productivity annually.

&#8220;Can you imagine trying to hold down a job when you miss one day a week?&#8221; Keane asked.

The biggest cause of PTSD is the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one, Keane said. In that case, PTSD is different from the normal grieving that such a loss would cause and is triggered by particularly horrific or difficult conditions surrounding the death. Other major causes of the ailment are wartime combat, sexual violence, and community violence.

Those suffering PTSD can feel its effects for decades, Keane said. Progress in treating the condition has resulted in several therapeutic approaches and medicines that can help. Keane said he is very hopeful about the prospects of identifying and treating patients. One of the biggest challenges, though, is education to raise awareness.

&#8220;I am so hopeful,&#8221; Keane said. &#8220;[We can] turn around a devastating condition, a costly condition &#8230; if we can just get this [information] out.&#8221;

-----------------
hxxp://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/19/study-stroke-ptsd/2417697/

5:03 p.m. EDT June 19, 2013

* About one in nine stroke or mini-stroke patients have chronic PTSD more than a year later, a new study finds.*








[*]PTSD may hinder recovery after a stroke or mini-stroke
[*]Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the USA
[*]Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability

A  stroke may leave some survivors with post-traumatic stress disorder,  which may hinder their recovery, according to a study released today. 
About  23% of patients who survive a stroke or transient ischemic attack, a  brief interruption of blood flow to the brain, have PTSD symptoms within  a year, the study finds. About 11%  have chronic PTSD, in which  symptoms last three months or longer,  more than a year later. The  study, led by Columbia University Medical Center researchers, was published online today in the journal _PLOS ONE_.
"Strokes are among the most terrifying life-threatening events," says lead author Donald Edmondson.
People  think about PTSD in relation to external events like war or sexual  assault, says Edmondson, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at  Columbia's Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health. "There is something different about PTSD after a stroke because the threat is inside your body," he adds.
The  analysis looked at nine studies of PTSD induced by a stroke or TIA,  sometimes called a mini-stroke. The studies included 1,138 stroke or TIA  survivors in France, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United  States. The average age of participants was 64.5 and 47.5% were men.
PTSD can develop after an event involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.  Symptoms include having nightmares, avoiding reminders of the event and  feeling tense. Treatments are psychotherapy, medications or a  combination. 
Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the USA, according to the American Stroke Association. It is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.
Ralph Sacco, an American Heart Association  spokesman who was not involved in the study, says Edmondson's research  looks at an under-recognized condition. "This is one of the first  studies that investigates what's in the literature about PTSD after a  stroke or TIA," he adds. "We often think of PTSD as coming on after  other kinds of stressful events &#8212; wars or other emotional events.
"A  stroke or TIA can be an emotionally charged event &#8212; some strokes can be  life-threatening or potentially disabling," says Sacco, chairman of  neurology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.
Edmondson  says, "Our current results show that PTSD in stroke and TIA survivors  may increase their risk for recurrent stroke and other cardiovascular  events."
The concern is that PTSD may threaten recovery. Previous  research has shown that PTSD is associated with patients not adhering to  their schedule for taking medications.
Sacco recommends that stroke patients who suspect that they have PTSD symptoms get medical attention.
Edmondson  says there are good PTSD treatments. "But first, physicians and  patients have to be aware that this is a problem," he says. "Family  members can also help. We know that social support is a good protective  factor against PTSD due to any type of traumatic event."
He adds,  "The next step is further research to assess whether mental health  treatment can reduce stroke- or TIA-induced PTSD symptoms and help these  patients regain a feeling of normalcy and calm as soon as possible  after their health scare."


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## YYZ Skinhead

Props for posting.  I am thinking of copy-pasting it (as well as 7greeneyes' post) for my shrink.  I want to start a blog on it eventually.


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## N.E.wguy

YYZ Skinhead said:
			
		

> Props for posting.  I am thinking of copy-pasting it (as well as 7greeneyes' post) for my shrink.  I want to start a blog on it eventually.


Do it information is power the more who know the better it is.

I did print it all out for mine it's just not the same trying to explain all this, to them.
*
Also Props goes to JustAnotherAntMarching here at MP has contributed and inspired me to start this thread was him who started the wheels turning so props to him to. *

Thanks for posting also all and any input such as yours is relavent, may make some one else do the same..

7GE's *7greeneyes*
* MJ-like Compound Could Lead to First Ever PTSD Medication*
url: hMPp://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/14/marijuana-like-compound-could-lead-to-first-ever-medication-for-ptsd/


MJ-like Compound Could Lead to First Ever PTSD Medication


The life of an individual suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often a debilitating one, as patients are frequently plagued by intense nightmares, flashbacks and emotional instability.

There are a number of psychotherapeutic treatments and cognitive behavioral therapy options to aid sufferers of PTSD, but these interventions are not always available to patients. And while medications tend to be the first line of defense for these individuals, no pharmaceutical treatments have been developed yet to specifically target PTSD.

But now, new research may help dramatically change the course of treatment for PTSD patients. In the first study of its kind, researchers at New York University Langone Medical Center have utilized brain imaging technology to highlight a connection between the number of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and PTSD. Cannabinoid receptors, known as CB1 receptors, are activated in the brain when a person uses cannabis, which can lead to impaired memory and reduced anxiety.

The researchers&#8217; findings pave the way for the development of the first every medication designed explicitly to treat trauma &#8211; something, they say, is desperately needed.

&#8220;The first line of treatment (for PTSD patients) is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which is a class of medication generally used with good effects in people with depression,&#8221; lead author Dr. Alexander Neumeister, director of the molecular imaging program in the departments of psychiatry and radiology at NYU School of Medicine, told FoxNews.com.

&#8220;These medications do not really do the job for people with PTSD, so clinicians use anything else that is legally available on the market. They often use different classes of medications developed for things like depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, and overall there&#8217;s consensus that these do not work.&#8221;

Affecting nearly 8 million Americans each year, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that is developed after an individual experiences a dangerous or painful life event &#8211; such as a sexual assault, a tragic accident, surviving an act of extreme violence or the experience of fighting in a war. Of the 1.7 million American men and women in the military who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, approximately 20 percent have been diagnosed with PTSD.

During the past decade, Neumeister and his team have studied the impact PTSD has on the brain&#8217;s physiology and have found that exposure to severe trauma can considerably alter how the brain functions. With this knowledge in mind, the researchers decided to examine CB1 receptors in the brain due to a common trend observed among PTSD patients: Marijuana use. In an attempt to cope with their symptoms, many PTSD patients end up using and abusing cannabis, which helps to temporarily relieve them of their incapacitating episodes.

According to Neumeister, PTSD patients often report that smoking marijuana works better for them than any other legal medication, leading the researchers to believe that the manipulation of CB1 receptors in the brain may have a beneficial impact on trauma symptoms.

&#8220;About 8 years ago, the first animal study was published showing that everybody has endogenous cannabinoids, or endocannabinoids, in the brain &#8211; meaning this substance is in the brain of every person,&#8221;
Neumeister said, noting that endocannabinoids act like cannabis, binding to CB1 receptors to help extinguish traumatic memories. &#8220;Animal studies have suggested that increasing cannabinoids in the brain helps them to forget painful events and form new memories, so they start to learn to digest what they went through and get over it. We thought this may be relevant to PTSD.&#8221;

To test this idea, the researchers performed positron emission tomography (PET) imaging on the brains of 60 participants who had been divided into three groups &#8211; those with PTSD, those with a history of trauma, but no PTSD, and those with no history of trauma or PTSD. Each participant was injected with a harmless radioactive tracer, which was designed to travel to the CB1 receptors in the brain and illuminate them under the PET scan.
The images revealed what the researchers had expected. The individuals with PTSD had higher levels of CB1 receptors in areas of the brain associated with fear and anxiety than the volunteers without PTSD.

Those with PTSD also had lower levels of the neurotransmitter anandamide, an endocannabinoid that binds to CB1. Neumeister explained that lower levels of anandamide prompts the brain to compensate by increasing the number of CB1 receptors, resulting in an imbalanced endocannibinoid system.

Because CB1 receptors help regulate mood and anxiety, the scientists advised against creating medications to destroy them in the brain, as that would lead to depression. Instead, Neumeister said their PTSD medication would rely on promoting CB1 equilibrium.

&#8220;We want to increase the concentration of these endocannabinoids,&#8221; Neumeister said. &#8220;So we are currently working on the methods to do this, and we have developed a compound that is able to increase the concentration of endocannabioniods without attacking the receptors. It helps restore a normal balance of this chemical in the brains of those with PTSD.&#8221;


Neumeister claims the compound is very safe and does not come with the added health problems caused by chronic marijuana use.

&#8220;Very soon, we will be able to start clinical trial of this medication in people,&#8221; Neumeister said. &#8220;It&#8217;s the first medication developed for people with PTSD, so I hope that it will open up a new generation of treatment for people.&#8221;

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
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## N.E.wguy

*Thanks Hal. as well as others for removing non topic posts ty again.*

*Marijuana's march toward mainstream confounds feds
NANCY BENAC, Associated Press, By NANCY BENAC and ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press
Updated 2:54 am, Monday, July 1, 2013 *

WASHINGTON (AP) &#8212; It took 50 years for American attitudes about marijuana to zigzag from the paranoia of "Reefer Madness" to the excesses of Woodstock back to the hard line of "Just Say No."

The next 25 years took the nation from Bill Clinton, who famously "didn't inhale," to Barack Obama, who most emphatically did.
And now, in just a few short years, public opinion has moved so dramatically toward general acceptance that even those who champion legalization are surprised at how quickly attitudes are changing and states are moving to approve the drug &#8212; for medical use and just for fun.
It is a moment in America that is rife with contradictions:
&#8212;People are looking more kindly on marijuana even as science reveals more about the drug's potential dangers, particularly for young people.
&#8212;States are giving the green light to the drug in direct defiance of a federal prohibition on its use.
&#8212;Exploration of the potential medical benefit is limited by high federal hurdles to research.
Washington policymakers seem reluctant to deal with any of it.
Richard Bonnie, a University of Virginia law professor who worked for a national commission that recommended decriminalizing marijuana in 1972, sees the public taking a big leap from prohibition to a more laissez-faire approach without full deliberation.
"It's a remarkable story historically," he says. "But as a matter of public policy, it's a little worrisome. It's intriguing, it's interesting, it's good that liberalization is occurring, but it is a little worrisome."
More than a little worrisome to those in the anti-drug movement.
"We're on this hundred-mile-an-hour freight train to legalizing a third addictive substance," says Kevin Sabet, a former drug policy adviser in the Obama administration, lumping marijuana with tobacco and alcohol.
Legalization strategist Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, likes the direction the marijuana smoke is wafting. But he knows his side has considerable work yet to do.
"I'm constantly reminding my allies that marijuana is not going to legalize itself," he says
___
By the numbers:
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes since California voters made the first move in 1996. Voters in Colorado and Washington state took the next step last year and approved pot for recreational use. Alaska is likely to vote on the same question in 2014, and a few other states are expected to put recreational use on the ballot in 2016.
Nearly half of adults have tried marijuana, 12 percent of them in the past year, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. More teenagers now say they smoke marijuana than ordinary cigarettes.
Fifty-two percent of adults favor legalizing marijuana, up 11 percentage points just since 2010, according to Pew. Sixty percent think Washington shouldn't enforce federal laws against marijuana in states that have approved its use. Seventy-two percent think government efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they're worth.
"By Election Day 2016, we expect to see at least seven states where marijuana is legal and being regulated like alcohol," says Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, a national legalization group.

*Where California led the charge on medical marijuana, the next chapter in this story is being written in Colorado and Washington state*.

Policymakers there are struggling with all sorts of sticky issues revolving around one central question: How do you legally regulate the production, distribution, sale and use of marijuana for recreational purposes when federal law bans all of the above?

How do you tax it? What quality control standards do you set? How do you protect children while giving grown-ups the go-ahead to light up? What about driving under the influence? Can growers take business tax deductions? Who can grow pot, and how much? Where can you use it? Can cities opt out? Can workers be fired for smoking marijuana when they're off duty? What about taking pot out of state? The list goes on.

The overarching question has big national implications. How do you do all of this without inviting the wrath of the federal government, which has been largely silent so far on how it will respond to a gaping conflict between U.S. and state law?

The Justice Department began reviewing the matter after last November's election and repeatedly has promised to respond soon. But seven months later, states still are on their own, left to parse every passing comment from the department and President Obama.

In December, Obama said in an interview that "it does not make sense, from a prioritization point of view, for us to focus on recreational drug users in a state that has already said that under state law that's legal."

In April, Attorney General Eric Holder said to Congress, "We are certainly going to enforce federal law. ... When it comes to these marijuana initiatives, I think among the kinds of things we will have to consider is the impact on children." He also mentioned violence related to drug trafficking and organized crime.

In May, Obama told reporters: "I honestly do not believe that legalizing drugs is the answer. But I do believe that a comprehensive approach &#8212; not just law enforcement, but prevention and education and treatment &#8212; that's what we have to do."

Rep. Jared Polis, a Colorado Democrat who favors legalization, predicts Washington will take a hands-off approach, based on Obama's comments about setting law enforcement priorities.

"We would like to see that in writing," Polis says. "But we believe, given the verbal assurances of the president, that we are moving forward in Colorado and Washington in implementing the will of the voters."

The federal government has taken a similar approach toward users in states that have approved marijuana for medical use. It doesn't go after pot-smoking cancer patients or grandmas with glaucoma. But it also has warned that people who are in the business of growing, selling and distributing marijuana on a large scale are subject to potential prosecution for violations of the Controlled Substances Act &#8212; even in states that have legalized medical use.

Federal agents in recent years have raided storefront dispensaries in California and Washington, seizing cash and pot. In April, the Justice Department targeted 63 dispensaries in Santa Ana, Calif., and filed three asset forfeiture lawsuits against properties housing seven pot shops. Prosecutors also sent letters to property owners and operators of 56 other marijuana dispensaries warning that they could face similar lawsuits.

University of Denver law professor Sam Kamin says if the administration doesn't act soon to sort out the federal-state conflict, it may be too late to do much.

"At some point, it becomes so prevalent and so many citizens will be engaged in it that it's hard to recriminalize something that's become commonplace," he says.

___

There's a political calculus for the president, or any other politician, in all of this.

Younger people, who tend to vote more Democratic, are more supportive of legalizing marijuana, as are people in the West, where the libertarian streak runs strong. In Colorado, for example, last November more people voted for legalized pot (55 percent) than voted for Obama (51 percent), which could help explain why the president was silent on marijuana before the election.

"We're going to get a cultural divide here pretty quickly," says Greg Strimple, a Republican pollster based in Boise, Idaho, who predicts Obama will duck the issue as long as possible.

Despite increasing public acceptance of marijuana, and growing interest in its potential therapeutic uses, politicians know there are complications that could come with commercializing an addictive substance, some of them already evident in medical marijuana states. Opponents of pot are particularly worried that legalization will result in increased adolescent use as young people's estimations of the drug's dangers decline.

"There's no real win on this from a political perspective," says Sabet. "Do you want to be the president that stops a popular cause, especially a cause that's popular within your own party? Or do you want to be the president that enables youth drug use that will have ramifications down the road?"

Marijuana legalization advocates offer politicians a rosier scenario, in which legitimate pot businesses eager to keep their operating licenses make sure not to sell to minors.

"Having a regulated system is the only way to ensure that we're not ceding control of this popular substance to the criminal market and to black marketeers," says Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a trade group for legal pot businesses in the U.S.

See Change Research, which analyzes the marijuana business, has estimated the national market for medical marijuana alone at $1.7 billion for 2011 and has projected it could reach $8.9 billion in five years. Overall, marijuana users spend tens of billions of dollars a year on pot, experts believe.

Ultimately, marijuana advocates say, it's Congress that needs to budge, aligning federal laws with those of states moving to legalization. But that doesn't appear likely anytime soon.

The administration appears uncertain how to proceed.


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## N.E.wguy

"The executive branch is in a pickle," Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., said at a recent news conference outside the Capitol with pot growers visiting town to lobby for changes. "Twenty-one states have a different view of the use of marijuana than the laws on the books for the federal government."
___

While the federal government hunkers down, Colorado and Washington state are moving forward on their own.

Colorado's governor in May signed a set of bills to regulate legal use of the drug, and the state's November ballot will ask voters to approve special sales and excise taxes on pot. In Washington state, the Liquor Control Board is drawing up rules covering everything from how plants will be grown to how many stores will be allowed. It expects to issue licenses for growers and processors in December, and impose 25 percent taxes three times over &#8212; when pot is grown, processed and sold to consumers.

"What we're beginning to see is the unraveling of the criminal approach to marijuana policy," says Tim Lynch, director of the libertarian Cato Institute's Project on Criminal Justice. But, Lynch adds, "the next few years are going to be messy. There are going to be policy battles" as states work to bring a black market industry into the sunshine, and Washington wrestles with how to respond.

Already, a federal judge has struck down a Colorado requirement that pot magazines such as High Times be kept behind store counters, like pornography.

Marijuana advocates in Washington state, where officials have projected the legal pot market could bring the state a half-billion a year in revenue, are complaining that state regulators are still banning sales of hash or hash oil, a marijuana extract.

Pot growers in medical marijuana states are chafing at federal laws that deny them access to the banking system, tax deductions and other opportunities that other businesses take for granted. Many dispensaries are forced to operate on a cash-only basis, which can be an invitation to organized crime.

It's already legal for adults in Colorado and Washington to light up at will, as long as they do so in private.

That creates all kinds of new challenges for law enforcement.

Pat Slack, a commander with the Snohomish County Regional Drug Taskforce in Washington state, said local police are receiving calls about smokers flouting regulations against lighting up in public. In at least one instance, Slack said, that included a complaint about a smoker whose haze was wafting over a backyard fence and into the middle of a child's birthday party. But with many other problems confronting local officers, scofflaws are largely being ignored.

"There's not much we can do to help," Slack says. "A lot of people have to get accustomed to what the change is."

In Colorado, Tom Gorman, director of the federal Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Taskforce, takes a tougher stance on his state's decision to legalize pot.

"This is against the law, I don't care what Colorado says," Gorman said. "It puts us in a position, where you book a guy or gal and they have marijuana, do you give it back? Do you destroy it? What in effect I am doing by giving it back is I am committing a felony. If the court orders me to return it, the court is giving me an illegal order."

More than 30 pot growers and distributors, going all-out to present a buttoned-down image in suits and sensible pumps rather than ponytails and weed T-shirts, spent two days on Capitol Hill in June lobbying for equal treatment under tax and banking laws and seeking an end to federal property seizures.

"It's truly unfortunate that the Justice Department can't find a way to respect the will of the people," says Sean Luse of the 13-year-old Berkeley Patients Group in California, a multimillion-dollar pot collective whose landlord is facing the threat of property forfeiture.

___

As Colorado and Washington state press on, California's experience with medical marijuana offers a window into potential pitfalls that can come with wider availability of pot.

Dispensaries for medical marijuana have proliferated in the state. Regulation has been lax, leading some overwhelmed communities to complain about too-easy access from illegal storefront pot shops and related problems such as loitering and unsavory characters. That prompted cities around the state to say enough already and ban dispensaries. Pot advocates sued.

In May, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that cities and counties can ban medical marijuana dispensaries. A few weeks later, Los Angeles voters approved a ballot measure that limits the number of pot shops in the city to 135, down from an estimated high of about 1,000. By contrast, whitepages.com lists 112 Starbucks in the city.

This isn't full-scale buyer's remorse, but more a course correction before the inevitable next push to full-on legalization in the state.

Baker Montgomery, a member of the Eagle Rock neighborhood council in Los Angeles, where pot shops were prevalent, said May's vote to limit the number of shops was all about ridding the city of illicit dispensaries.

"They're just not following what small amounts of rules there are on the books," Montgomery said.

In 2010, California voters opted against legalizing marijuana for recreational use, drawing the line at medical use.

But Jeffrey Dunn, a Southern California attorney who represented cities in the Supreme Court case, says that in reality the state's dispensaries have been operating so loosely that already "it's really all-access."

At the Venice Beach Care Center, one of the dispensaries that will be allowed to stay open in Los Angeles, founding director Brennan Thicke believes there still is widespread support for medical marijuana in California. But he says the state isn't ready for more just yet.

"We have to get (medical) right first," Thicke said.

Dunn doubts that's possible.

"What we've learned is, it is very difficult if not impossible to regulate these facilities," he said.

___

Other states, Colorado among them, have had their own bumps in the road with medical marijuana.

A Denver-area hospital, for example, saw children getting sick after eating treats and other foods made with marijuana in the two years after a 2009 federal policy change led to a surge in medical marijuana use, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics in May. In the preceding four years, the hospital had no such cases.

The Colorado Education Department reported a sharp rise in drug-related suspensions and expulsions after medical marijuana took off. An audit of the state's medical marijuana system found the state had failed to adequately track the growth and distribution of pot or to fully check out the backgrounds of pot dealers.

"What we're doing is not working," says Dr. Christian Thurstone, a psychiatrist whose Denver youth substance abuse treatment center has seen referrals for marijuana double since September. In addition, he sees young people becoming increasingly reluctant to be treated, arguing that it can't be bad for them if it's legal.

Yet Daniel Rees, a researcher at the University of Colorado Denver, analyzed data from 16 states that have approved medical marijuana and found no evidence that legalization had increased pot use among high school students.

In looking at young people, Rees concludes: "Should we be worried that marijuana use nationally is going up? Yes. Is legalization of medical marijuana the culprit? No."

___

Growing support for legalization doesn't mean everybody wants to light up: Barely one in 10 Americans used pot in the past year.

Those who do want to see marijuana legalized range from libertarians who oppose much government intervention to people who want to see an activist government aggressively regulate marijuana production and sales.

Safer-than-alcohol was "the message that won the day" with voters in Colorado, says Tvert.

For others, money talks: Why let drug cartels rake in untaxed profits when a cut of that money could go into government coffers?

There are other threads in the growing acceptance of pot.

People think it's not as dangerous as once believed; some reflect back on what they see as their own harmless experience in their youth. They worry about high school kids getting an arrest record that will haunt them for life. They see racial inequity in the way marijuana laws are enforced. They're weary of the "war on drugs," and want law enforcement to focus on other areas.

"I don't plan to use marijuana, but it just seemed we waste a lot of time and energy trying to enforce something when there are other things we should be focused on," says Sherri Georges, who works at a Colorado Springs, Colo., saddle shop. "I think that alcohol is a way bigger problem than marijuana, especially for kids."

Opponents have retorts at the ready.

They point to a 2012 study finding that regular use of marijuana during teen years can lead to a long-term drop in IQ, and a different study indicating marijuana use can induce and exacerbate psychotic illness in susceptible people. They question the idea that regulating pot will bring in big money, saying revenue estimates are grossly exaggerated.

They counter the claim that prisons are bulging with people convicted of simple possession by citing federal statistics showing only a small percentage of federal and state inmates are behind bars for that alone. Slack said the vast majority of people jailed for marijuana possession were originally charged with dealing drugs and accepted plea bargains for possession. The average possession charge for those in jail is 115 pounds, Slack says, which he calls enough for "personal use for a small city."

Over and over, marijuana opponents warn that baby boomers who are drawing on their own innocuous experiences with pot are overlooking the much higher potency of the marijuana now in circulation.


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## N.E.wguy

In 2009, concentrations of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in pot, averaged close to 10 percent in marijuana, compared with about 4 percent in the 1980s, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. An estimated 9 percent of people who try marijuana eventually become addicted, and the numbers are higher for those who start using pot when they are young. That's less than the addiction rates for nicotine or alcohol, but still significant.

"If marijuana legalization was about my old buddies at Berkeley smoking in People's Park once a week I don't think many of us would care that much," says Sabet, who helped to found Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a group that opposes legalization. "But it's not about that. It's really about creating a new industry that's going to target kids and target minorities and our vulnerable populations just like our legal industries do today."

___

So how bad, or good, is pot?

There are studies that set off medical alarm bells but also studies that support the safer-than-alcohol crowd and suggest promising therapeutic uses.

J. Michael Bostwick, a psychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic, set out to sort through more than 100 sometimes conflicting studies after his teenage son became addicted to pot. In a 22-page article for Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2012, he laid out the contradictions in U.S. policy and declared that "little about cannabis is straightforward."

"Anybody can find data to support almost any position," Bostwick says now.

For all of the talk that smoking pot is no big deal, Bostwick says, he determined that "it was a very big deal. There were addiction issues. There were psychosis issues. But there was also this very large body of literature suggesting that it could potentially have very valuable pharmaceutical applications but the research was stymied" by federal barriers.

Marijuana is a Schedule I drug under 1970 law, meaning the government deems it to have "no currently accepted medical use" and a "high potential for abuse." The only federally authorized source of marijuana for research is grown at the University of Mississippi, and the government tightly regulates its use. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says plenty of work with cannabis is ongoing, but Bostwick says federal restrictions have caused a "near-cessation of scientific research."

The American Medical Association opposes legalizing pot, calling it a "dangerous drug" and a public health concern. But it also is urging the government to review marijuana's status as a Schedule 1 drug in the interest of promoting more research.

*"The evidence is pretty clear that in 1970 the decision to make the drug illegal, or put it on Schedule I, was a political decision," says Bostwick. "And it seems pretty obvious in 2013 that states, making their decisions the way they are, are making political decisions. Science is not present in either situation to the degree that it needs to be."*

The National Institute on Drug Abuse's director, Dr. Nora Volkow, says that for all the potential dangers of marijuana, "cannabinoids are just amazing compounds, and understanding how to use them properly could be actually very beneficial therapeutically." But she worries that legalizing pot will result in increased use of marijuana by young people, and impair their brain development.

"You cannot mess around with the cognitive capacity of your young people because you are going to rely on them," she says. "Think about it: Do you want a nation where your young people are stoned?"

___

As state after state moves toward a more liberal approach to marijuana, the turnaround is drawing comparisons to shifting attitudes on gay marriage, for which polls find rapidly growing acceptance, especially among younger voters. That could point toward durable majority support as this population ages. Gay marriage is now legal in 12 states and Washington, D.C.

On marijuana, "we're having a hard time almost believing how fast public opinion is changing in our direction," says Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance.

But William Galston and E.J. Dionne, who co-wrote a paper on the new politics of marijuana for the Brookings Institution, believe marijuana legalization hasn't achieved a deep enough level of support to suggest a tipping point, with attitudes toward legalization marked by ambivalence and uncertainty.

"Compared with attitudes toward same-sex marriage, support for marijuana legalization is much less driven by moral conviction and much more by the belief that it is not a moral issue at all," they wrote.

No one expects Congress to change federal law anytime soon.

Partisans on both sides think people in other states will keep a close eye on the precedent-setting experiment underway in Colorado and Washington as they decide whether to give the green light to marijuana elsewhere.

"It will happen very suddenly," predicts the Cato Institute's Lynch. "In 10-15 years, it will be hard to find a politician who will say they were ever against legalization."

Sabet worries that things will move so fast that the negative effects of legalization won't yet be fully apparent when other states start giving the go-ahead to pot. He's hoping for a different outcome.

"I actually think that this is going to wake a lot of people up who might have looked the other way during the medical marijuana debate," he says. "In many ways, it actually might be the catalyst to turn things around."

Past predictions on pot have been wildly off-base, in both directions.

The 1972 commission that recommended decriminalizing marijuana speculated pot might be nothing more than a fad.

Then there's "Reefer Madness," the 1936 propaganda movie that pot fans rediscovered and turned into a cult classic in the 1970s. It labeled pot "The Real Public Enemy Number One!"

The movie spins a tale of dire consequences "leading finally to acts of shocking violence ... ending often in incurable insanity."

___

Associated Press writers Kristen Wyatt in Denver, Gene Johnson in Seattle, Lauran Neergaard in Washington and AP researcher Monika Mathur in Washington contributed to this report.


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://www.hightimes.com/read/ptsd-included-qualifying-condition-maine-medical-pot-law

*
hxxp://blog.norml.org/2013/06/27/maine-medical-marijuana-program-expanded-to-include-patients-with-ptsd-other-debilitating-disorders/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Maine:+Medical+Marijuana+Program+Expanded+To+Include+Patients+With+PTSD,+Other+Debilitating+Disorders*

***PTSD Included as Qualifying Condition in Maine Medical Pot Law*
By Mark Miller · Tue Jul 02, 2013

Last week the Maine legislature added post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of conditions that qualify to be treated legally with medical marijuana. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the bill amending the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act. The law passed without requiring the signature of Governor Paul LePage.

In addition to PTSD, inflammatory bowel disease, dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders, and other diseases causing severe and persistent muscle spasms may now be treated with medical cannabis.

Maine first legalized marijuana as medicine in 1999. And in 2009 the voter-approved Maine Medical Marijuana Act expanded the original law.

Rep Elizabeth Dickerson (D-Rockland) sponsored the new bill, aptly named &#8220;An Act To Add Conditions That Qualify for Medical Marijuana Use,&#8221; at the request of numerous U.S. military veterans. It will take effect this September.

The original version of the bill proposed marijuana as treatment for a very wide range of conditions including opioid dependence. However, the Maine Medical Association objected and the bill was changed.

More @ bangordailynews.com


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## N.E.wguy

hxxps://www.facebook.com/ASpousesStoryPTSD

*Do you know the signs of suicide?*

Suicide and suicidal thoughts are something that are very real to those with PTSD, and many times their loved ones as well. We all know PTSD is a struggle, a huge struggle, but it does not have to be the end of life.

*The number of suicides linked to PTSD per day are off the charts.* Many do not realize it is a battle that you CAN find help for and through. When you have these thoughts, reach out to someone, and as the other person recognize the signs that someone is reaching for help, the signs are there.

Suicidal thoughts bring many warning signs, in a lot of cases many words. They are not something to brush off until later, they are not something to take lightly, and all seriousness is much needed. I can not begin to tell you the grief and guilt one suffers when they &#8220;didn&#8217;t recognize the signs&#8221;. The &#8220;If I had&#8230;&#8221; I have heard from ones who have lost a loved one to suicide. It&#8217;s heartbreaking! It&#8217;s the &#8220;if I had known then what I know now&#8221;.

Anyone that lives life with someone who has PTSD, rather the person has experienced suicidal thoughts/actions or not to your knowledge, needs to be aware of the signs. With PTSD, you never know when those thoughts will show up, be prepared for them. *I personally do not know of many with PTSD that has not at least had the thought, it&#8217;s something that comes with suffering from PTSD.
*
*Warning signs:*

* Talking about death a lot or outright stating they want to die.

* Mentioning they have thought about dieing or would rather be dead.

* Stating they feel unwanted or asking why they are even here.

* Feeling unworthy.

* Stating there is nothing left worth living for.

* Attempting suicide in the past brings greater risk to those thoughts or actions happening again.

* Telling everyone close to them &#8220;good-bye&#8221;

* Alcohol or drug abuse can be a sign, it shows there is a struggle that they are having to rely on something else and having a difficult time being able to cope.

* Discarding their favorite possessions.

* Leaving notes for loved ones &#8220;in case I&#8217;m not around&#8230;&#8221;

* Tempting fate with high risk actions that could lead to death. Things out of their norm they are now doing, presenting lack of cautious to serious situations.

* Stating &#8220;I can&#8217;t do this anymore&#8221;.

* Putting financials, wills, etc in order more then normal.

* Extreme voicing or acting of hating themselves.

* Depression signs worse then normal.

* Constant weighing on guilt they feel to the point it&#8217;s hard for them to function.

* Caring for one who is suicidal can also cause the carer to feel hopeless and sometimes suicidal.

*There are many signs of suicidal thoughts/actions. These are just a few of the many. Many people who suffer from different forms of mental disorders/injuries as well as overwhelming stress will show some type of signs when suicide starts haunting them. Recognize the signs and reach out for help, and be there to help them. PTSD and other illnesses can make you feel very alone. Make sure others know you are there for them, there are so many things that can help them through these times an thoughts, use them.

If you are one who has suicidal thoughts, I know this battle within you is hard, the most difficult thing you have ever experienced, I know you feel alone, feel that no one cares, and/or feel that you would be better off not here on this earth. But I&#8217;m here to tell you, you are wrong! Even through the most loneliest hours, there is someone who cares, there is someone that you mean the world to, and there is a reason to live! Don&#8217;t give up on yourself. You are worth way more then that! Even if right now you don&#8217;t see it, there is life still and there is life with PTSD. Don&#8217;t stop fighting, never stop fighting!

Know there are people who do care, this is not something you have to go through alone. Talk to someone, reach your hand out for help, and know YOU are worth fighting this and life IS worth living!

My heart goes out to all of you! YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT! Don&#8217;t forget that!*

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;



*When you are not located in the same area as one with PTSD*

This is a very emotionally difficult one, and many are or have gone through this. It could be you live in a different location, or one with PTSD or maybe even PTSD symptoms are deployed. The distance can be very difficult when you are trying to be there for someone, or as the one with PTSD, need someone. So let's go over a few different things concerning this.

How to know if someone may be suffering from a distance.

The signs will be there! You just have to have the knowledge of what to look for. One that might have PTSD or one that does, may break lines of communication at times. This is the most frightening thing to a loved one. You aren't sure if they are okay, you aren't sure if they need you, you can't get in touch with them no matter how hard you try, and you could easily go into a panic yourself.

Breaks in communication are actually normal for one with PTSD. Not that it's a great thing for either of you, but it can or does happen. One with PTSD sometimes just want their space and want to be left alone. It can be due to them trying to cope by themselves, not wanting to be a burden on others, or just don't want you to see what they might be going through. The largest time this can happen is normally around anniversary date(s) of when their trauma happened. Sometimes, they may not even know these dates themselves, but you can very well figure them out by the quietness or lack of communication. It can also occur around holidays, especially if they experience survivor's guilt.

This is one of those stuck between a rock and a hard place situations. With knowing what PTSD can bring, and knowing the suicide rate is high, you want to know they are safe.

It's okay during this time to send them a text message or email, it's okay to call and leave them a message. But you can't be harassing while doing this or they could very well pull away from you. Sending some form of communication will allow one to know you are there for them, and if they are having a hard time it reminds them you are there. And most of all, don't let your emotions of worry turn into anger. When they do finally contact you back you don't want to show anger towards them.

Now, to the ones with PTSD, it's okay to reply back and simply say "I just need to be alone right now, I'll get back to you." That let's them know you are okay but at the same time can give you the room you need. And if you are indeed thinking of self harm, grab their hand when they reach out to you and let them help!!

What if you are concerned that someone may have PTSD.

This is tough, you are not physically there but just have that gut feeling. What are the signs to look for?

* Lack of communication

* Change in personality when you talk to them

* Not remembering something you have talked about before, beyond normal forgetfulness.

* Being argumentative more then normal.

* Seeming depressed beyond what a person would experience just from a bad day.

* Seeming paranoid about everything

* Personality or the way they talk seems to bounce all over the place and not an even personality, without outside influence.

* Sounding of more anxiety or stressed beyond what a situation would normally have.

* Complaining of headaches more then the normal.

* Talking about financial issues beyond what they should be experiencing, even spending money when they normally wouldn't.

* Being angry at the world one second then okay the next, which seems to become routine.

* Talking a lot about the past or something that happened that seems to be weighing on them.

* Talk of self harm or how they should not be alive or should not have lived. (Refer to my posting, knowing the signs of suicide)

* Asking you "what should I do...", decrease in decision making.

* Physical health issues. There are many physical issues that can co-occur with PTSD. If you notice these starting it could very well be another sign of PTSD being at hand.

* They stop going out like they use to or even put off going to the store when they need to.

These are just a few examples, but it gives you an idea of things you can see without actually being there with them. These things can be picked up on in conversations, text messages, emails, they are still signs that can be noticed even with physical distance between you.

Another thing that can greatly help when there is distance is video call/chat. Technology can work to both of your advantages when it comes to this. It doesn't matter if you are the one needing the support or the one offering it, both can use this and make the physical distance feel a little closer. 

One with PTSD or may have PTSD needs your support! The first thing you need to do is learn about PTSD and what comes with it. By doing this it will help keep miscommunication and arguments down, or them shutting you out... and teach you what you can do to help instead of hinder. You don't have to be living with the person or in their local area to notice signs or offer help. The bottom line is, no matter what the distance may be, one with PTSD needs your support and a support system. And it may be you that convince them to get the professional help they need.

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"
Story...P


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## N.E.wguy

*
PTSD and Things you might not think about.*

We know the text book definition and symptoms of PTSD, but what about the other things? What else can come (co-occur) with PTSD?

* Depression

* Habit forming behaviors (such as checking locks, windows, doors, biting fingernails, shaking of the legs...)

* Cognitive functioning/ Memory problems

* Addiction (such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, video games)

* Physical Health problems. (listed individually)

* Heart disease

* Weight gain

* Heart palpitations

* Diabetes

* Physical Reactions/damage from medications

* Bed wetting

* Low self-esteem/self worth

* Hallucinations

* Trouble finding or keeping a job

* Relationship issues

* Difficulty concentrating and/or making decisions

* Upset stomach/Digestive problems

* Headaches

* Tightness in chest

* Rapid breathing

* Feeling jittery/agitated

* Sexual issues (reduced sex drive and/or lack of wanting or enjoying. Both men and women)

* Physical aches/pains

* Guilt, shame, or self-blame

* Feeling hopeless or helpless

* Lack of trusting or feeling betrayal

* Loss of interest in things that use to be important to you

* Isolating one's self from others, even loved ones

* Sleep Apnea

* Reproductive related problems

* Dissociative symptoms

* Self-harm

* Physical or verbal/mental abuse to others

WOW! And that's sure not a complete list. There are many things that can come with or from PTSD. Learning what those things are and information about each symptom, physical or mental, one with PTSD can or does have can help you cope better and handle things to the best possible level. Even if one does have one or many of these symptoms, there is hope and things can be done to help.

Getting help for PTSD at early stages can greatly help in preventing many things from happening or starting. If one has already had PTSD for some time, you still need to get help so the days that follow can be better then what you may be experiencing right now.

*This is your life! Reach for the help you need, lean on others, use your support system, seek professional help, and know that life IS worth living, even with PTSD! You are the "best of the best", don't allow PTSD to take that away from you. 
*
~Bec
"A Spouse's

*Learning about Triggers.*

Many when they hear the word "trigger" automatically think of sights and sounds to which one with PTSD responds to.

*Fact is**, triggers don't stop there! Triggers can be set off by any of the body's sensory system. Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch. Anything that is from the physical world transferred to the mind.*

So when you are focusing on what triggers someone, never stop with sight and sounds. Triggers can come from anything which was experienced at the time of "what happened" that caused PTSD.

Examples:

* Weather conditions.

This could be storms, heat, cold, humidity...

* The taste of a food. 

This is something I have found common with the Vietnam era. Certain taste of foods can be linked to triggers.

* Vibrations.

These can be related to accidents... cars, trains, planes, military such as helicopters and flight decks of ships and ships themselves, storms...

* Smell.

The smell of fuels, fireworks can be linked to combat smells, smell of certain foods or places that were present at the time of the trauma...

*Sound.

Sounds can have an endless list also... clicking, radio noises such as from headsets, car backfire, crackling from a fireplace...

* Touch.

The feel of a fabric, or certain fluids, a physical touch from another person, a breeze on your face or sun...

So when trying to pin down what triggers a person in order for them to learn techniques to cope the best they can with their triggers, you have to think about all of the senses involved with the mind. You might just notice things you never realized before. A trigger is caused by "something", they don't just come out of the blue with no meaning behind them. When you find the meanings or what triggers are, you can find ways of getting through them better then before. 

~Bec


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD vs Outside Negative Influence*

This is huge! Anyone that has PTSD probably has heard their doctor say &#8220;Try to avoid additional stress.&#8221; Or something along those lines. Keeping a calm, stable environment is pretty important when it comes to PTSD and coping with it.

Hard one to do isn&#8217;t it? I mean, this is real life which comes with stressful situations.

There are many situations in life where it is just not possible. Sometimes you are put in a position where you have to face it and handle it accordingly. Lay the facts on the table and do what you have to in order to get the situation handled/solved and move on. Don&#8217;t hold on to negative situations&#8230; when you do they are just going to eat at you and bring you down, flair up your PTSD symptoms, as well as depression if you also suffer from it. Don&#8217;t let them run your life.

Work with the facts.

What can you do right now this minute?

If there is nothing you can do right now this minute then try not to dwell on it. When the time comes to handle it, then be prepared for it but don&#8217;t allow it to run your life every second of every day. Pace yourself and don&#8217;t get ahead of yourself with the what if&#8217;s and but&#8217;s. When you allow this to happen, many times your mind thought process will leave from the facts at hand and everything will start to consume you and your life. Don&#8217;t allow this to happen!

Then there are others who like to push your buttons so to speak&#8230; which is nothing less then cruel! Especially when they know there is a disability at hand.

But I hate to say this happens oh too often. Some people are going to try to break you, weigh you down, try to put you in a worse condition then you are already battling&#8230; normally for their own personal gain or due to their own issues in life. A bully, that&#8217;s really all they are. Someone who is not happy with their own life so they pick on someone else.

Don&#8217;t let them! Life already has enough that comes with it without you allowing other people to get at you. When these times come, and sooner or later they will come, focus on who you are and don&#8217;t let their words or actions tear you down. You are better then that and obviously a better person then they are!

So what do you do?

* Stick with the facts of the situation.

* Don&#8217;t let the &#8220;what could happen&#8221; weigh you down.

* Handle things accordingly as they come and don&#8217;t let them consume you and your life.

* Don&#8217;t allow negative people over rule who you really are or cause you to question yourself.

* Use coping skills in stressful situations.

* Make a plan of action for situations you know are coming. Set a pace and timeline for you to do things to prepare for it so it does not consume your life every second of every day.

* Don&#8217;t allow a situation to take over your time you need to focus on yourself and take care of yourself.

* Talk to someone close to you or your doctor when stressful things are weighing on you. Just talking to someone can help.

* Seek professional help in situations where a professional can take added stress off of you rather it is a financial adviser, a lawyer, a doctor, or even a housekeeper or lawn maintenance person.

* Avoid negative people if you have to.

PTSD can be stressful by itself, then adding stress that comes with everyday life to it is at times difficult. Do what you know is best in or for your situation and most of all for YOU! You spend a lot of time and energy being the best you can be with living life with PTSD, don&#8217;t allow additional things damage how far you have come!

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD and Dissociation (Dissociative Symptoms)*

I will be right up front on this one, if your loved one with PTSD does experience these symptoms, this is going to be the hardest part of PTSD to wrap your head around! You NEED to learn about this.

As I mentioned the other day, the DSM-5 has now included dissociative symptoms to PTSD. These are something that you may see in many cases of PTSD and it is important to understand them.

*I want to start by saying right up front, dissociation/symptoms does not mean a person experiences the symptoms of it ALL of the time. It does NOT mean they are a bad person. It means there is indeed a "why" to things which may be happening.*

*Many times with PTSD people act in ways that &#8220;are not themselves&#8221; AT TIMES.* Things that don't add up from the basic symptoms of PTSD. This is one of the hardest things to get your head around, so to speak. Especially when you knew that person before PTSD and what they were like, how they acted or didn&#8217;t act, their morals, etc. in comparison to now. AGAIN, this is not something that is experienced 24/7, this can happen to the most loving, caring, respected people there are, and can happen from a trigger or when they are overwhelmed, rhyme and reasons to when this may happen do not always fit with this so to speak.. it seems to normal happen during high stress situations but not limited to those times.

In all my years being around PTSD, I have heard the term &#8220;dissociated&#8221; used once in awhile and even seen it in medical reports, &#8220;dissociative symptoms&#8221;, however it&#8217;s never been explained to us and never pointed out as something to really think about or look into, it&#8217;s been one of those &#8220;just another term&#8221; used.

So I started doing more research into it. I&#8217;m by no means an expert on the topic but found it may bring a lot of understanding to others by having/knowing this information. If it was not explained to us, I&#8217;m sure there are many others that might be in the same boat.

Now, mind you, there is a lot to this and many different levels, also not everyone with PTSD may suffer with this as well. But it might be a huge light bulb to many. Again, I&#8217;m not a doctor or in any medical field&#8230; I&#8217;m just another spouse of one with PTSD. So I do advise you to do your research and talk with your doctor on this subject if you or a loved one feels this might be something you may be experiencing.

Let&#8217;s start with what &#8220;dissociation&#8221; is. 

&#8220;Your sense of reality and who you are depend on your feelings, thoughts, sensations, perceptions and memories. If these become &#8216;disconnected&#8217; from each other, or don&#8217;t register in your conscious mind, your sense of identity, your memories, and the way you see things around you will change. This is what happens during dissociation.&#8221; -mind.org.uk

Everyone can experience dissociation to one extreme or another. It could be something as simple as getting "lost" within a movie where you feel you are there experiencing it yourself for example, daydreaming, while driving a common route not realizing how far you have gone or what was along the way to where you are now. So this is common with everyone to some extent.

However there are more serious cases which involve one who has suffered a trauma rather it&#8217;s child abuse, a natural disaster, combat, assault, etc. All the traumas linked to PTSD.

Dissociation is a psychological term used when one suffers a mental absence from reality. Even though dissociation is not considered a mental disorder in every case, ones with PTSD as well as acute stress disorder, and conversion disorder (what Craig was originally diagnosed with) can have the symptoms of dissociation.

The human brain stores traumatic events/memories in a different way then normal memories in some cases. With dissociation, the memories are what they refer to as &#8220;split off&#8221; and can surface from time to time or triggered into consciousness without warning. Over time there are two sets of memories, normal and trauma, which parallel each other without coming together, and the person does not have control over them or when they surface. In extreme dissociation cases it can lead to multiple personalities (DID: Dissociative Identity Disorder), however again, there are different levels of dissociation and not all are to that extreme even though this seems to be very commonly related to traumatic events. And, just to note, dissociation does not mean you are crazy! It means your brain is handling things in a different way. In a way that it is &#8220;protecting&#8221; you.

Now I will say, a lot of research has been based off of childhood development (some type of trauma that happened normally before the age of 9 years old) however, there have been newer studies (2012) showing that dissociation can very well form as an adult not related to the development stage of one&#8217;s youth, due to a trauma as an adult such as combat.

Let&#8217;s jump to some of the largest subjects I see and to examples of dissociation. You know when you say "he/she isn't acting like themselves" or "why did they do that, they would have never done that"...

One thing I hear from others a lot... &#8220;He/She&#8217;s a pathological liar&#8221; 

Oh there&#8217;s one of the largest misconceptions with PTSD! Which could in a lot of cases be linked to dissociation. I commonly refer to it as &#8220;filling in the blanks&#8221; when one with PTSD does not recall the truth or what really happened. So, many times will &#8220;fill in the blanks&#8221; with what they believe is real or facts. Again, this does NOT happen all of the time, it only occurs when dissociation occurs which can be random or triggered by something.

Here is what actually happens.

The difference between one that lies, because we all know there are ones that do just lie out there, and one that dissociates, is ones that dissociate believe what they are saying as the truth, the &#8220;lies&#8221; are emotionally accurate to them based on what they are feeling rather there are accurate facts involved or not.

The one that dissociates sometimes believe feelings over the actual facts, what they feel at that very moment becomes facts to them. Then when their mood changes they might very well rearrange facts to be more consistent with the way they feel. Thus leading to others viewing them as &#8220;the liar who&#8217;s story changed.&#8221;

One that truly lies, knows they lied, they know and understand what actually happened or why they lied. See the difference now?

Then comes the confrontation! When one that dissociates is faced with hard evidence of what actually took place. This relates to my saying &#8220;they will fight to their death they didn&#8217;t lie.&#8221; In truth, because to them, they didn&#8217;t! Their &#8220;truth&#8221; is based on their feelings of what they feel is real, and not always to the hard facts.

However, there is hope in these situations. If the hard evidence is enough, one can adjust their opinions and views to see the facts before them. I hate to say, with PTSD this can very well bring on the fight or flight, so watch how this is handled and handle it as calmly as possible. An example of the &#8220;twisted truth&#8221; could be money they spent and swear they didn&#8217;t spend it. But in fact there are bank or credit cards records to prove the hard facts, but in their true belief they did did not spend a dime. In this example the hard evidence might or might not appear as facts to them. If not, save it for later when they are not in a dissociative state.

I hate to say, dissociation can be very destructive to those who suffer from it as well as those close to them. Dissociation goes beyond the common errors, self-indulgent denial, or fantasy. It can be very pervasive without a logical explanation or conclusion and can harm your quality of life in many ways. Dissociation can make one appear very irrational, illogical, and cause them to shrug off important things as if they don&#8217;t exist as well as have a false reality to things that don&#8217;t exist. False memories can form, be altered, or even rearranged at any given time, dissociation also comes with memory lapses or gaps in the memory forming a sense of memory issues to appear and they can also have amnesia where nothing is remembered at all.

Some examples include:

* Telling a story multiple times, but the facts in the story changes.

* They might mirror someone&#8217;s else&#8217;s story or experience as if were their own.

* Opposite, they might view their own story or experience as if it were someone else&#8217;s.

* When confronted with facts they may ignore them or swear they are not true or real. (Such as spending money)

* They might commit an immoral or unethical act and refuse to believe they did it. (Such as cheating) When in fact it is not something in their character to do.

* They might not remember an important event which happened or other times recall/speak of something that didn&#8217;t really take place.

This all can be very frustrating or frightening to someone who lives with a person who dissociates&#8230; can you imagine how the one who does experience it feels??? I can imagine the word &#8220;lost&#8221; comes to mind.

When one is dissociating, it is hard for a loved one to have a logical argument, persuasion and reasoning will very rarely come into play. And it&#8217;s not something that they are going to just &#8220;snap out of&#8221;, just like with PTSD itself. If you refer to your loved one with the &#8220;Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde&#8221; theory, you might just have a little more then PTSD at hand. So it&#8217;s something to really think about and look into, because it is very real. In other words, they are not making this up!


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## N.E.wguy

*Dissociation can also be a part of why people walk away from you or your loved one. It goes back to one believing you are telling lies. Stories can change and people can start not trusting what you say. They normally won&#8217;t confront you on things, they just simply stop coming around. One of the hardest things in life when in reality you both need a support system. If dissociation does come along with your PTSD, it might be best to explain it to others so your support system stays in place. It is something very difficult to understand, but very much a need to know situation.

One important thing to keep in mind. Remember that the person who experiences dissociation does not realize what they are doing when these episodes happen. As a loved one, don&#8217;t try to get back at them for what they did or said, when they are in this state don&#8217;t argue with them&#8230; agree to disagree and talk about it another time. It goes back to what we are taught&#8230; will that effect me 5 years from now, 10 years from now, is there really an urgency to discuss it right now this moment when they are not going to be able to be rational about the conversation? Sometimes you are going to be better off to address a topic later when they are not dissociative, or if not urgent just let it go!*

You may also struggle with memory lapses or fragmented memory. This can play a huge toll on everyday life, work, school, and relationships. You might forget something you studied, a learned skill, appointments, etc. and also leads and adds to feelings of being disconnected form others. It can bring that feeling of floating outside of yourself wondering who that person is you are looking at, the &#8220;this is not reality&#8221; feeling. It can cause you to be confused, and can even cause you to become unsure about boundaries between yourself and others.

Like I said there is a lot more that goes with this then I could possibly write here, but this will give you a bases to start learning from and let you know that this might be a possibility in your situation. There are many different levels of dissociation from minor, even normal, to severe, and many more details.

Now, there is something different here then with PTSD itself, there have been reports showing that dissociation is or can be &#8220;curable&#8221; in many cases. So if this is something that you feel has become a part of your life, please contact your doctor and see what they feel or what they feel will help.

*The whole key to me writing this boils down to &#8220;don&#8217;t jump to conclusions&#8221;! If your loved one is not acting like themselves, the person you know, then find out why! PTSD is caused by a trauma and affects one in many ways, but with that trauma might come other things as well. Dissociation is a form of &#8220;guarding&#8221; one&#8217;s self, survival so to speak, which is not controlled by them, and may very well come with PTSD.*


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## N.E.wguy

*Living with a person who has a Mental Illness/Disorder*

You know everything I post has a true meaning behind it. And this one, well, this one hits the heart strings for me more then you can begin to imagine.

I am seeing a huge problem in families. I'm seeing fingers pointed and blame being placed, I'm seeing families falling apart or have huge struggles, I'm seeing things that will tear your heart to pieces.

I hope EVERY single one of you will take the time to read this, you don't have to like it, you don't have to share it... unless you choose to, but I ask that you just simply read it and really think deeply and with your heart about what I am saying.

I have some sort of communication with literally thousands of people every day. I am posting this with a great deal of knowledge, understanding, and I don't take sides... I say it with "facts on the table".

I want you to ask yourself an honest question...
"I'm I being fair with my judgments I am doing or have made?"

I know that's a very hard question to swallow. I know the tears it can bring and the hurt that can be included in facing that question, but I also know that until you face it, there's a chance you are going to cause your world and your family's world to turn upside down and then some.

There are many people, and I'm not judging anyone, facts on the table here... there are many people that are being harshly quick to judge or point fingers at their family member that suffers from a mental illness. Why? Because they do not understand it therefore do not know how to cope and live life beside it.

*And I am not only referring to PTSD here. I'm talking about ANY mental disorder/illness. Bipolar, Depression, Anxiety, OCD, Dissociative Disorder, etc etc etc.* ( I being N.E.guy, have PTSD, Agoraphobia, Bipolar 1, Depression, Anxiety, Mania and honestly that's just to date..)

Living beside someone who suffers from any mental disorder is hard, I will be the first one to tell you that. It's not going to be easy. There's not a quick fix or a pill to solve the problem. It's not just going to go away either. But things can get better then they are right now.

But I also know that your loved one who suffers from whatever the disorder might be, also did not ask for it! It might be something they inherited, it might be due to a trauma that happened to them, and so on. But they did not ask for it. Just as a person who fights cancer or a person who is blind or a person who has no arms or legs did not ask for that to be a part of their life, neither did one who suffers mentally.

When you chose for them to be a part of your life, didn't you choose them for a good reason? That reason has not changed. They are still that same person. You accepted them for who they are, the characteristics they have, the connection and love between the two of you...

Just because someone has a mental illness does not mean those things are lost. There are too many that are jumping to saying "this is not fair to me" or "I can't handle this anymore" or "I've been unhappy for way too long", etc. Sometimes that is a fair statement, so I won't disrespect that. However in many cases it is simply a statement because you do not understand how to cope or live life beside and with someone who suffers.

It is real easy to blame the one with the mental condition for all of the problems. I see it happen every day. 

So I have to ask an honest question. Have you taken the time to look at yourself? Look in the mirror and really ask yourself "Have I REALLY tried everything?" Very rarely is an issue a one sided problem. You really have to look at the big picture and accept when you yourself might be wrong. I guarantee you the one with the mental illness is not always the one that is wrong. No one is perfect, and if you think you are then you are living in a fantasy world with blinders on.

Think about:

-How are you acting? 
-How are you responding to them? 
-What are you doing to help?
-Are you actually helping?
-Have you accepted their illness?
-Have you learned about their illness so you know how to live beside it?
-Have you been to therapy yourself?
-Have you yourself learned coping skills so you can handle things mental illness can bring?
-Have you received counseling together?
-Are you giving them a fair, and I mean honestly fair chance?
-Are you noticing and excepting when your loved one does or is trying to better themselves?
-Are you the one that's angry and not coping with it well?

There's a long list of questions you can ask yourself, what I said is a very short list of things to think about in honesty.

Have you stopped placing blame on the person you love and realized it's not them to place blame on? It's not them that you can blame, they did not ask for this, it's again something that happened to them. Something that was out of their control. 

Have you honestly looked at yourself and said "Hey, I know they have this illness but what am I doing or maybe I'm the one not acting right or may have something wrong... or maybe I'm the one that is wrong this time." 

Maybe you are overwhelmed with their illness, maybe you do suffer from anxiety, walking on eggshells, caregiver stress, and you might have developed your own symptoms from what the two of you have been through. But have you faced that might be a possibility and have you faced how to get through it... and together?

Life is yours to choose. You decide what happens to you and your family. You choose if you will stay or walk away. And those things are not things I will sit here and tell you to do or not to do. That's your choice to make. But I will ask you to look at the big picture first and make sure whatever decision you make is the right one for your situation, and there is still no guarantee it will be the right one. Life does not come with us knowing the whole story up front, there's no flipping to the end of a book to read what the ending is going to be. But I will tell you that life is not perfect and it's not a fairy tale story of white picket fences and happy everythings. Life comes with trials and errors. It's what you choose to do with them when they come that will make the difference. 

Just really think about this please.


*There IS still life with PTSD!*

*You know, each and every one of you is important! I know PTSD does not always allow you to see it, but you are. PTSD can and does make you feel worthless, a burden, like you are not a good person, like you don&#8217;t deserve love or family or friends, it can make you feel like for some reason you are being punished, like you would be better off just being alone. But you know what? That&#8217;s just PTSD talking and wanting you to believe that. 

I know PTSD is not fair, you feel that it takes your life away from you&#8230; and in many ways it does. But it&#8217;s not the end. Each and every one of you that suffers from PTSD has something very special to offer the world&#8230; knowledge, understanding, humbleness, compassion, respect&#8230; the list is endless.

PTSD does indeed change you, but what can you do with that change? A lot! You just have to recognize it, see the good in things, and make the good out of it.

I know I&#8217;ve said this before, and I&#8217;m sure I will say it a thousand more times. If it were not for ALL of you, I don&#8217;t know personally where I would be. I don&#8217;t know if I would have made it through life... I don&#8217;t know if my my children would have grown the way they have secure, healthy, balanced, as well as educated on unseen disabilities&#8230; which in turn helps the future. There are many things that all of you have helped with understanding.

Each story and life that comes adds a little more education, knowledge to everything else. Different circumstances, situations, and ways of life. Nothing here is based around one single person or one situation, but instead is the big picture.

We lean on each other, help each other, turn to each other, share with each other&#8230; and the end result? Life is worth living and making it through, there&#8217;s &#8220;family&#8221; here even through the loneliest feeling times PTSD brings.

So today, focus on the good. Focus on how YOU have indeed helped someone, so if you did not know you did&#8230; then I just told you&#8230; which means you ARE worth something. Look for the good as I say it, it&#8217;s there, somewhere hidden in the shadows of PTSD, but it&#8217;s there&#8230; find it. I truly believe that everyone has a purpose in life, it might not have gone like you wanted it to, but there&#8217;s still a purpose there, don&#8217;t lose sight of that. Because we ALL need you!*


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## N.E.wguy

*Secondary PTSD*

Just to note upfront, secondary PTSD is very controversial. There are many doctors who have different opinions on this topic and many people view &#8220;what&#8221; secondary PTSD is differently. I&#8217;m not a doctor or in the medical field and the following comes from my research on the subject. Secondary PTSD is a form of PTSD itself. *Also, one living with a person with PTSD can also develop PTSD.* 

Many have asked about this, many believe they suffer from this, but&#8230; many are misdiagnosed.

Secondary PTSD has a specific set of symptoms, that many times become confused with other things which leads to a misdiagnoses. There are also things such as caregiver stress and stress related to the person&#8217;s own traumatic events which may play a huge role in this, causing one to believe or think they are experiencing secondary PTSD when in reality they may have their own PTSD.

Secondary PTSD contains many of the same symptoms as PTSD does, however, a person with secondary PTSD has not experienced the trauma their loved one did. Here&#8217;s where the difference comes with secondary PTSD.

One with secondary PTSD will experience:

* Avoidance of things, people, and places that are related to the one with PTSD&#8217;s trauma to the extent it seems like it is their own trauma.

* Have nightmares/terrors related to the one with PTSD&#8217;s trauma, but the nightmares/terrors are not from a trauma of their own.

* Anxiety, panic, uneasiness, much the same as one with PTSD but are based around issues related to the one with PTSD&#8217;s trauma and triggers, not their own.

* Irritability and mood changes and/or attention.

* Change, increase or decrease, in sleep and/or appetite.

All of these are based off of the one with PTSD&#8217;s trauma and not one you personally experienced. Ones who are caregivers or living in a home with one that suffers from PTSD can develop secondary PTSD, OR may develop/reactivate your own PTSD, however ones outside the home are less likely if any to develop it.

Secondary PTSD comes from mirroring the one with PTSD. Kind of like re-experiencing their trauma as your own. You have listened to the one with PTSD, what happened to them, details of the trauma, know their triggers, and in trying to help them avoid things which can trigger their PTSD you in a way start living their trauma as if it were your own. You start experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, etc when, say for example you hear a helicopter. The sound and vibration sets you, yourself off instead of you just being cautious of it possibly setting the one with PTSD off. Same with nightmares, this is a huge sign in my opinion of secondary PTSD, you start dreaming their trauma, you place yourself in that experience as if it were your own. Basically your brain has altered their experience(s) from what you have heard or know about the trauma, and now relates to them as if you were the one who went through the trauma.

See the difference between secondary PTSD and caregiver stress now/or your own PTSD from your own trauma? As a caregiver you can still experience the symptoms of PTSD, however you don&#8217;t &#8220;own&#8221; them, you are more cautious of/to them rather then them becoming your own.

I know someone is going to ask so I will go ahead and say it. What about me? Yes, I have personally had the words &#8220;secondary PTSD&#8221; said to me, however I do not believe I have secondary PTSD. I am cautious to his triggers and everything else that comes with his PTSD, however his PTSD has not become my own based off of his trauma. I do not experience nightmares of his trauma or get triggered myself by his triggers.

However, I do believe I most likely fall into the category (due to the additional stress that his PTSD brought before we understood what it was), of my own form of PTSD surfacing from my own past traumas (re-activated PTSD). BUT, knowing what I have learned about PTSD since that time, I am fully functioning and can maintain my own symptoms as well as know what I need to do if symptoms start. Some of the events which have happened since his PTSD has added to my own, not his fault by any means, but something that has happened, but are managed. Have I been diagnosed with PTSD, no. If it is PTSD, it's mild in comparison to others and managed.

Being knowledgeable about PTSD myself has given me the skills I need to maintain my own traumas I experienced in the past. So, when I say it&#8217;s good to hear and know both sides of the fence of PTSD, it&#8217;s pretty literally spoken. 

No matter where you sit on the PTSD scale or as a caregiver or loved one to PTSD, make sure you educate yourself, work together, and communicate. I know for a fact that having knowledge can help both of you in the future and very much help you if or when your own symptoms develop&#8230; and when/if they do, your ability to manage them.


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD and Hyper-vigilance*

This can be a VERY difficult one! You are trying to keep up a normal schedule, doing things that PTSD does not want to let you do, trying to keep up with what others expect of you, all of the symptoms that come with it. It can become overwhelming in many cases and can send one into high speed.

*Sometimes you have to slow down and make sure you notice what it is doing to you... or even those around you. 

But first you have to understand what might be at hand...

You may be experiencing hyper-vigilance. *

This is when you may experience an increase in scanning everything around you, an increased feeling of needing to look for threats, scanning of every person, place, sound, site, smell, even human behaviors... it's an increase to the sensory sensitivity and includes behaviors forming for the purpose of detecting threats. It can lead to increased anxiety and that alone can wear you out and cause you to become tired or exhausted.
*
Hyper-vigilance can cause you to focus so much on possible threats that you lose connection to those around you and/or family members. It can cause you to over react to loud noises or even cause you to have difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep. It can cause you to avoid crowds or even making it out of your home.*

Basically it puts you on high alert which leads to high speed.

Now the hard part. If you don't learn to control or cope with this to a certain point, it could become dangerous if the right, or should I say wrong, situation presents itself.

*As an example, Driving is a common time this can happen. I'm using this example because it is the one I hear about the most, but by all means not the only time it can be experienced. I'm not saying one that suffers from this can't drive by any means, I'm just saying you have to use more caution then one that does not suffer from it. See, it causes you to watch everything and very well could sway your attention away from your actual driving, it could cause you to drive faster then you should be, or over react to things while driving. This could become dangerous to you, your passengers, as well as others on the road.*

So using that example, what can you do to make the situation better?

* Pull off the road and take a few minutes to regroup so you can focus back on how you are driving.

* If you have a passenger that can also drive, consider allowing them to drive until you are in a better position to.

* Use your coping skills!

* Admit when you driving may be more then you can handle at that time. Again, it doesn't mean you can't drive, it just means right now at this moment maybe it's not the best option.

* If you know when you start to leave you are in "overdrive", don't get behind the wheel to begin with. Allow help from someone else.

* Listen and do not dismiss others if they make comments they are not comfortable with your driving at that moment. Don't get upset at them, they are trying to help and point out what you yourself might not be noticing, listen and work through it.

* Pace yourself. Don't take on more then you can handle. And family members, YOU have to let them! Don't overwhelm them with more then they can handle at that moment. Expectations can weigh huge with anything that comes with PTSD, be cautious and don't push too hard to where it increases levels in PTSD symptoms beyond what they can cope with.

Noticing the signs that you are experiencing hyper-vigilance at that moment or what someone else nicely (and I mean do it nicely) is pointing out to you, it can help save you and others from unneeded tension, hurt feelings, or even a serious situation later.
*
I know we have a rule, if hyper-vigilance is up then you don't get behind the wheel or you pull over and let someone else drive. And it can sure keep you out of getting a speeding ticket too.  It seems that in many cases when that feeling of alert or high threat goes up, that peddle gets pushed down more then it should be.  Avoiding this or learning to control/cope with this can help tremendously!

It does not make you any less of a person, it makes you a more responsible person when you handle a situation in the best interest of everyone... including yourself. So don't take it harshly. It's going to happen, it does come with PTSD, and it's just another one of those things you have to learn to cope through the best you can.

There are many situations that hypervigilance can become a part of, again my example is just one example and it's by no means limited to only that one.*


----------



## N.E.wguy

*PTSD vs Verbal (Abuse)*

I have had quite a few people come to me lately regarding this and how I personally handle(d) it. So I want to start by reminding you I am in no way a doctor and what worked for us might not be the correct things to do in every situation.

*First thing you need to know, your PTSD loved one loves you, if they didn&#8217;t they wouldn&#8217;t be there. Verbal abuse in most cases is not how they would normally have acted towards you, so they sure are NOT meaning to do this to you now!*

During the times of verbal abuse, I did not have anyone to guide me, I kept trying different things and continuing to educate myself on PTSD until I found what worked for us.

*Verbal abuse is very common with PTSD. I believe it happens to those closest to the one with PTSD because that is the person they trust the most, the one there with them. The person they know they can turn to, and the person they know cares about them. Also the person that they know they have always been able to be themselves around. Just to say that up front.*

*My belief is verbal abuse happens when PTSD is what I call &#8220;out of control&#8221;**. When they do not know or understand how to cope with the feelings they are experiencing, what is going on within themselves, not being able to cope with changes, feelings, and emotions or lack of, their medications if they are taking them might be out of balance, they may not know or be using coping skills&#8230; or not using them enough when needed, which leads to the anger and frustration PTSD brings being let out on the one(s) closest to them. The fight that PTSD &#8220;needs&#8221; in order to release those feelings of anger and frustration as I say it. These also seem to be the times when many with PTSD turn to alcohol, porn, or even drugs in some cases. Anything that can &#8220;seem&#8221; to help them cope. To me, it&#8217;s a cry for help.
*
BUT, there is hope! These things can be controlled with time, effort, self-help, professional help, family support, and a lot of good communication!

To understand why verbal abuse is there, you have to step back and figure out what is causing it, what signs are there? This obviously isn&#8217;t the way this person would normally be towards others.

Common signs that help is needed:

* Alcohol, drug, porn increased use or not normal for them to do but they are now.
* Addiction to video games has become very common for many.
* Avoiding a loved one much more then normal.
* Constantly picking the fight.
* Being critical of little things which should not hold huge issues.
* Throwing things or even taking anger out on objects.
* Becoming physically abusive.
* Picking or looking for a fight with other people, strangers.
* Road rage.

Those are just a few examples other then the verbal abuse itself.
*
Verbal abuse can weigh heavily on one or even on a family. It will bring you down, cause loss of self-esteem, cause emotional issues with the person on the receiving end of it, cause conflict, etc. It can very easily end a relationship.

It took me a long time to figure out, I had to get to the root of things in order for changes to happen. Once I did figure it out, then I started trying different things until something worked for us. He was not able to cope, he wasn&#8217;t able to notice what he was doing or how he was acting/speaking, to him all of the negative things that were coming out did not exist. I had to find a way to stop PTSD and what it was bringing to us in it&#8217;s tracks so he could focus and learn to cope. I had to accept the fact that he was in a place where he could not help himself and yes, it was on me to help him. All of this was PTSD, not the true him.*

*Please note again, these things may not work for everyone, or you might not have a situation where you are in a position to use these, and I advise you to seek professional help and NEVER put yourself in harms way!
*
Our part of the story&#8230;

In the beginning I would fight back, I am not one to just take personal attacks lightly, no one I don&#8217;t care who they are speaks to me that way. But you know what, that was not working out too well! It was leading to arguments which were totally out of the norm for us. It was causing more chaos, hurt feelings, avoidance of each other, and this could not continue, it was not us!

So I tried something different, when verbal abuse would start I would sit and listen. I would not interrupt and I would not really say anything at all. And I kept in mind and forced myself not to take what was being said personally.

Just to note: This by no means, means verbal abuse is acceptable or you are suppose to just take it, it&#8217;s not acceptable and has to stop.

I would sit and honestly listen to what was coming out of his mouth. Always keeping in mind that he had never talked to me this way before, so I knew this was caused by PTSD and not his true self. I would hear the anger, frustration, and most of all I could hear and see the internal pain he was experiencing. I would just listen.

I figured out real fast this was a form of coping, even though not an acceptable way of doing so, but it lead me to knowing that he needed help. This verbal usage was a way to vent, let it all out, and with me sitting there listening and not fighting back to any personal attacks (which I knew were not how he truly felt) it would eventually bring him to a more peaceful place once he had vented, and the apologies and the &#8220;what have I done? I&#8217;m so sorry.&#8221; would start. Out of nowhere he would be &#8220;back&#8221;. Even if it took hours.

This went on for some time while the doctors worked on finding correct combinations of medications, taught him coping skills and such. He did get therapy through these times as well.

Then I found that once his anger of this had it&#8217;s break though and I could see the true him was coming through with each verbal episode, I could calmly and with a stern grip on my own feelings say &#8220;I love you, I know this is PTSD and not you. You would never treat me this way. I will not fight with PTSD, but I will talk with you.&#8221; And it opened a non attacking or confrontational door for communication to start. And we would sit there and talk for as long as he needed to.

Once this started happening then I was able to add my feelings into the conversations over time. It&#8217;s kind of like when you teach a dog something new (by no means referring to him as a dog lol), you don&#8217;t and can&#8217;t expect a dog to know a command on the first try, it takes time and many steps to teach something correctly, so they learn the command. So in a weird way, I guess I was using my training abilities and applying them to our life. See, you can&#8217;t expect a person to just stop doing something and everything change in one second, it takes time, lots of effort, and many steps to get to the outcome you are looking for or is needed.

Then came into play the coping skills. Oh this was a fun one. I heard &#8220;Those won&#8217;t work for me, that&#8217;s silly and I&#8217;m not doing them&#8221;. Okay, this is a normal reaction from someone who&#8217;s PTSD has not found a balance. So what did I do? I can tell you I didn&#8217;t fight or argue about it. I started using the coping skills myself, exactly what his doctors were teaching him and sending home worksheets with us on. 

One day I was doing breathing exercises, he looked at me and said &#8220;What the heck are you doing?&#8221; I paused and calmly said &#8220;Breathing.&#8221; I continued doing the exercises. Then I heard, &#8220;Why are you doing that?&#8221; My answer again calmly, &#8220;Because they help me when I&#8217;m stressed, help me relax.&#8221; And he walked away and I continued the exercises until I completed them.

It was only a few days later I noticed him away from me and sure enough he was doing those exercises.

See, PTSD causes one to lose direction at times, it causes them to have difficulty in making decisions at times. And sometimes it just takes someone else leading the way and giving an example to follow. And it worked!

I knew that I could not take the verbal abuse, I also knew it was killing Craig that he was treating me that way and couldn&#8217;t find a way to control it. So I had to find a solution, and I did. I had to get past the words being yelled and focus on what to do to make a change, and I did. I also had to accept that it was not a quick fix and it was something that had to have a lot of will power and effort put into it, and I did. It also took him putting effort in on his part, and over time he did. It just took time to re-learn, so to speak.

Over time Craig has learned other ways of coping with anger and frustration, all the things that come with PTSD. Those feelings don&#8217;t just go away, they are still there, but he battles them and keeps control of them.

He found that when he does have those feelings surface that it helps him if he just focuses and becomes quiet. He and I talked about this as a form of coping, so we are both on the same page of what is going on and no one takes anything personally. If I see he becomes quiet, then I leave him alone and allow him his time to be quiet and cope.

He also found that if that does not work, it helps him if he sleeps, takes a nap, and when he wakes up start over as if it were a new day. And yes, the doctors have even said they approve of this since it does help him to be able to cope with his feelings and emotions.


----------



## N.E.wguy

Communication is urgent! Many have lost their communication skills with each other in all of the anger and hurt. Small steps and work on getting it back. Talk to each other, both really listen to what each other is thinking and feelings. Don&#8217;t take everything personally, accept that is how the other person is viewing or feeling right now this moment, rather it is factual or not it&#8217;s the way they are feeling or viewing things at that moment&#8230; so you can work on finding solutions to it instead of arguing. Know that nothing involving PTSD is going to be solved in one conversation or right there that moment. It is going to take time and effort. Accept the phrase &#8220;we are going to work on this&#8221; and then each day work on it. Don&#8217;t dismiss what each other is feeling, use it to move forward, use it to heal the situation. Also understand that the verbal abuse may not only be coming from the one with PTSD, if one experiences verbal abuse for any extended amount of time, they can very well become a verbal abuser themselves without realizing it. Both parties have to work together to prevent this.

If you take note of everything I&#8217;ve said here, what we have been through, and you do something to help your own situation, you might just find the verbal abuse, the arguments, and the space between you gradual heals.

I can say, Craig and I have not experienced any verbal abuse or arguments since we started doing this and had our breakthrough. Every day will continue to need steady work to keep it the way it is now, I mean let&#8217;s be real, PTSD is still at hand, but we found what works for us!

We are proof it can be done, and there is hope! Find what works for you and make sure you get professional help along with it. It will save your relationship, your children, your family!

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;[/font]


We know that verbal abuse can come from one with PTSD. BUT let's put a very real twist in this.

What about the one WITH PTSD being the one verbally abused?

You know, I always say there are two side of the fence.

Don't say it doesn't happen, because I can tell you I hear about it a lot! There are many cases where a family member or one living with the person who suffers from PTSD, becomes the verbal abuser.

The family member becomes overwhelmed, every thing is placed on their shoulders, they are throwing back what has been "thrown" at them, they have reached a level of no longer coping themselves, financial matters become weighing on them, they stop seeing a ray of hope, then they are trying to understand and care for one with PTSD. There is also what many of you know as secondary PTSD, which is another form of actual PTSD itself. 

OUCH! 

It is urgent that in these situations the carer/family member must seek help! Living with PTSD can become overwhelming, the one with it doesn't mean for it to be, it's just the way it is in some cases or at some times.

The carer/family member has to keep a balance with themselves or it can very well lead to them being the verbal abuser towards the one with PTSD and even other people within the home. It can roll over to work or even road rage, just as it can be with the one with PTSD.

You HAVE to keep a balance! I can not say that enough! In order to care for someone else, you must make sure you are taking care of yourself. You are not going to do anyone any good if you do not try to keep a mental and physical balance within yourself.

No one that cares for one with PTSD likes verbal abuse being towards them, so don't do it back.

Things that can help caregivers/family members:

* Get professional help! There is nothing wrong with you seeking help yourself! Many times it IS needed. It gives you a professional point of view and someone to help you through what you are experiencing and feeling.

* Use the same coping skills the one with PTSD does! You would be shocked at how much they can help.

* Make sure you take "me" time. Even if it's just getting outside for a few minutes, you have to take time to yourself and time to focus off of everything weighing on you.

* Communication. Learn to sit and talk and hear each other out without judgement. You can accomplish a lot and know where each other stands if you will just take time to listen and really hear each other.

* Accept PTSD. Again, the hardest part of PTSD for either side is accepting it is real and life has changed.

* Don't blame! It is really easy when you have the world on your shoulders to turn the blame towards the one with PTSD. DON'T do this! You need to be working with them, not against them! Remember they did not ask for what happened to them!!!

* Make a plan. Making a budget, a priority to-do list, anything that needs to be included and written out so you are not overwhelmed with everything all at one time or any given day is urgent.

* Money. Money seems to be the root of all evil, especially when PTSD is involved. Do not blame or put pressure on the one with PTSD because budgets are tight. All you are doing is making the situation worse and probably causing their PTSD to become worse. Sit and talk civil about what is happening and work together to find solutions. Some people with PTSD honestly can not work, some are on disability which is to make up for them not being able to work, do not toss that fact to the side. Blame games are not going to get you anywhere and neither is the verbal abuse that can come from it.

* Do not place too many expectations on the one with PTSD. In many cases the only outcome you will receive is both of you upset and PTSD could go downhill or backslide from where they have worked hard to move forward.

* If you are overwhelmed or angry, step away from everyone and calm down. Once you are calmed down then go back and discuss whatever the topic at hand is. 

* Eat right and exercise. It again goes back to take care of yourself. If you are not eating right or getting some sort of exercise you are not going to feel good, you are going to be grumpy, and anything weighing on you is going to double in size, in your eyes.

* If the one with PTSD points out how you are acting, LISTEN to them! Just because they are the one with PTSD does NOT mean they are always wrong! You might not even realize how you are acting, listen to them if they tell you! And don't lash back when they do!

Verbal abuse is not good for anyone. It causes addition complication to an already complicated situation. Learn to notice when you are overwhelmed, listen to others, and do something to prevent the verbal abuse. You HAVE to work together when PTSD is in your life. That person did not ask for PTSD so don't place blame of hard times or difficult situation on them. Work together to get through things. And bite your tongue when the nastiness of coping or being overwhelmed comes. 

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


----------



## N.E.wguy

*We know that verbal abuse can come from one with PTSD. BUT let's put a very real twist in this.

What about the one WITH PTSD being the one verbally abused?

You know, I always say there are two side of the fence.
*
Don't say it doesn't happen, because I can tell you I hear about it a lot! There are many cases where a family member or one living with the person who suffers from PTSD, becomes the verbal abuser.

The family member becomes overwhelmed, every thing is placed on their shoulders, they are throwing back what has been "thrown" at them, they have reached a level of no longer coping themselves, financial matters become weighing on them, they stop seeing a ray of hope, then they are trying to understand and care for one with PTSD. There is also what many of you know as secondary PTSD, which is another form of actual PTSD itself. 

OUCH! 

It is urgent that in these situations the carer/family member must seek help! Living with PTSD can become overwhelming, the one with it doesn't mean for it to be, it's just the way it is in some cases or at some times.

The carer/family member has to keep a balance with themselves or it can very well lead to them being the verbal abuser towards the one with PTSD and even other people within the home. It can roll over to work or even road rage, just as it can be with the one with PTSD.

You HAVE to keep a balance! I can not say that enough! In order to care for someone else, you must make sure you are taking care of yourself. You are not going to do anyone any good if you do not try to keep a mental and physical balance within yourself.

No one that cares for one with PTSD likes verbal abuse being towards them, so don't do it back.

Things that can help caregivers/family members:

* Get professional help! There is nothing wrong with you seeking help yourself! Many times it IS needed. It gives you a professional point of view and someone to help you through what you are experiencing and feeling.

* Use the same coping skills the one with PTSD does! You would be shocked at how much they can help.

* Make sure you take "me" time. Even if it's just getting outside for a few minutes, you have to take time to yourself and time to focus off of everything weighing on you.

* Communication. Learn to sit and talk and hear each other out without judgement. You can accomplish a lot and know where each other stands if you will just take time to listen and really hear each other.

* Accept PTSD. Again, the hardest part of PTSD for either side is accepting it is real and life has changed.

* Don't blame! It is really easy when you have the world on your shoulders to turn the blame towards the one with PTSD. DON'T do this! You need to be working with them, not against them! Remember they did not ask for what happened to them!!!

* Make a plan. Making a budget, a priority to-do list, anything that needs to be included and written out so you are not overwhelmed with everything all at one time or any given day is urgent.

* Money. Money seems to be the root of all evil, especially when PTSD is involved. Do not blame or put pressure on the one with PTSD because budgets are tight. All you are doing is making the situation worse and probably causing their PTSD to become worse. Sit and talk civil about what is happening and work together to find solutions. Some people with PTSD honestly can not work, some are on disability which is to make up for them not being able to work, do not toss that fact to the side. Blame games are not going to get you anywhere and neither is the verbal abuse that can come from it.

* Do not place too many expectations on the one with PTSD. In many cases the only outcome you will receive is both of you upset and PTSD could go downhill or backslide from where they have worked hard to move forward.

* If you are overwhelmed or angry, step away from everyone and calm down. Once you are calmed down then go back and discuss whatever the topic at hand is. 

* Eat right and exercise. It again goes back to take care of yourself. If you are not eating right or getting some sort of exercise you are not going to feel good, you are going to be grumpy, and anything weighing on you is going to double in size, in your eyes.

* If the one with PTSD points out how you are acting, LISTEN to them! Just because they are the one with PTSD does NOT mean they are always wrong! You might not even realize how you are acting, listen to them if they tell you! And don't lash back when they do!

Verbal abuse is not good for anyone. It causes addition complication to an already complicated situation. Learn to notice when you are overwhelmed, listen to others, and do something to prevent the verbal abuse. You HAVE to work together when PTSD is in your life. That person did not ask for PTSD so don't place blame of hard times or difficult situation on them. Work together to get through things. And bite your tongue when the nastiness of coping or being overwhelmed comes. 

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


*Happiness.*

*I was asked &#8220;how do you find happiness?&#8221;

I had to think about that one, see to me, It&#8217;s something I do, so to speak. I was told I am happy over my fish (pond), that I get excited about them and smile&#8230; and talk a lot to tell about them. I&#8217;m happy when I see that something I have said helps someone else and, at times, my words helped save someone&#8217;s life. I am happy when my children enjoy life, smile and laugh. I&#8217;m happy when Alex does well with something I&#8217;ve taught him. I&#8217;m happy when I hear from an old friend that I have missed hearing from. Wow, I think I even become happy when I manage to get the yard mowed lol. And one of the largest things, I&#8217;m happy when I see Craig have a good day and/or see him smile.

I&#8217;ll be honest, I couldn&#8217;t answer this question when it was directly asked. Sitting and thinking about what makes me happy just isn&#8217;t something I sit and think about, happiness is something that I &#8220;do&#8221;&#8230; to survive.

So, I guess when sitting and thinking about the answer, I find happiness in accomplishing something. I set out to do something, even something simple or meaningless to others in many cases, and when I succeed the least little bit it makes me happy. It shows me I can still move forward, make progress, change something, make something better then it was, experience life.

PTSD changes your feelings and emotions. You battle to feel anything other then the feeling of being numb to everything. But, that doesn&#8217;t mean you can&#8217;t find your happiness, it just means you have to work harder for it, and the accomplishments you make no matter how tiny or huge, mean something great. You have to re-learn, so to speak, to accept your accomplishments. PTSD in many cases needs you to take small steps, but each step is actually huge and you need to view your accomplishment of that step instead of what you haven&#8217;t done or can no longer seem to do.

Don&#8217;t allow the negative things in life weigh you down. &#8220;Look to the good&#8221;, one of my favorite sayings. There is a lot of weight and negative things that comes with PTSD, they can get you in a &#8220;bad place&#8221; or frame of mind very easily, actually becoming &#8220;stuck&#8221; in them. But one little thing of positive can outweigh it, you just have to recognize and remember that the good things are there too and use them to find happiness.*
*
It might be something as simple as telling a loved one &#8220;I love you&#8221;, and seeing them smile. It might be starting a hobby or project and seeing you got part of it done today. It might be something like coming out of your &#8220;safe&#8221; area a little more then normal. It might be taking a short walk around the yard. Talking to your children. Helping someone out with something, even within your own home. And at times happiness will find you, recognize and accept it when it comes, you deserve it! The list is endless to what can bring or help you find happiness. Use those things as building blocks to a larger place, a happier place. 

Sending you a huge smile to start your day. DO something, even if it is a simple giving a smile to someone&#8230; you might just see a smile back, an accomplishment to finding happiness.*


----------



## N.E.wguy

*Friends and Life with PTSD*

I was asked a question and I will be completely honest, this is a very hard one for me to swallow. But you know me and I say it like it is, so here it goes...

"Do you and Craig have many friends?"

Let me start by saying, back before PTSD became a part of our lives we were known as the social butterflies. We had many friends, more then some people would have in a lifetime. We have never been ones to judge people and we accept people for who they are and had friends of many different walks of life.

We had many friends growing up. Craig was actually asked recently "How many friends could you confide in, true friendships of people you could trust before PTSD?" His truthful answer, "About 20 or so." The response back to him, "That's a lot."

We were the ones having cookouts, parties, family gatherings, always going out, always traveling. We loved to rv or jump in our plane at any given time and just go. We never met a stranger, and anyone who knows what RVing is like knows that ones that RV are always meeting new people and making new friends at every stop. It was always our "camping" site that everyone would gather in, laugh, joke, and tell stories. Craig and I had literally traveled across country and back many times and made many friendships along the way.

*Then life changed. This illness called PTSD showed up. That part of our lives that we grew up knowing, being the social butterflies, disappeared.*

Boy this one is hard to write lol.

I can honestly say, there are 2 of Craig's military brothers that have always stayed in touch. They don't live here, so it's not like they can just drop by, and one I have never actually met but have talked on the phone to and through fb. The other lives in another country and has for some time now, but he did stop to see us a couple of times before leaving the states, and still calls to check on us. Craig has one person that sends him messages almost daily, but in honest doesn't understand PTSD.

We have had a few friends come in and go out of our lives since PTSD. Nothing on what you would consider a long term "normal" friendship basis.

We have some that keep up with us through social media, some will like what we post or make comments at times, but we don't ever see them face to face, so again, not what you would consider a normal friendship.

And I can't and won't say it's always because of them, there have been ones to mention coming by or getting together, there have been a few to ask us to meet them out somewhere for a drink or to go to the beach on occasion. But that's not things PTSD really allows in our lives. You have bar settings or crowds, and those are just things that PTSD does not allow in our case.

My friends? For those of you that have stuck by me through social media, trust me I love ya for it greatly and for you being on here! But I don't have any that I could say is a true "normal" friendship anymore. When times were really rough with PTSD my friends could not take the way I was being treated, and they put distance between them and I. No, I don't blame them and I never will, I still value them even though the friendships have faded. But they could not understand PTSD and why I stayed. I was told by my best friend, "I love you dearly, but I can't stand by and watch you two go through this." It was an honest statement.

And this is by no means meant to make any of you that know us personally feel guilty! DON'T. Life is what it is and over time Craig and I have accepted it. So please don't pick up the phone and call just because I'm being open and honest here with answering this lol. 

Over time we have noticed that the phone normally only rings when someone wants something... and that doesn't settle well to be honest. I mean we would give the shirts off our backs to anyone who needed it, however a true meaning of friendship comes with much more then calling when you need or want something.

Then there's the "our lives are too busy", we hear that one a lot. People are so consumed with their own lives, which again is a fair statement, that they don't have time for friendships with a family that battles PTSD... or it's a nice way of avoiding one.

The word friendship becomes something with great meaning and a lot to it once PTSD steps into your life. Not everyone can handle what PTSD brings or can bring. Having true friendships is something that is extremely difficult. And for others to understand why you cancel plans, or can't make it somewhere, or need a down day with no one around... that's hard for one's that don't understand or don't live with PTSD to comprehend. And eventually they do walk away because it's not something many understand how to handle, and many times they take it personally when it's by no means meant that way.

The "friends" that understand the most, that are there for us to chat with, there for us to vent to or talk about things and life. In all honesty, they are the ones that know the shoes we stand in... and are standing in themselves. And you want to know something, they are also the ones we have never actually met face to face.

PTSD changed our lives it changed what social interaction with others is like. We no longer know what a "normal" friendship is. People coming over is extremely few and far in between, us going out is really almost completely out of the question, gatherings are extremely stressful and difficult to accomplish... even with family, travelling has been out of the question for years now except when we have to pick up Craig's children for visitation which is there and back in one day... way more then anyone should have to do.

But you won't hear me complaining. Life changes when PTSD becomes a part of it, that's something we have accepted and understand. And we sure don't hold anything against anyone. Craig does hold great guilt towards himself for life not being what we expected or wanted it to be, because of PTSD. Every day he tells me I deserve better. But let me tell you something, no matter what has changed in our lives and how PTSD has drastically effected it... I would not ever want what we lost back, if it meant I would lose him.

PTSD or no PTSD, my husband IS my best friend. He's my rock, he's still the other half of every heart beat my heart takes and I wouldn't change that for the world! Friends may come and friends may go, PTSD may bring a lot that is not always going to be viewed as fair. But through whatever PTSD and life with it brings, there is one thing that never changes, him and I living this life together!

Well, you asked lol, so there it is. It's just another part of our story.

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"



*PTSD vs Energy Levels
*
Humm&#8230; I was in the front yard the other day and looked at my calla lilies that are coming up. Then I looked around and thought to myself, I really need to finish this front garden&#8230; the ol&#8217; knee injury stopped me from finishing it last summer so it&#8217;s only half done and not many plants yet. This yard could be absolutely gorgeous if I could just find the energy to finish it! To be honest lol, I don't go out front very often, I like going out back to my pond and the lake. The front yard is pretty small, so I&#8217;m making it almost all gardens with pathways between them&#8230; at least that&#8217;s what I&#8217;m visioning lol.

Now back to that energy part lol! Sleepless nights equal lack of energy, then there&#8217;s only so many hours of sunlight in a day when a nap is really needed. If I could work outside when I&#8217;m up at 2 in the morning it would be perfect lolol! But that is not happening! 

There&#8217;s one thing, among many, about PTSD&#8230; rather you are the one with PTSD or the loved one, sometimes it&#8217;s hard to get things completed. You find yourself with a list of things you need to do or want to do but just don&#8217;t have the energy to get them done.

Things that can help:

* Sleep!
Even if you have to take that nap during the day, take it so you can get going again.

* Eat right.
We all know that food is a source of energy for the body, make sure you eat and eat correctly.

* Prioritize.
Make a to-do list. One part of the list for things you must get done, another for things you want to do, and get this and a part for quick and simple to-do&#8217;s for those days where you don&#8217;t have much energy.

By breaking your list into sections you are more apt to be able to &#8220;see&#8221; what will fit into your energy level for the day without trying to do too much or feeling like a failure if something does not get completed because it&#8217;s out of range for your energy level for that day.

* Ask for Help.
If you have a project that you know someone could help out with, don&#8217;t feel bad about asking for help. This is a great way to create family projects, time, and get a job done faster.

If family is not available, contact local churches, youth groups, VFW&#8217;s, etc. and ask if they have someone that could assist you.

* Hire Help.
If it&#8217;s something you can afford or something you can&#8217;t do yourself, find someone who can. Many times certain projects can be done by neighborhood teenagers looking to make that extra gas money. If it needs a professional then look in local &#8220;need job&#8221; listings to see if there is someone in need of doing that type of work. Many times it will not only help you but can also help someone that is out of work right now.

*Use your energy wisely.
When you have energy, use it wisely and do something. This helps you feel good, feel you accomplished something, and not have that feeling of you wasted another day and didn&#8217;t get anything done.

These are just a few things that can help! Life with PTSD has it&#8217;s ups and downs, we all know that. When you find the energy let it work for you and help you feel good about yourself in the process.

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*Just when you thought lions, and tigers, and bears were something else...

Anxiety or Panic Attacks, Flashbacks, Memories, ...OH MY!
*
I mention coping skills all of the time. But what are they? How do they help? When do you use them? Let's see if we can talk about these things and make the term "coping skills" make a little more sense.  Again, I'm not a doctor so this is from my personal observations and/or experiences.

Anxiety or Panic Attacks.

This is when you feel your heart pounding, heart palpitations, your adrenaline is rushing, you feel like you are having a heart attack which many times can lead to more panic and fear. I myself suffer from these so I can speak from a very personal point of view on this one.

When I first experienced one I thought for sure I was going to die! Over time I learned to control them when they come though. I don't get them nearly as often now... why? I use methods of coping when I feel one starting.

*Breathe! This is one of the things that can work the best for you! I use the same exact things that Craig was taught to use for his PTSD.  It's a rather simple exercise and improves with practice. 

- First you have to breathe through your abdomen (the correct way to breathe in the first place which many do not do), not your chest.
- Take a deep breath i through your nose 2-3-4, hold it 2-3-4, then let it out through your mouth 2-3-4. 

What you are doing is slowing down your breathing by counting which slows down the panic. You are focusing on the breathing and counting and not what the "what if" of your heart pounding or whatever thought had caused the panic attack to begin with. 
*
*Flashbacks*

A flashback is when you believe the trauma you experienced is happening all over again. The intrusive thoughts, feelings, and emotions of that very trauma. But in reality of real time, the right now, the trauma is not happening even though to you it is very real.
*
When these happen or you feel them starting...

- Focus on something near you. It could be an animal, a car, a tree, anything that can help keep you grounded to the current place you are actually at.

- Don't close your eyes! When you close your eyes you are allowing your brain and thoughts to take over and take you back to the trauma. By keeping your eyes open you can help manage the flashback.

- Talk to someone or them talk to you. This can also help you from going further into the flashback. Talk about what is happening right then, where you are, what the date is, who is there with you... if you are the other person there say your name to the one having the flashback. This helps keep the person focused on who they are with and can help prevent them from thinking you are someone that was there when the trauma occurred.

- Walk around, pace, keep your body moving. This can also help keep you grounded.

- Drink or eat something. Seriously! Focus on every swallow you take. What you are doing is refocusing off of the trauma that happened and onto the present time and what you are doing right now.

- Remind yourself (or the one that is having the flashback) that this is a normal response to the trauma. Flashbacks do happen and are a normal response. By accepting that these do or can happen can help you (them) get through them and help ground them from the flashback.

Memories

Memories include not only memories but also the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and images of the trauma.

Here's the largest key to handling these... They are just that, memories. Remind yourself that even though they seem by all means real and they are based off of something that did really happen, right now, this moment, they are a memory and not really happening again right now.

It might help talking to someone about them, someone you trust or a doctor. In many cases, talking about the memories can lesson the impact they have on you. I won't say they will go away, they are still a memory, but what they do to you could lessen over time with talking and learning to cope with them correctly.

To say the least if I added in every symptom PTSD brings, you would be reading all day  So here are a few more coping skills that can be used for other PTSD symptoms as well:

* Focusing on present time and place.
* Get outside and enjoy nature.
* Exercise, any type of exercise.
* Talk to someone you trust.
* Find something you enjoy doing.
* Write! Get those feelings out on paper! 
* Give yourself a "cooling off" time when angry or irritable. Keep in mind that staying angry is not useful to moving forward.
* Listen to soothing music.
* Slow down! Don't allow anxiety to push you into high speed.
* Make "to-do" lists by priority and don't overwhelm yourself.
* If you have an outburst towards a family member or friend, once you have calmed down talk to them. Don't just let it go!
* Trauma can bring you down, try to remember and think of positive things to help yourself recover from the down.
* Remember to tell loved ones you do love them. We all know PTSD can bring some very rough times, don't forget to let your support team know you are glad they are there. 
*Meditation. There are many different types, learn which ones could work for you and try them!

It boils down to an extremely long list. Just remember to do what you can to help yourself cope or to help the one you love. 
*
~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


*Things NOT to say to one with PTSD and Why.
*


----------



## N.E.wguy

*In going over things NOT to say to a person that suffers from PTSD, I know there are a lot of lists out there. But what about the &#8220;why&#8221; to those lists? You can tell anyone not to say certain things, but it makes more sense when you can understand why you should not say them. I have listed a FEW of them here and over time will add to this, but here is a good start.*

*What NOT to say to one who suffers from PTSD and Why:*

**It&#8217;s in your head, just don&#8217;t think about it. Get over it.*

This is one of the most uneducated phrases out there regarding PTSD. How is one suppose to not think about it? PTSD was formed from a serious trauma, this trauma repeats itself over and over in their DREAMS! Dreams are a way of the mind venting what has happened. No one has the physical ability to just get over it. Flashbacks, this is something that happens from a trigger which could be a sight, a smell, a certain feeling of a breeze that blows bt you. These lead to flashbacks which is where the person thinks they are actually back in the place and reliving the trauma which lead to PTSD. They zone out as I say it, they are right before you physically but they are not &#8220;there&#8221;. It takes a long time and effort to learn to cope with triggers to prevent them from taking over, sometimes they are not going to be avoided. Can you control your dreams? Nope, sure can&#8217;t. How many times have you dreamed something and woke up thinking why did I dream that? Many times I would guess. Well one who suffers from PTSD relives their trauma in their dreams, over and over again. If you can&#8217;t predict and control what you dream, how would you expect one who has PTSD to do it? You can&#8217;t. There is no such thing as getting over it or don&#8217;t think about it. Even with all of the medications, coping skills, and professional help, at times it is still going to be there.

**You don&#8217;t need medications, you&#8217;re fine. You act so normal.*

How would you feel if someone told you that you are fine, you don&#8217;t need your cancer treatment, or blood presure medication? You would probably answer them in anger and tell them your life depends on those things! Ah, we hit a nerve. PTSD is no different. Those medications are what help a person be able to find a place where they can cope with PTSD. The medications are what make them seem normal to you. In reality, if you do not live with the person, most likely you are going to only see them on a good day when they are actually able to leave the house. Be thankful this person reached for help and does have those medications, or you might not see them very often at all. Many with PTSD do not leave home because they do not want others seeing the rough side of PTSD. They want to be viewed as normal, and are just like the next person, they just have a tougher battle that is there every day they have to fight to feel that normal.

**Pull yourself up by your bootstraps soldier.*

Pull up your bootstraps, hummm. Actually, they DID! The fact is PTSD sets in with what I call &#8220;the best of the best&#8221;. The ones that indeed have pulled up their bootstraps one too many times, the one that stood tall and took every trauma thrown at them. A human can only take so much trauma before something is going to give, that something is called PTSD. It when you have taken so much that your mind just wants to shut it out, which turns into a battle withing yourself. It turns into nightmares or terrors, anxiety, hypervigilence, anger, lack of self esteem, and all of the other symptoms that form PTSD. Being in a position to pull those bootstraps one too many times has factually lead many to developing PTSD. Wanna pull on your bootstraps a little too hard? No, you don&#8217;t.
*
*Did you kill anyone?*

The one question that shows no respect at all. Again, turn the question back to yourself. Many people are raised with some sort of religious upbringing, take that then be in a position to where killing someone was your job, what you have to do. Then take that and turn around ask ask that person if they killed someone. What do you think is going to happen. One of two things normally, you are either going to set them off or they are going to walk away from you and never look back. Let&#8217;s be real, if you know a person was in a position where they might have had to kill someone, do you think there is any respect in asking that question? NO! One with PTSD has a hard enough time coping with the past, don&#8217;t put it in their face. Have respect that the person in front of you put their life on the line for someone else&#8217;s. If you have the urge to see death, try joining the military or police force. It will cure that urge real fast. Life is not a video game!

**If you could go out last week, why can&#8217;t you go out now?*

One of the most stressful questions to PTSD. With PTSD every single day is different. A person might be angry one day, happy the next. They might have 3 good days followed by 2 weeks of bad ones. They have a hard time making schedules and keeping them. Planning things in advance is extreme for them. If they have a day they do go out, be thankful for it! And understanding on the days they can&#8217;t make it out the front door. All it takes is one thing to trigger their PTSD and a good day can head south. They have to focus on every single aspect of their day and things around them to make it through the day, sometimes that is too much of a struggle and it mentally and physically wears them out. When they do make it out, they tend to mask PTSD with a smile, normal, they just want to fit in and feel normal. As I say it, take the good days when you can get them and be of help and support when they are bad. Anything can be rescheduled for another day, have the understanding to do so if it&#8217;s a day they can&#8217;t get out. Goes back to no expectations, never expect too much.

**I&#8217;ve been through things too, that&#8217;s life.*

Sure! Everyone has been through something, very true. However, when a person has been through a life threatening trauma, sometimes more then one, and they stand strong and hold it in&#8230; that holding it in builds and begins to weigh on you. Not everyone handles trauma the same way, and it&#8217;s normally the strongest people that PTSD affects. They are normally the ones that have lived through, seen more, and also may have guilt of being the one who did survive. If you understand PTSD, this is something you would never quote to a person.

**So you are crazy.*

The good ol&#8217; crazy statement. The old reliable for those that don&#8217;t get it, don&#8217;t understand it, and are uneducated. PTSD does not mean you are crazy! PTSD means you have experienced a massive trauma that changed your life. Anyone can develop PTSD, so it&#8217;s one of those things where before you judge someone else, would you want that said to you? Again NO! PTSD converts the trauma into nightmares or terrors, flashbacks, vents in anger at times or verbally. But it by no means means a person who suffers from it is crazy. Many of them are vey educated, more understanding of life, and some of the strongest people you will ever meet.

**Man you&#8217;ve gained weight!*

Really? Wow that&#8217;s great for anyone&#8217;s self esteem! Pointing out weight gain on a person that is on medications&#8230; which cause weight gain by the way&#8230; many that fight depression which keeps them from being active, and PTSD has effected their lives to where they can&#8217;t seem to be able to do the things they use to because the battle is mentally and physically draining, is disrespectful! Weight gain and self esteem are two of the most deadliest battles of PTSD and/or depression. Even if you view it as a joking manner, they are not going to! One with PTSD needs support of those they are around. Telling them they are fat or getting fat is not support by any means!

**So you are a spouse beater.*

Oh my! Those are fighting words within themselves. Just because a person has PTSD does not mean they are monsters or physically abusive to anyone! Yes, one with PTSD has anger, but normally that anger is with themselves! They judge themselves that they could have done something differently for a different outcome to what they experienced, they could have tried harder, they should have been there, the list is endless. I&#8217;m not saying that physical abuse may not be a part of one&#8217;s PTSD, sometimes it is and outside help is needed to get it under control. But majority of the time it&#8217;s not. They vent anger verbally, sometimes they might throw things or punch a wall or such. But the abuse is more towards themselves then someone else. Many that I know with PTSD are actually the most caring, loving, understanding people that would do anything to help another person. Especially their spouse!


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## N.E.wguy

**You can&#8217;t be a good parent if you have PTSD.*

This is far from the truth! And I know this first hand! One who suffers from PTSD can be a better parent then some of the parents out there. They put effort in everything they do, it&#8217;s a part of surviving PTSD, therefore place a great deal into parenting. They don&#8217;t want to do wrong, they don&#8217;t want it to effect their children, they want to be the best person they can be. So when it comes to children, children give them the sense of being needed and many that are parents put extra effort into getting professional help so they can be that good parent. That parent know there is someone relying on them&#8230; that actually makes a huge difference in coping and managing their PTSD. They might not be able to attend every school event, but I bet they will put every effort into it. Another thing to add to this, having a parent with PTSD educates children to a whole new respect for life, for others, and can very well be the generation, if taught about it, to change the stigma of PTSD and other disabilities.


*What can you do if you experience suicidal thoughts?*

We talk a lot about how suicidal thoughts or any thoughts of self harm are very real to many that suffer from PTSD and/or Dissociation.

Just to note, I have started posting more about dissociative symptoms as well because many do not know about them however they are extremely common with PTSD and many times give the explanation for symptoms that do not seem to fit the common PTSD symptoms. Note: Recently dissociative symptoms were added to the PTSD symptoms list.

So we know these thoughts can be present, some experience them quite often, some all of the time, and some from time to time. So what can you do when you have these thoughts of self harm?
*
* Professional Help.*

By all means one of the first steps you can take is getting help! Having someone to talk to, vent to, even rant to can help you battle these thoughts on a professional level.
*
*Suicide Hotlines.*

USE the suicide hotlines. There are there for you! The VA has a hotline for veterans and family and there are also many local hotlines available in many locations.

** Safe Room.*

This is one that many do not have or use but could be very helpful, especially if you live on your own. Create a room that would be safe for you to go to when you are having feelings of self harm. A room that in painted in relaxing colors, no objects that you could harm yourself with, maybe just some photos of relaxing things to you or what are important to you that could help you focus on the good things in your life. You could have a wireless/cell phone in this room for outside help communication. Make it a quiet place where you can help yourself focus on getting through your thoughts.
*
* Comfort Animal.
*
I you have a pet that you love, use it to comfort you. Pets can do amazing things to help turn your thoughts to a positive direction. They are known for reducing blood pressure, anxiety, and offering a way to cope. Animals bond to their human and show you a sign that you are needed. All it takes is just simply sitting with them and petting them.

** Movies.*

Have on hand a few good, happy, funny movies. Watching movies that have happy meaning to them can help you avoid the feelings of self harm as you sink yourself into what you are watching, actually a normal form of dissociating that we all can do. Even if you watch two even three movies, that&#8217;s okay. However many it takes to help you focus on something other then the harmful thoughts.

** Call a friend.*

Call a friend and talk about anything! A friend is good for distracting yourself from the self harm thoughts, talk about the weather, a sports event, anything! Use the company of the friend to help you through this time.

** Take a shower.*

Let the water help soothe you and help release the stress. While doing so talk out loud, cry, let the emotions and feelings out. The sound of water and how it can soothe the body can be of huge help.

** Drawing.*

Draw out your feelings. If you are one that wants to cut yourself, try this instead&#8230; use a red marker and draw on yourself instead of using an object that could harm yourself. Let the feelings out but with avoiding the actual act of harm.

** Hit a pillow.
*
This is a very common one used. Instead of taking the feelings out on objects of harm or other people, hit a pillow over and over to release the stress and feelings.

** Rubber band.
*
This is also another thing that is commonly used. Put a rubber band on your wrist and when self harm or even stress comes, snap the rubber band.

** Journal.*

Writing or typing out your feelings, thoughts, emotions can do wonders! Put your thoughts on paper and allow them to help release you from what you are experiencing.

** Read.*

Same as with movies, read your favorite book or a good new book to take your mind off of the self harm and focus on the words you are reading.

** Clean.
*
This is one that women are very use to using, clean the house top to bottom. It keeps you busy, releases stress, and is an activity of exercise.

** Exercise.*

Exercising or even taking a walk can help release built up energy which can be helpful with coping through harmful thoughts.

** Music.*

Music soothes the soul&#8230; seriously. Listen to soothing music, focus on the music, it can help.

** Online activities/games.*

We all know how hypnotic and time consuming they can be. In times of suicidal thoughts these things can be used to your advantage. Just be careful of becoming an addict which can easily be done. Use these things in times of those harmful feeling to help you refocus.

** Sleep.*

Sleep is a hard one for one with PTSD, however taking a nap during harmful thoughts can be very helpful. In many cases, naps during the day might not bring the same nightmares/terrors the night brings, and you could probably use the extra sleep anyway. It can also help reduce feelings of anger or frustration.

** Kind people.*

Some time in your life there has been someone that was kind to you or many people who were kind, look up to you, value you. Think about them and their kind words, focus on all of the good things they find in you, the good things that ARE there in you.

** Meditation.*

Allow yourself to focus in your mind of a happy place, a place you enjoy, a vacation. Someplace peaceful. There are many forms of meditation, learn some of them and use them to help yourself.

** Talk to someone close to you.*

*Sit and let it all out! Lean on a loved one. Ask them to just listen and not judge or tell you what to do, just listen.

Whatever it takes, get help and know the things you can do to help yourself!*

*These are just a few things you can do to help yourself. Thoughts of self harm with PTSD are very real, but having the right things to use to fight those feelings are urgent. And YOU are well worth the fight! Never give up on yourself and know that there are many things and many people that can help you through this! *


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## N.E.wguy

*Perimeter security and PTSD: Paranoia
*
This is something that becomes a huge part of life with PTSD for many. Checking the window and door locks seems to be the most common, but it can go much further then that for many. It&#8217;s linked to paranoia that PTSD can bring in relation to one&#8217;s safety.

See, once you experience something that possibly threatened your life, and most likely linked to your PTSD, you become alert, many times over alert. This is common in veterans/military, assault/rape victims, and abuse victims&#8230; I like the term survivor better personally. It&#8217;s your natural defense for the &#8220;I won&#8217;t let that happen to me again.&#8221;

Caution to me is always a good thing, however it can consume you if you allow it to. The fear of the attacker or situation, and belief it will happen again takes over.

You could find yourself not only checking doors and windows but also constantly looking out the windows, seeing and hearing everything, noticing and being alert to everything that moves from the corner of your eye, find it hard to make eye contact with others or letting them too close to you, being over cautious to your loved one&#8217;s safety, etc.

Your defenses for protection can go into over drive. Extra security around the house, cameras, lights, video recording systems, electric fences, fences in general, guard dogs&#8230; and even weapons. There are some that use geese for their alert system, and some that go to extra measures of the type of landscaping and gravel/rock around their homes. Many even move out of populated areas or to ones that have more space to where it is more noticeable if someone approaches. And also gives PTSD a breathe of space and silence from the busy world.

The measures one may take for their safety and piece of mind can be great but again, they can also consume you&#8230; which is not a good thing many times.

So what are things that you can do to help you feel more secure yet not let it consume you?

* Window treatments.

- There are so many different kinds these days! There are blackout curtains where you can see out but others can&#8217;t see in.

- Curtains that are more thin so you still get light in and not feel confined inside but can be followed up by a heavier curtain for times they need to be closed.

- Sometimes if the paranoia is really high, it&#8217;s good to just close the blinds and focus on coping.

* Electronics.

Cameras, computer systems, house alarms&#8230;

With technology these days this one is endless. Whatever system you choose to use, if you choose to use one, just make sure it is not going to be to the extent that others within your home feel like prisoners. As well as your neighbors not feel like the FBI moved in next door. Paranoia can roll over to others very easily and you sure don&#8217;t want people saying you are out of your mind or feel threatened/scared of you.

* Lights.

Think out of the box on this one. Sometimes those fluid lights are not always needed. Motion sensor lights can be an easy fix as long as you set them in the right locations and remember that sometimes they can be set off by animals and strong winds.

But there are other things these days you can also use. Landscape lighting, glow in the dark stepping stones and/or garden fixtures, lamp posts&#8230; Things that will blend in that are appealing to the eyes of outsiders and not cause alarm or over reactions from neighbors, but still give you the sense of security.

* Locks.

Fort Knox is not needed to feel safe. There are many products on the market now that can be used and do just as good of a job. There are lock sets that can easily be changed or code changed after someone has had access to your home such as a repair man or relative. Locks on windows can be updated. Just whatever you use, remember if there is an emergency and people need to get out, they can get out&#8230; this is where you don&#8217;t let the security consume you to the point it could cause harm.

* Dogs.

I am putting this in here for a very good reason, this seems to be the first thing by human nature to turn to. I know just a little bit about this subject lol. 

For those of you that turn to using dogs for protection or alert purposes there are a few things to keep in mind.

- A dog is a responsibility.

- Getting an aggressive breed of dog and putting it in a back yard and/or confining it from people outside your family is only going to cause you more problems and heartache and could very well damage your checkbook.

- Dogs are pack animals, they in majority of cases will not protect someone they are not bonded with. In many cases they will welcome an intruder that gives them attention. You also have the chance of them attacking a child or someone they should not, that isn&#8217;t a threat, if they are not properly trained. Majority of dog bites happen within the dog&#8217;s own family. And PLEASE don't put a dog on a chain! If you do, you are asking for serious trouble.

- If you are one that decides a dog is what you feel you need for protection, make sure it is trained and socialized, it could save you from possible legal action and problems within your own home.

- In my opinion the best dog is a quiet one unless there is a true reason for alarm/alert, well socialized and trained, and one that is a family dog I can almost guarantee you will do the job it needs to if that time arises. On the norm, note by no means in all cases, just the appearance of a dog present can detour one. The best thing you can do for the dog and your family is make sure the dog is PART of the family.

Okay, I will spare you there, you know I could write a book on this one.

There are many things you can do to help lessen the feelings PTSD can bring. Use your coping skills! There are also many worksheets out there that can come in handy when these feelings overwhelm you, they allow you to see with your own eyes the differences between the facts at hand and the &#8220;what if&#8217;s&#8221;. Once you are use to using these skills, they don&#8217;t have to be done on paper but can be used mentally. Always look at the facts at hand and learn to face what you are feeling, which are very real, but find ways to not let it consume you and your loved one&#8217;s lives.

Caution is always welcomed, just don&#8217;t let it consume you to the point you become a prisoner to it.

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*Just to give you a little background (because at times I am asked)...
Just to give you a little background (because at times I am asked)...

I do NOT profit any money from what I do here, and I do NOT collect donations. Everything I do is out of my own pocket, from my heart, and because I want to do it.

I know what Craig and I went through when we had no clue it was PTSD effecting him, then when we were told it was PTSD we were completely lost. We did not have anyone or organization to help us find answers, we were left to battle it on our own until several years later.

I didn't like being in those shoes, I saw what it caused, and when no one could give us the answers we were looking for, I started looking for them on my own. I knew my husband before PTSD, and I knew PTSD changed him in many ways. So I looked for answers, solutions, came up with our own ways of coping, and looked to find others out there like us... I refused to believe we were only in this.

What did I find? MANY of us facing the same battle and many still lost to what to do or what could help. I set out on a mission. If I felt that way myself... and so did Craig, then others do also and if I could prevent them (you) from going through everything we did, hell to be blunt about it, then I would do anything within my power, around my time of taking care of Craig and our family, to keep it from happening to others. 

That is how "A Spouse's Story PTSD" started. My little hole on the internet as I call it. This is a place for support, friendships... "family" as I view it as, and where people going through the same things can gather to help each other out. 

EVERYONE is welcomed here! I am a firm believer that even though this is "A Spouse's Story", there are still two sides to every story and to get the correct insight you HAVE to have both sides. We do have just as many here that suffer from PTSD as we do spouses and family members. We have many that are here just to learn or are curious. That's good! The more that know about PTSD and what life is really like with it, the more we can help others and the better educated the public will become and the stigma can ease.

You know that saying "you fear the unknown"? That's kind of the category PTSD falls into. People fear what they do not understand. WE can change that! And we WILL change that even if it's just one person at a time. Everyone deserves the best life possible and educating others can help bring that.

I never anticipated so many to come to "A Spouse's Story PTSD", lol, it's actually amazing at how many are truly looking for answers to what they or their loved one are experiencing. I do not believe in having to "like" a page to find information one needs. This page and my website are open to anyone that wants to learn or see PTSD and life with it through our eyes and our story. We average about 700,000 we reach at any given day. That's a lot of people looking for help and understanding. And that's not even close to all of them!

This has truly become a family and a serious support system on here and the website. You all are awesome and Craig and I are thankful to have each and every one of you in our lives. No one can battle PTSD alone, but we can sure do it in numbers... and we are doing just that! &#9829;

To those of you that may not be aware of my website, let me give you a little information and you are more then welcome to "share" this with others if you would like to.

yyy.aspousesstoryptsd.com

The website contains:

* A short version of our story (which I am being begged to write the book so time will tell on that one.

* Question & Answer page

* My Journal aka blog which contain all of my writings in categories, so feel free to use it as a reference.

* Crisis Info. Which contains helpful links, online chat links, and phone numbers for crisis situations around the world.

* Awareness page which will have information which can be printed etc.

* Video page

* Resources Page which has many links to great information, other websites, support groups, books, PTSD information, social media, organizations and much more.

As time goes by and our story goes on by all means the website will continue to build.

So, with that said, welcome to the family on here!

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"*



*Thank you for taking the time to read this and educate yourself. As always, with any of my postings please feel free to &#8220;share&#8221; them, there is a great need for education and it will be of help to someone.
~Bec*


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD Treatment/Therapy
*
Okay, to start off I am by no means a doctor of any sort so will not give medical advise. I have many ask me what therapy/treatment works best for PTSD?

You might not like my answer lol.  It will all depend on you!

There are a ton of different treatments, therapy methods, and medications that can help PTSD. But when it boils down to it, each person may respond differently to each one of them. There is not a set formula, there's not one pill, and even though PTSD symptoms are much the same, how they are treated may need to be differently then another person. It's all done on an individual basis.

You might notice I don't talk about which medications Craig is on, that's for a very good reason. What works for him may not work for someone else. I don't talk much about treatment or therapy (besides one on one therapy which I think everyone should have, just my opinion). It's because what works in one case may not work for the next.

Therapy and treatment options can be based around many things such as...

* Where a person is with suicide levels of thought or past attempts.

* What a doctor feels they can handle or can't handle as therapy.

* What medications or combination of medications a person is already on. OR if a person should even be on medications.

* Based on exactly what happened to them and finding which thing will help that "what happened" the best.

* Where a person stands at this time with coping skills.

* The symptoms that are most apparent at this moment.

Those are just a few examples, but shows you there are many things that have to be taken into consideration when making a decision of what to use or what could help per individual.

PTSD does not have a "cure" as of this time... again in my opinion... if there was one there would not be such a long history of PTSD cases as well as new ones. However, there are ways to treat the symptoms! Many different things available. You have to find what is right for you, and by all means talk with your doctors about the options! 

There are many people who hear something that worked for someone else and push doctors to use that for them. Be careful with this. If you show an interest in trying something new a doctor will take that as a good sign of you trying and might try it with you, however don't be pushy, make sure you ask your doctor if THEY think this is something that could be used in your case. Your doctor knows you, knows your symptoms, and can in majority of cases give you the best advice of what to try and what not to "at this time". It doesn't mean at some point you may not be able to try it, sometimes it means you just may not be ready for that method. 

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


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## N.E.wguy

*What do you do when a dear friend is diagnosed with PTSD?*

*You simply remind them that PTSD does not change the way you feel about them, it doesn&#8217;t change the way you view them, they are still your friend and it just means they need you now to be the friend you have always been, unconditionally. They can still make you laugh and they can still be there when you cry, and you for them too. They are still a special person that friends and family love dearly and my goodness where would this world be without them!

It might mean they need a little more of your time, but time is just something on a clock that you don&#8217;t have to sit and watch pass by. It might mean they need you to listen a little more before giving your input or sometimes just being that ear, nothing wrong with that either. It might mean they have rough days when they don&#8217;t want to talk or see anyone, we all have those days, so that&#8217;s okay too. They might be the one that was the supporter and now might need a little more support of their own, I don&#8217;t see a problem there either. It means that when you see their chin drop down you smile and remind them to pick it back up. A dear friend, is a dear friend through thick and thin, nothing will ever change that... so don't let PTSD change that either. Don&#8217;t ever forget what a true friendship is all about. 

Yes, this is to all of you!

SMILE our "family"! It will be okay&#8230;you have friends! We&#8217;ve got your back too!!!*


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## N.E.wguy

*Did you know that the symptoms of PTSD are the body&#8217;s way of trying to cope with the traumatic event(s) that happened?*

*It is very important for family members and friends to understand this! It&#8217;s not that the person with PTSD is purposely &#8220;acting&#8221; this way or that, it&#8217;s the bodies way of coping. It&#8217;s not something they can control or turn on or off. It also is not personal against or directed towards anyone! To better understand how you can help your loved one you have to learn about the symptoms of PTSD and why those symptoms are there.

The symptoms are many times mistaken as &#8220;coming out of nowhere&#8221;. This is actually not true. If you pay close attention you will notice something, such as a sound, sight, or even a smell can cause a change in your loved one&#8217;s mood, anger, frustration, reactions to things. This is referred to as a &#8220;trigger&#8221;.

Crowds are a great example of a trigger. They can cause the person to feel unsafe or even that their family may be unsafe in that environment. Crowds bring a lot of noise, strange people, smells, and become overwhelming and cause them to be on guard during that time. They can also remind the person of the traumatic event that took place leading to your loved one rethinking about what happened or what they saw. This is where avoidance comes from, it&#8217;s not that they don&#8217;t want to attend or don&#8217;t want to go out or spend time with you&#8230; it&#8217;s that those things can bring on triggers that they are avoiding.

Avoidance goes much deeper then crowds though. It can effect them personally. Feelings, emotions, relationships. They don&#8217;t do it on purpose, it is part of what PTSD brings. They start feeling distant from others, have trouble feeling positive, and even being able to feel joy in their life, love, or happiness. They can lose interest in things they use to enjoy. This is what we refer to as &#8220;emotional numbing&#8221; and is very common with PTSD. It does not mean they don&#8217;t love you, don&#8217;t want to be with you, it&#8217;s that their emotions are numb and their true feelings can&#8217;t come out.

At times they may feel that the traumatic event is reoccurring. This is known by many as a &#8220;flashback&#8221;. Where they are not &#8220;there&#8221; or &#8220;grounded&#8221; to the present time. During these they might not even know who you are and might even think you are someone else. This is a dissociative state and they normally do not know what they are doing or how they are acting, so their actions are by no means done on purpose, their distress and anxiety also rises. During this time or these states, it&#8217;s important to help ground them. Just talking to them and repeating who you are and where you are, even what year it is can help. Don&#8217;t panic, stay calm so you don&#8217;t add to the stress they are experiencing. Don&#8217;t try to touch them or hold on to them during these, if they do not recognize who you are they could believe they are physically being attacked, especially if their trauma was related to combat, sexual assault, personal attack, or anything which had direct physical contact to them.

PTSD will cause them to have reoccurring thoughts as well as nightmares. During this time, many times you can notice they will start sweating or their heart starts racing. Knowing or learning the physical signs that come with PTSD will help you learn when they have been triggered and help you know how to react or help them, as well as what to avoid in the future when needed.

During nightmares, it is important to remember not to touch them. To them they, again, are reliving what they went through and might not know who you are or where they are. Keep a safe distance during these and just talk to them to ground them to the here and now as well as who you are. There is not an on or off switch, so you have to learn what you can do to help them through these times. Nightmares also bring twitching, leg movement, talking or screaming out loud, and in some cases them fighting a battle physically. Keep that safe distance during these! One with PTSD NEVER means to physically harm someone, but it can happen if you are in the way while nightmares/terrors are happening.*
*
That leads me to safety protocol, again no one purposely harms someone they care about! But putting safety protocol in place within your home can save a lot of issues from happening as well as the one with PTSD facing the guilt of something happening that they were not in control of in the first place.

Some examples you can easily put into place are:

* Designate a room for the person with PTSD when they are having a rough day. This gives them space and a quiet area for them to be able to cope with what they are feeling at that time. Teach children not to enter this space without being invited.

* A simple rule of announcing yourself when entering a room with the person who has PTSD. Let them know you are there so they are not caught off guard.

* Teach children not to play the games that could startle one with PTSD, like jumping on their back when they don&#8217;t know you are coming, or jumping from a hiding place. Children learn quickly and accept these types of rules, teach them!

* If a person with PTSD is being quiet, allow them that quiet time. Normally if they get quiet they are fighting anger or frustration and nagging them could lead to an argument or a spike in their anger. Give them that time and accept their quietness as they are coping and it&#8217;s not something personal against you. Use this time to do other things you need to do or spend one on one time with your children. When the one with PTSD finds their balance, they will join in or open up.
*
PTSD does not mean you don&#8217;t have a life! It just means life is now different. Learn what you can about it, teach your children on their age level, and you will find a way to learn to cope as well as help your loved one cope with what PTSD will bring.

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

PTSD and Dissociation

As I mentioned the other day, the DSM-5 has now included dissociative symptoms to PTSD. These are something that you may see in many cases of PTSD and it is important to understand them.

I want to start by saying right up front, dissociation does not mean a person experiences the symptoms of it ALL of the time. It does NOT mean they are a bad person. It means there is indeed a "why" to things which may be happening.

It has come to my attention since last discussing this that dissociative subtypes is suppose to be added to PTSD in the DSM-5. So we will see. My belief is it really needs to be.

Many times with PTSD people act in ways that &#8220;are not themselves&#8221; AT TIMES. Things that don't add up from the basic symptoms of PTSD. This is one of the hardest things to get your head around, so to speak. Especially when you knew that person before PTSD and what they were like, how they acted or didn&#8217;t act, their morals, etc. in comparison to now. AGAIN, this is not something that is experienced 24/7, this can happen to the most loving, caring, respected people there are, and can happen from a trigger or when they are overwhelmed, rhyme and reasons to when this may happen do not always fit with this so to speak..

In all my years being around PTSD, I have heard the term &#8220;dissociated&#8221; used once in awhile and even seen it in medical reports, &#8220;dissociative symptoms&#8221;, however it&#8217;s never been explained to us and never pointed out as something to really think about or look into, it&#8217;s been one of those &#8220;just another term&#8221; used.

So I started doing more research into it. I&#8217;m by no means an expert on the topic but found it may bring a lot of understanding to others by having/knowing this information. If it was not explained to us, I&#8217;m sure there are many others that might be in the same boat.

Now, mind you, there is a lot to this and many different levels, also not everyone with PTSD may suffer with this as well. But it might be a huge light bulb to many. Again, I&#8217;m not a doctor or in any medical field&#8230; I&#8217;m just another spouse of one with PTSD. So I do advise you to do your research and talk with your doctor on this subject if you or a loved one feels this might be something you may be experiencing.

Let&#8217;s start with what &#8220;dissociation&#8221; is. 

&#8220;Your sense of reality and who you are depend on your feelings, thoughts, sensations, perceptions and memories. If these become &#8216;disconnected&#8217; from each other, or don&#8217;t register in your conscious mind, your sense of identity, your memories, and the way you see things around you will change. This is what happens during dissociation.&#8221; -mind.org.uk

Everyone can experience dissociation to one extreme or another. It could be something as simple as getting "lost" within a movie where you feel you are there experiencing it yourself for example, daydreaming, while driving a common route not realizing how far you have gone or what was along the way to where you are now. So this is common with everyone to some extent.

However there are more serious cases which involve one who has suffered a trauma rather it&#8217;s child abuse, a natural disaster, combat, assault, etc. All the traumas linked to PTSD.

Dissociation is a psychological term used when one suffers a mental absence from reality. Even though dissociation is not considered a mental disorder in every case, ones with PTSD as well as acute stress disorder, and conversion disorder (what Craig was originally diagnosed with) can have the symptoms of dissociation.

The human brain stores traumatic events/memories in a different way then normal memories in some cases. With dissociation, the memories are what they refer to as &#8220;split off&#8221; and can surface from time to time or triggered into consciousness without warning. Over time there are two sets of memories, normal and trauma, which parallel each other without coming together, and the person does not have control over them or when they surface. In extreme dissociation cases it can lead to multiple personalities (DID: Dissociative Identity Disorder), however again, there are different levels of dissociation and not all are to that extreme even though this seems to be very commonly related to traumatic events. And, just to note, dissociation does not mean you are crazy! It means your brain is handling things in a different way. In a way &#8220;protecting&#8221; you.

Now I will say, a lot of research has been based off of childhood development (some type of trauma that happened normally before the age of 9 years old) however, there have been newer studies (2012) showing that dissociation can very well form as an adult not related to the development stage of one&#8217;s youth, due to a trauma as an adult such as combat.

Let&#8217;s jump to some of the largest subjects I see and to examples of dissociation. You know when you say "he/she isn't acting like themselves" or "why did they do that, they would have never done that"...

One thing I hear from others a lot... &#8220;He/She&#8217;s a pathological liar&#8221; 

Oh there&#8217;s one of the largest misconceptions with PTSD! Which could in a lot of cases be linked to dissociation. I commonly refer to it as &#8220;filling in the blanks&#8221; when one with PTSD does not recall the truth or what really happened. So, many times will &#8220;fill in the blanks&#8221; with what they believe is real or facts. Again, this does NOT happen all of the time, it only occurs when dissociation occurs which can be random or triggered by something.

Here is what actually happens.

The difference between one that lies, because we all know there are ones that do just lie out there, and one that dissociates, is ones that dissociate believe what they are saying as the truth, the &#8220;lies&#8221; are emotionally accurate to them based on what they are feeling rather there are accurate facts involved or not.

The one that dissociates sometimes believe feelings over the actual facts, what they feel at that very moment becomes facts to them. Then when their mood changes they might very well rearrange facts to be more consistent with the way they feel. Thus leading to &#8220;the liar who&#8217;s story changed.&#8221;

One that truly lies, knows they lied, they know and understand what actually happened or why they lied. See the difference now?

Then comes the confrontation! When one that dissociates is faced with hard evidence of what actually took place. This relates to my saying &#8220;they will fight to their death they didn&#8217;t lie.&#8221; In truth, because to them, they didn&#8217;t! Their &#8220;truth&#8221; is based on their feelings of what they feel is real, and not always to the hard facts.

However, there is hope in these situations. If the hard evidence is enough, one can adjust their opinions and views to see the facts before them. I hate to say, with PTSD this can very well bring on the fight or flight, so watch how this is handled and handle it as calmly as possible. An example of the &#8220;twisted truth&#8221; could be money they spent and swear they didn&#8217;t spend it. But in fact there are bank or credit cards records to prove the hard facts, but in their true belief they did did not spend a dime. In this example the hard evidence might or might not appear as facts to them. If not, save it for later when they are not in a dissociative state.

I hate to say, dissociation can be very destructive to those who suffer from it as well as those close to them. Dissociation goes beyond the common errors, self-indulgent denial, or fantasy. It can be very pervasive without a logical explanation or conclusion and can harm your quality of life in many ways. Dissociation can make one appear very irrational, illogical, and cause them to shrug off important things as if they don&#8217;t exist as well as have a false reality to things that don&#8217;t exist. False memories can form, be altered, or even rearranged at any given time, dissociation also comes with memory lapses or gaps in the memory forming a sense of memory issues to appear and they can also have amnesia where nothing is remembered at all.

Some examples include:

* Telling a story multiple times, but the facts in the story changes.

* They might mirror someone&#8217;s else&#8217;s story or experience as if were their own.

* Opposite, they might view their own story or experience as if it were someone else&#8217;s.

* When confronted with facts they may ignore them or swear they are not true or real. (Such as spending money)

* They might commit an immoral or unethical act and refuse to believe they did it. (Such as cheating) When in fact it is not something in their character to do.

* They might not remember an important event which happened or other times recall/speak of something that didn&#8217;t really take place.

[/COLOR][/LEFT]


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## N.E.wguy

This all can be very frustrating or frightening to someone who lives with a person who dissociates&#8230; can you imagine how the one who does experience it feels??? I can imagine the word &#8220;lost&#8221; comes to mind.

When one is dissociating, it is hard for a loved one to have a logical argument, persuasion and reasoning will very rarely come into play. And it&#8217;s not something that they are going to just &#8220;snap out of&#8221;, just like with PTSD itself. If you refer to your loved one with the &#8220;Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde&#8221; theory, you might just have a little more then PTSD at hand. So it&#8217;s something to really think about and look into, because it is very real. In other words, they are not making this up!

Dissociation can also be a part of why people walk away from you or your loved one. It goes back to one believing you are telling lies. Stories can change and people can start not trusting what you say. They normally won&#8217;t confront you on things, they just simply stop coming around. One of the hardest things in life when in reality you both need a support system. If dissociation does come along with your PTSD, it might be best to explain it to others so your support system stays in place. It is something very difficult to understand, but very much a need to know situation.

One important thing to keep in mind. Remember that the person who experiences dissociation does not realize what they are doing when these episodes happen. As a loved one, don&#8217;t try to get back at them for what they did or said, when they are in this state don&#8217;t argue with them&#8230; agree to disagree and talk about it another time. It goes back to what we are taught&#8230; will that effect me 5 years from now, 10 years from now, is there really an urgency to discuss it right now this moment when they are not going to be able to be rational about the conversation? Sometimes you are going to be better off to address a topic later when they are not dissociative.

You may also struggle with memory lapses or fragmented memory. This can play a huge toll on everyday life, work, school, and relationships. You might forget something you studied, a learned skill, appointments, etc. and also leads and adds to feelings of being disconnected form others. It can bring that feeling of floating outside of yourself wondering who that person is you are looking at, the &#8220;this is not reality&#8221; feeling. It can cause you to be confused, and can even cause you to become unsure about boundaries between yourself and others.

Like I said there is a lot more that goes with this then I could possibly write here, but this will give you a bases to start learning from and let you know that this might be a possibility in your situation. There are many different levels of dissociation from minor, even normal, to severe, and many more details.

Now, there is something different here then with PTSD itself, there have been reports showing that dissociation is or can be &#8220;curable&#8221; in many cases. So if this is something that you feel has become a part of your life, please contact your doctor and see what they feel or what they feel will help.

The whole key to me writing this boils down to &#8220;don&#8217;t jump to conclusions&#8221;! If your loved one is not acting like themselves, the person you know, then find out why! PTSD is caused by a trauma and affects one in many ways, but with that trauma might come other things as well. Dissociation is a form of &#8220;guarding&#8221; one&#8217;s self, survival so to speak, which is not controlled by them, and may very well come with PTSD.

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;[/font]


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## N.E.wguy

*Communication.*

 We talk about how important communication is all of the time. BUT, what is communication? How is it different when someone suffers from PTSD or even secondary PTSD? What do you do?

Knowing the basis of proper communication and the things to do or not do when PTSD is involved are urgent!

You have to always keep in mind that the person has gone through a life altering trauma which causes the circuits in the brain to function differently. They may have trouble with memory, how to express themselves, trust weighs huge with PTSD, then you add in the anger and defenses that come with it. If you do not develop good communication skills you are setting both of you up for an argument or confusion.

Making plans&#8230;

When making plans, it is good to ask questions directly. Especially women, have a habit of adding in too much information which becomes overwhelming to registering everything you say. The key points my be absorbed but everything in between probably will not.

If you want to go to dinner on Friday night, a simple &#8220;I would like to go to dinner on Friday night, do you want to?&#8221; You will get a yes or a no most likely. If you get a yes for an answer, it&#8217;s good to go ahead and state where you want to go and give the person with PTSD a chance to answer. Once you have an answer and it seems plans are on for Friday night. Back it up with a confirming statement. &#8220;So Friday night we are going to&#8230;&#8221;. By doing this you are making sure you are understanding the answer, and if there were some mix up in the communication it gives time for it to be corrected. If the person with PTSD is not comfortable with the plan, it also gives room for a different place to be considered, a different day or time. Once you come to an agreement, put it on the wall calendar so it is remembered that the plans were set.

PTSD brings so many different feelings to a person. Remember that all of these things can cause communication to become more difficult. Focusing on making a decision can be extremely hard. They are dealing with anger, fear, guilt, grief, along with many other things which can interfere with decision making. Being able to offer what you would like to do can help, even if it&#8217;s not something they are comfortable with doing it can open the line of communication for other options to be taken into consideration.

If that Friday night comes and the person is not up for that night out, don&#8217;t take it personally. Maybe get a dinner to go and take it back home for a nice night together inside. Even if plans get changed, make the best of it. A nice, quiet dinner can open the door for one on one time and you can always set another night to go out.

Breaking the cycle&#8230;

One of the most major breakdowns in communication comes from the &#8220;walking on eggshells&#8221; phase. This is when your partner does whatever he/she has to to keep things calm, to help their loved avoid triggers, focuses on the partner&#8217;s PTSD symptoms so much that it effects themselves. No one wants bad confrontation! And helping keep them &#8220;safe&#8221; is a normal reaction. But it leads to the &#8220;walking on eggshells&#8221;. This leads to distance between the two of you, the partner develops their own anxieties, hyper vigilance, and reactions to their partners PTSD trauma even though they did not experience the event themselves. They are basically going through the trauma through there PTSD partner&#8217;s eyes as I put it. This forms a vicious cycle! Keeping communication through this is beyond urgent! A partner going through this can form some of the same effects PTSD has on the one who has PTSD. They can turn to alcohol to bring them to that numb feeling to prevent emotional hurt. They might think of suicide themselves. They can suffer from depression, find themselves alienating themselves from the outside world, feel that they can not trust or even feel betrayed. They too can suffer from anger or find themselves irritable. Secondary PTSD as many know it as does exist... it's another form of PTSD.

So now you find that both of you are having some, even though of different nature, the same symptoms. You HAVE to communicate! Knowing how each of you are feeling, taking time to listen and really hear each other. Talking is extremely important but so is listening. Both of you have to work on not interrupting each other, let your partner say what they need to. Once they are done then you give your input. Be conscious of what you are saying as well as what you are hearing. Talk but don&#8217;t over talk. When you put too many words into it, there is room for your words to be taken the wrong way which inevitably leads to an argument or more hurt feelings.

The most difficult thing is not being on defense&#8230;

Normally when communications start both people may be at a heightened level and it&#8217;s easy to always defend yourself. &#8220;Own it&#8221;. If you have done something or reacted a certain way, own it, you did it so it is yours. Being able to accept what you did or said can help you get past it. It opens the door for communication and being able to get past things such as hurt feelings and/or mistrust. Even if you did not mean how you made a person feel or something you did that effected them, facing the fact that you did leads you to the &#8220;now what can we do to fix it&#8221;. It also shows you are willing to understand the situation, even if you have a different point of view or did not mean for it to appear the way it did to someone else.

A great example of this that I literally hear all of the time in relationships is internet surfing&#8230; yep I&#8217;m talking about the other people thing. A spouse is going to view it as cheating, they can&#8217;t trust you now, they are hurt, they are not good enough for you so you are looking for someone else, they are not attractive enough for you so you communicate with other people you think are more attractive. Oh man, now self esteem is a huge issue on top of everything else!

Majority of the time it&#8217;s not at all the way it looks! Not saying it makes things right, but the appearance and actions can be deadly to a relationship. Many people, male or female, will look for that something that is missing by contacting other people. A very harsh thing to a relationship. And the sad part is, that other person is not going to bring you back what you think is missing. Many times ones with PTSD are doing this to find emotions, spark, the things PTSD will mask in a relationship. They might not be cheating at all, but the appearance of it is not a good one and trust is going to be messed with which can lead you to a worse place then you are already in. Trying to fill that void PTSD brings is not going to be done by someone outside your relationship, at least not long term.

This is when you look inside your relationship, if you feel numb&#8230; which you probably do much of the time, what can you do in your existing relationship? You might think the stepping out will bring you closer to the one you truly love, but it won&#8217;t. Find new things to mend the bond between you and your loved one, both of you put the past to the side and start over so to speak. Tantra is a well known help in this and can be fun and exciting for helping get that closeness and feelings sparked back up. Try counselling, support groups, learn to communicate, take time out for just the two of you! That missing emotion, feelings, and excitement is most likely right there before you&#8230; in your spouse. And man oh man will you change his/her outlook if that attention you are putting somewhere else is turned back to them.

Dropping the defense and being in that time and moment, talking, showing each other you do care and are willing to work to get into a better place with each other is extremely important. Take time to focus and try to listen to what you are being told and see the signs of what you can work on. Craig and I do this, if either of us are feeling a certain way the other will listen. There might not be an answer of how to fix something right then or there, when that happens a simple &#8220;I will work on that.&#8221; shows that we have been heard and the other person is willing to do something to take action of making something better. The person telling their side has to accept that the other person is going to try. This simple thing leads to communication and trying to make a difference as well as maintaining trust. Just always keep in mind that nothing happens over night! Give time for changes to be attempted and understand that errors might be made in the process.


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## N.E.wguy

*Don&#8217;t take things personally&#8230;*

*PTSD comes with anger, frustration, memory issues, and always being on guard. It seems to all come out on the one they love most. *Many times there are things that are lashed out during these times that can be extremely hurtful. You can not take everything personal! Most likely things that come from anger are not truly meant, and many times your loved one will be very sorry for what was said later. Not taking things personally is one of the hardest things you will ever have to learn, but is much needed in order to stay focused and help yourself. When you take everything to heart it&#8217;s going to put up a barrier to communication. Something to avoid.

Silence&#8230;

*Being quiet is not always a bad thing. *It does not always mean something is wrong. Sometimes silence is needed in order for a person with PTSD to be able to focus. Think of all of the symptoms of PTSD, now think about what constant noise can do. Sometimes babbling and talking all of the time becomes noise. When this happens the important things can be lost in the noise. When talking does not happen all of the time, it leads to when things are said they are more apt to be hear, that noise barrier is taken away. If you pay attention you can tell by body language if something is really wrong or if a person is just in a quiet mode. If they are in a quiet mode, maybe that&#8217;s where they need to be to cope with themselves. Many times if they need to talk, they will. If you need to talk, say it directly &#8220;I really need to just talk, can we do that?&#8221;

Make sure talking isn&#8217;t always only about serious matters or when you say this it will trigger that defense mode. Learning when silence is needed can help you with communicating better.
*
So, these are just a few things that can help. Take time to research how to communicate with someone who has PTSD or or secondary PTSD&#8230;or any other disability for that matter. It&#8217;s different, things you say or don&#8217;t say, ways you act or react&#8230; but over all it all can be learned with a little extra effort.*


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD vs Finding Solutions
*
You will be shocked at some of the things PTSD will throw at you. I mean, you know and have read all of the standard symptoms that come with PTSD, but accepting them and the things that come that are not on that symptoms list, but so many seem to have in common as a result of PTSD, is sometimes, many times difficult.

The first step with anything is accepting that there is now PTSD in your life or in the life of one you love. I mean REALLY accept it! Until you face that, it&#8217;s going to be very difficult to move forward, for you or your loved one.

I know it&#8217;s hard to accept at times, and even those that do accept it will have difficulty at times, especially new things or increased changes. You know, like when you finally adjust to what is there in order for things to be better or the best they can be, then something else gets added to the mix or changes. You have to accept in order to adapt again.

I personally have heard ones say things such as:

* But this is not like him/her.
* But if I/we do that such and such could happen.
* But what about what people think or say?
* But that won&#8217;t work for us.
* But I/we tried that before and it didn&#8217;t work so why try?
* But he/she should not act that way.
* But he/she did this or that.
* But if I/we contact this person or that person&#8230;this or that will come of it
* But I have tried
* I understand PTSD but&#8230;

Do you see something here? I do. The word &#8220;but&#8221;, but what?? But it might lead you to a worse place then you are now? Really, how would you know for a fact? You don&#8217;t because that word &#8220;but&#8221; is standing in your way!

The word &#8220;but&#8221; used in the same sentence with anything related to PTSD equals an excuse. Some excuse not to try something. The word &#8220;but&#8221; equals fear of the unknown.

When you take the word &#8220;but&#8221; out of the sentence you can step forward to finding solutions.

This is when you put those facts on the table as I say it, you move forward, you take the &#8220;but&#8221; away and you work on finding a solution to whatever is going on or you are facing.

I can not begin to tell you how many times I have heard of or experienced myself someone reaching for my or someone else&#8217;s help and all I hear in return is the word &#8220;but&#8221;. Here&#8217;s one for you&#8230; &#8220;But nothing&#8221;. Stop the &#8220;buts&#8221; and start trying, try new things that could lead you to a solution of a symptom. That symptom is not going away, but you don&#8217;t stop living life because of it, you adapt and find a solution. You might even find what didn&#8217;t work well before might work now.

If you want the best, then you have to try your best. You have to accept what is before you, rather you like it or not, and find a solution to making things better. Don&#8217;t give up and don&#8217;t use the word &#8220;but&#8221; as a way around trying. Goes back to an old saying &#8220;You never know until you try&#8221;. I mean really, we are talking about PTSD here. Anything you really try can&#8217;t be a failure, even if it doesn&#8217;t work and you have to try something else. Don&#8217;t let the word &#8220;but&#8221; cut your options, solutions, and yourself or your loved one short of what could be. You and/or your loved one is better then that!

Take the &#8220;but&#8221; out and find a solution. You and/or your loved one deserves it! &#8220;Best of the Best&#8221;&#8230; that&#8217;s YOU my friend!

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*Do I dare, do I dare? Yep, I do!

For the adults on the page.

&#8220;PTSD vs Intimacy&#8221;*

Come on! All joking aside now. If you have PTSD in your life you know what I am talking about! It&#8217;s that subject that no one likes to talk about, but reality is it&#8217;s real! I could not begin to tell you how many emails I receive from the spouse OR the one who has PTSD on this subject, asking me &#8220;is it a part of PTSD or is there something wrong with me?&#8221; (Please remember I&#8217;m not a doctor my posting are my personal opinions or experiences.)

Here are some of the common questions/statements:
Does he/she not love me any more?
Am I no longer an attractive person to him/her?
What have I done wrong?
Why does he/she cheat but then say they love me?
Am I not good enough?
Why does he/she push me away?
We use to have an active sex life, now we have nothing. Why?
I&#8217;m not good enough for her/him.
Okay, the list does go on, but you get the point.

Let&#8217;s see, we are dealing with PTSD. A person who is learning how to relearn who they are, most likely on medications, has had their personal self esteem damaged by a disability, lost their career, not seeing themselves as the person they &#8220;use to be&#8221;, a person who is afraid of letting you down, many with PTSD also suffer from depression, yes you are getting my point here too.

The hardest part in a relationship goes back to communication. Intimate matters are hard to talk about in the first place, then you add PTSD to it and wow! Knocks you right off your feet!

Medications. There&#8217;s a really good start. Most with PTSD are on medications. If you research the medications, most of the time you will find at least if not more that effects the &#8220;sex drive&#8221;. A lot of the time once the medications are in your system and your body is adjusted, some of that drive can come back. However, at this point in your mind you&#8217;ve already &#8220;failed&#8221; and that&#8217;s embarrassing and you are not going to put yourself through that again! Fact is, you haven&#8217;t failed at all! You are on a medication that prevented it from happening. This is where that talk needs to come in tell your partner what the medications have done to you and how it has mentally affected you. Now, as a partner, don&#8217;t push for the intimate time. I know you want to, you are only human, but you have to be understanding at this point. Helping build that self esteem back up without pushing for the &#8220;outcome&#8221; is very important.

What did I do wrong? Am I not attractive? Why does he/she push me away? All of these boil back to a lot of what I have already said. Self esteem, medications, etc. This is where you as the partner has to pay close attention to not let it get to your own self esteem&#8230;and it will if you let it! When you are pushed away from intimacy, and over and over again you start looking at yourself and what is wrong with you. It&#8217;s not you, and in reality it&#8217;s not them! It&#8217;s PTSD!

Then we bounce back to what just one time can cause for the rest to come. You or both of you already have it in your mind &#8220;what if I can&#8217;t do it&#8221;. &#8220;what will he/she think&#8221;. Oh no, the problem just became larger. What about this? I can do this and I am going to enjoy this. Oh I know, that&#8217;s much harder then it sounds. It will take time to build yourself back up&#8230;then you still have those medications there. It&#8217;s about being intimate with the person you trust, not judging each other no matter what the outcome is, enjoy whatever you get from it, which may be no more then a simple kiss&#8230;that&#8217;s a good step. 

Then there&#8217;s the devil to face, so to speak. The PTSD partner might not think you are forward enough &#8220;wanting to&#8221; at times, might think because of your patience you yourself have lost that attraction to them, that you don&#8217;t get &#8220;turned on&#8221; like you use to&#8230;when fact is you don&#8217;t know where or if this is going anywhere and have your own defenses up, now you both are feeling rejected.

Communication. I don&#8217;t know any other way to say it. That line of communication has to be open and honest on both of your parts. When you are on the same page of how you are feeling it is going to make it easier, not perfect, but easier when it comes to being intimate together. Remember that intimacy is something to enjoy together, not something that is pressured. If you have the pressure you are not going to get very far, and no one wants that in this situation.

I know you aren&#8217;t going to let me get away with the one I have not mentioned yet. Cheating. Oh boy, the marriage breaker! This normally happens when PTSD is out of control. The person no longer feels like they know themselves and looks for that no ties outside source to fill that void they now have. This is something that has to find control or you will lose the one you do love. Man or woman, you can only be pushed so far with this one before you lose what really is important to you, both of you. In the cases I know about, this happens when PTSD is not getting any sort of treatment. Advise here, get that treatment rather it is medication, therapy, counselling, just get to your doctor and get the help to get PTSD back under control! I know of people who would never step out on their marriage/relationship, but once having PTSD, they did. It was not that they didn&#8217;t love their partner, it was they were trying to find themselves. Again, find it by getting help for yourself, the rest will fall into place&#8230;the right place. 

So&#8230;I&#8217;m sure I could write a lot more on this, but to sum this up, don&#8217;t stop trying! And don&#8217;t focus on experiences that didn&#8217;t turn out the way you wanted them to. Don&#8217;t let PTSD take away a part of you that is important or that you would like to have back. Remember, a simple kiss or hug does say many unspoken words. And who knows what may happen from there. 

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


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## N.E.wguy

From time to time I try to get back to the basics of PTSD, keeping in mind that there are always new people just starting to learn about it. So today I want to touch on something.

*PTSD and PTSD Anniversaries
(also Holidays and Special Occasions)*

*When you hear the word anniversary, you automatically think of someone&#8217;s wedding anniversary. Well, to one with PTSD it has a whole different meaning. When speaking about PTSD, and unless otherwise specified on here, we are referring to the date the &#8220;episode&#8221; or &#8220;event&#8221; happened which caused PTSD. Sometimes we will say &#8220;anniversary month&#8221;, the reason for this is because PTSD does not only flair up on the exact day, but can get worse anywhere around that time. Sometimes it can be for days, other times it can be for a month or so before or after that date.*

Knowing this helps others! If PTSD &#8220;acts up&#8221; at a certain time of year and normally every year, you can almost make a bet that it&#8217;s that anniversary time. This is a time frame that I am always ready to cope with whatever might come. The person with PTSD on the norm has many more issues with PTSD during this time&#8230; nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, etc. Being aware of when the PTSD anniversary is allows the family members a reason which comes understanding of why a certain time of the year might be worse then others.

This past year, without anyone knowing what I was up to, I attempted something different. It was all in the attempt to help Craig through his anniversary day and that time frame. I actually got off the subject of PTSD itself, even though everything I was trying was still based off of his PTSD. I posted positive things, off the wall photos, cute stories that had heart to them, and even went as far as on the anniversary date itself asking everyone to post something that was meaningful, positive, and dear to their hearts&#8230; actually on his anniversary day. IT WORKED! Craig reading everything posted on here, and by me asking everyone to post things like I mentioned, he spent the whole day scrolling through all of the good things in people&#8217;s lives&#8230; your lives, the ones just like him that suffer from PTSD or live beside it! WOW! The next morning I explained what I was up to the day before. It worked! Craig made it through his anniversary day without huge issues. All of the positive feedback kept his mind occupied with positive thoughts and his anniversary day went pretty smoothly.

Me doing this little &#8220;experiment&#8221; proved if you can bring to light all of the positive things in life, the reasons to live, the reasons to keep making those steps forward, keep a smile on your face, it does bring about a different way of coping through the really roughest times PTSD brings to one. It helps to keep the brain and memory from being able to dwell on what happened. Now, this isn&#8217;t something that is going to happen everyday of your life by any means, we are still dealing with PTSD, but it can sure help when something is desperately needed. 

Holidays and special occasions are some of the other toughest times for PTSD. This is a very good point, because it is! The survivors guilt comes into effect, which is very similar to how PTSD reacts to anniversaries, again they go hand in hand. So I want to add that in here too. Holidays and special events bring on expectations, and we all know that expectations are one of the first things that can really stir PTSD up. Also it brings about remembering those that were lost or not here anymore to celebrate them and the survivors guilt really sets in. It&#8217;s not that your spouse/ loved one with PTSD doesn&#8217;t want to share in the joy of this time, this seems to be especially hard for birthdays and wedding anniversaries, it&#8217;s that they feel guilty as the one who survived to do so. When you can have an understanding of how they feel and keep it in mind, it can make these things a little easier. And you might want to throw in like I did, some of those positive things to make those days go a little easier as well.

I know as a spouse, for years I have dreaded my birthday coming around. In all honesty I do. I know what will come and it&#8217;s usually &#8220;just another day&#8221;. That&#8217;s hard, in a way I USE to want to be selfish and say &#8220;it&#8217;s my day&#8221;. I am one that loves surprises, I don&#8217;t like planning my own birthday, and to be honest would rather not do anything for it then to have to plan it myself. Then it makes me feel unimportant. Which I know for a fact is far from the truth, but that&#8217;s what comes with feelings. It&#8217;s all normal, and I know not to expect things. And I&#8217;m mentioning this for a reason, I couldn&#8217;t tell you how many spouses have come to me and asked me how to handle their own birthdays. They all go through the same feelings and a sense of feeling rejected. But, the fact is, it&#8217;s PTSD causing this, not the person themselves. Over time I&#8217;ve adjusted and learned to not expect things, that feeling doesn&#8217;t just go away, but it eases over time. Whatever happens, happens, life is still there and I have a wonderful man each day of my life no matter what one specific day brings. That&#8217;s when the spouse/loved one has to focus on the positive. 

PTSD Anniversaries, holidays, and special occasions all will bring out the worse side of PTSD, and the guilt side that comes with it. It&#8217;s something to be aware of, don&#8217;t judge too harshly during these times, focus on the good, and make the best of them as you can.


*You know, I was scrolling through some other places within the social media and I was in total shock! *
I read through the &#8220;battles&#8221; going on between veterans/ones with PTSD and spouses. And I mean battles! This one doesn&#8217;t understand, that one doesn&#8217;t understand. I won&#8217;t listen to her, he doesn&#8217;t see it this or that way. One comment was something along the lines of &#8220;I won&#8217;t listen to any spouse because they weren&#8217;t there so they don&#8217;t know or understand&#8221;. Oh the comments were truly endless, and the hurt behind all of them. WOW!

They are so busy battling each other that they aren&#8217;t getting anywhere to making things better.

Is it really rocket science to understand that when you start listening to each other and understanding to the best you can without being in the exact situation that occurred, something good has to come from it? The he said she said has to stop so communication can start.

If I battled Craig on everything PTSD has brought to us, or he battled me, we would be doomed for sure. But we aren&#8217;t, we listen to each other and actually hear each other. We talk about things that we see in each other and work for a more positive result. You have to, if you don&#8217;t you aren&#8217;t going to get anything but more pain and conflict.

I&#8217;m seeing a lot of couples that are so lost in PTSD that it is in fact rolling over to the spouses. Which truthfully does happen. Sometimes it&#8217;s the one with PTSD that is having a stable day and it&#8217;s the spouse flying off the handle at everything, walking on eggshells so much that they lose a grip on themselves. When this happens it has to be addressed and come into play to be handled as well.

I think part of the problem I am seeing is huge numbers of secondary PTSD, at the least anxiety that is out of control. And hate to say that the one with PTSD a lot of the time is focused on themselves and what they have been through and trying to overcome, that the secondary PTSD of the spouse is not being placed in the equation. It has to be!

*I want to thank the ones with PTSD for being here, for helping us all see the other side of the fence, and for working beside us and not against us. YOU are making all of the difference in this world and in all of our lives. PTSD is there, it&#8217;s not just going away, but you being here is helping everyone learn and cope which leads to better lives and families.*

BOTH people have to work together and consider what each of them are going through so they can find ways of coping all around. It&#8217;s the key to keeping a relationship, both getting the help they need, understanding each other, and moving forward.

I am so happy that my page has turned out the way it has!!! We work together, and work on being able to see the point of view of that other pair of shoes. It helps!

Thank you everyone!!!! This is a true &#8220;family&#8221; on here!

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


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## N.E.wguy

I want to touch on something today that many forget about or don&#8217;t even consider when it comes to one with PTSD.
*
PTSD vs Survivors Guilt*

This is a topic that I have found effects many with PTSD. It is very apparent in the many Veterans I have spoken to or been in contact with, but does not effect only them, it stretches to anyone that has survived an episode where someone else didn&#8217;t.

The questions and statements brought up range widely&#8230;
*-Why am I alive?*
-What could I have done differently that could have saved them?
-Why am I the one that came back and they didn&#8217;t?
-I should have saved them.

The list is endless. The fact is, if you are hearing any of these things from a PTSD loved one, most likely you are not only dealing with PTSD but there may very well be survivors guilt there as well.

This is probably one of the most difficult things to cope with. Many Veterans ( I speak from the Veterans side since that is what Craig is, but it does go for anyone.) I know have found that helping others or helping other Veterans is a good way to cope with this. To feel useful, to unwrap some of the burden they feel to at least speak of it, they might do it because their doctor wants them to, and the most sincere&#8230; they know it might just save the next life. It&#8217;s in reality a form of survival. There are many that do not yet understand what PTSD brings and I know first hand that these very Veterans who shared their stories with me, as well as their guilt of the losses they saw or in some cases caused in the line of duty, brought a new understanding to me that I am very grateful for. Without them opening up the way they have done, it would have been a very difficult road to me understanding my own husband.

It goes back to a story I shared a little while back. Every one of the Veterans thanked me for listening, told me how much it helps them to be able to talk, but in reality they all helped me too! They are the ones I am thankful for. See, if they indeed weren&#8217;t the ones to survive, where would the next generations learn from? I believe that there is a reason for everything, I don&#8217;t know all of the answers to why lol because we sure don&#8217;t wish anything bad on anyone, but there&#8217;s a reason.

The ones who suffer from survivors guilt I have found are very hard on themselves. Almost like they are punishing themselves for surviving. And I can&#8217;t see through the computer but I bet there are a lot of heads shaking yes right now. My friends, don&#8217;t punish yourself, there&#8217;s no reason to. Without you and what you can bring to the rest of us, this world would be very incomplete! I know things happened that haunt you and your dreams, but you have a life to live that will change those of the future. I also know that there is nothing I can say that will change the way you feel, but I can say I am still proud of you and proud you are here today. You bring the rest of us wisdom, understanding, compassion, and hope.

*To those of you who have a loved one which show the signs of survivors guilt, it&#8217;s not something to turn your back on or brush off. It&#8217;s real, it comes from real events, real feelings, and you have to make sure you make an extra effort to try to understand the best you can with not experiencing what they have and be there for them with extra love and understanding when these feelings surface. This is the time they will need you the most and also the time they might somewhat pull away. Be cautious of this. They need their space but they also need you! Especially during these times!*


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## N.E.wguy

*So you know someone with PTSD, or maybe you don&#8217;t and you are just curious about learning.

What can I do? How do I act around them? What do I talk about or don&#8217;t talk about?

There are many questions that come up, especially if you are not familiar with PTSD. Many people who suffer from PTSD lose their friends, many times family, all because a person does not understand these very things.*

A person with PTSD is no different then you or I, they have just been through something traumatic which caused them to develop PTSD. They are still human, they still have feelings, and they still put clothes on just like the next person.

So here are some of many tips that are good to know:

1. Treat them just like you would anyone else! One of the worst things you could do to a person who suffers from PTSD is to treat them like they have a plague!

2. Don&#8217;t ask insensitive questions! Like &#8220;did you kill someone&#8221;. One, who really wants to talk about that in the first place, would you? No! If they want to share their story with you, they will. Leave that up to them. Majority of the time they would rather talk about the same everyday things that the next person would.

3. Repeating themselves. Many with PTSD and/or TBI have some type of memory issues. If they do repeat something just go with it. No need to state &#8220;you&#8217;ve already told me that.&#8221; When you say things like that it makes them feel belittled and they are going to get really quiet on you.

4. Give them space. They my not always be able to keep a schedule, on rough days they will want to stay home. Ones with PTSD do not like others seeing the rough side that comes with it. Be respectful of that and something that might not happen today can always be rescheduled for another day.

5. Don&#8217;t make &#8220;fun&#8221; of anyone with a disability. 1. It&#8217;s not nice or respectful in the first place. 2. You never know who it could effect or even someone else they might know.

6. Never judge them. You don&#8217;t know or understand what they have been through that lead them to PTSD so don&#8217;t judge them on something you don&#8217;t understand.

7. Have respect for personal space. PTSD can be caused for many reasons. Many times a person needs their personal physical space from others. Avoid approaching them from behind without them knowing. Even touching them in a friendly manner sometimes can lead to a trigger. Read their body language, if they are joking with you and tapping your shoulder then it&#8217;s probably okay to do it back. Use your brain. 

8. Don&#8217;t put them down! One with PTSD has a hard enough time maintaining their self-esteem and sure does not need outside influence which could cause it to become worse! You wouldn&#8217;t want someone putting you down or talking bad about you, so don&#8217;t do it to them. Point out the good things don&#8217;t focus on the negative.

9. Learn about PTSD! Even if you don&#8217;t think you know someone that has it, odds are you actually do! PTSD can affect anyone, it&#8217;s not only military related. It can be caused by a car accident, a rape or attack, a natural disaster, even from being in a hospital! It can be from anything that caused a trauma in a person&#8217;s life. And many times you are not going to know about a sensitive matter.

10. Use your brain before your mouth. If it is something that you wouldn&#8217;t want said to you, then why say it to someone else. Every person can think before they speak 

*A person with PTSD is still a person, a human being. They can throw a great cook-out, they can be a great friend, a great father or mother, a wonderful part of a family. They just have an unseen disability that causes them to react and/or view things differently but makes them no less of a person. Some of the most kindest, caring, and sensible people you will ever meet have PTSD&#8230; it makes them appreciate life more then the average person that takes life for granted. 

Take time to educate yourself, and sad to say, you never know when it might be you in their very shoes. What PTSD causes hurts, but you can make a change! LEARN now and you could change the life of someone else&#8230; or maybe even yourself! 
*
~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD vs Triggers
*
Triggers can be almost anything that remind you of an event that caused PTSD or is related to it. Triggers are a huge part of PTSD and learning about yourself and what triggers you is extremely important.

Like with Craig, I know many of his triggers. With knowing what they are I can majority of the time help ground him to what I see coming&#8230; or hear. Examples of his are helicopters&#8230; not the sight of them, but the sound, the vibrations that come from them. Another we have found, even though we haven&#8217;t pin-pointed it, is the fluids in a car&#8230; changing the fluids, something with one of them sets of his sense of smell, a smell related to a ship/carrier.

As much as we say triggers come out of nowhere, which it seems and not literally speaking they do because you never know when they will happen&#8230; the fact is triggers can be known. If you pay attention to the here and now when triggered by something you can figure out what your triggers are. What is happening when your heart starts racing? What smell was there? What were you looking at or watching? What sound did you hear? Think about it, focus on is happening and you can link your reactions to something.

By doing this and recognizing your triggers, you can get a better grip on coping with them when they happen. Like with Craig, once he hears or feels a helicopter coming he will say out loud &#8220;I know you are there&#8221; or &#8220;I hear you coming&#8221;. Over time it&#8217;s become a normal saying around here &#8220;Eye in the sky&#8221;, that&#8217;s our cue to him that we hear or feel a helicopter. With knowing, he can start right then on coping with the fact it&#8217;s coming and work towards keeping himself grounded. Now I will say he normally knows it before the rest of us, he has extremely sensitive hearing and can feel the vibrations, but it allows him the coping time to handle it passing.

Learn your triggers, learn your partner&#8217;s triggers. This knowledge is of great help to trying to stay grounded from full flashbacks or the anxiety that comes.

Each person has triggers and they are not always the same as another person&#8217;s. It all depends on you and your trauma to what triggers have developed. I can&#8217;t say it enough, learn what yours are. Then learn what techniques help you through them.


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## N.E.wguy

hxxtp://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pages/diagnostic_criteria_dsm-5.asp

I was asked about changes included in the DSM-5 from the DSM-4 regarding PTSD, the "pharmaceutical bible" as I know some of you are going to comment so I will beat you to saying it  This is the book referred to by doctors for diagnostic criteria guidelines. Here is a link from the VA regarding the changes. And I personally think suits what I know of PTSD better.


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## N.E.wguy

This question came to me today. Feel free to answer with your opinions.

Anonymous-
"I am at a loss. My husband is waiting on a diagnosis of PTSD and in the mean time was told to try marriage counseling for us so we can learn to communicate better with each other. He hasn't set anything up to actually go yet though, and I doubt he will. I have anxiety issues myself and I feel like the kids only hear us yelling. We never have a good day. He yells at the kids to the point where I don't want them around him at all. He ignores them when he's not yelling at them. I feel so bad for my kids. He just acts like he doesn't like them at all. They are his stepkids and now we are pregnant. I am scared he will treat our baby differently. I can handle when he is mean and yells at me, because I know that just comes with being a PTSD spouse, but my kids are different. How can I take care of my kids and my husband? I feel like I have to choose between them constantly. I desperately want to make this work, but I am working alone and my kids are not getting the life they deserve. I was hoping you have seen a situation similar to mine and could give me some advice? How can I help my kids grow up happy in a PTSD home? They are constantly having to play alone in their rooms so he won't be able to yell at them. They know not to jump on him or yell around him, he yells at them for asking simple questions. They want his love and attention so badly. What can I do in all of this? What should I do?"
710Like ·  · Share
7 people like this.

Noelle Blihgsne Without knowing the age of the kids, I'd at least start by explaining that daddy has hurt his heart and isn't the same person he used to be. He's trying to get some help, the doctors won't be able to cure him, but they will make him feel better. And that they can help daddy by showing him love when he seems to need it, but other times by playing quietly in their rooms. Maybe make him a card or sign that tells him they still love him.
May 29 at 12:24pm · Like · 2

DwayneandMisty Taylor This sounds like my life
May 29 at 12:25pm via mobile · Like · 2

Alicia Sternenberg You have to be the one who takes the first step to setting up counseling. At home, try laying in bed together and talking at night.(Nights are best for us, kids are asleep) This helps my husband and I immensely. I'll set it up as a date if I have to. Be willing to listen and hopefully he can do the same. I hope you can find a way with communicating that works for you both 
May 29 at 12:40pm via mobile · Like · 1

Tonya Butler He won't treat your child any differently, he isn't intentionally treating your children like this. My husband is the same way to our 3 children and they're the loves of his life. It's the nature of the beast so to speak. The VA has a new couples Counseling for PTSD it's 16 weeks long just the preparation for the program made such a huge difference for us. You will learn soo much about your husband, more than you think you know now. With my input I think my husband became a little more aware or how he was affecting the kids and I and he's really started to make strides in removing himself before he looses control or he can tell me when he is having a hard time w the kids. Counseling will help!!!
May 29 at 1:04pm via mobile · Like · 2

Cathy Sheridan Ive tried a million things but the most enlightening thing for me has been 

Reading the postings on this page its one of the best things I have ever done. Both sides presented 

I'm diagnosed PTSD. (Due to DV)

I love bush walks. Being in amongst trees is probably one of the least stressful things I can do
Perhaps as a family you can do this 

Breathing slow it down
Tell yourself to stay calm 
Say to yourself don't yell
Use I statements. "I feel ......
Keep your voice even - don't keep raising the level 
Punching bags are good or a run, walk 
Gardening 
Meditation Yoga Tai chi Callanetics my favourite 
Something slow try or fast what ever the situation needs 

Sometimes it's takes a few goes of trying something before you notice a difference. Other times it doesn't seem to work just put the idea aside and try something else, you can always try it again later 

I have a friend and times I call her and ask just to say the words 
"Don't worry about it, it will be ok" for some reason it works. She does say it slowly, and our call last a minute nothing else is discussed ( she knows I will more than likely explain later)

Make sure the kids have a good understanding behaviour. Suitable to their ages 

Find someone who specialises in PTSD if you are able to see a phycologist who treats patients using the Cognitive behavioural therapy method (CBT)

These are some if the things that help me.
May 29 at 1:38pm via mobile · Like

Kelly Lea I have PTSD & without knowing age of children I really can't say exactly ~ 
I am 54 with no children but have animals & it breaks my heart because I can see what my PTSD does to them ~ 
There is so much guilt & shame with PTSD & the acting out with triggers that goes with it & that's part of the anger ( in the lashing out ) to KNOW we are hurting causing distress on those we love ~ 
I can't even imagine if I had children in the mix ~ 
The noise of young children would add to my anxiety right now ~ 
so again without knowing the ages ~ off the cuff here ~ my suggestion would be if at all possible away from the kids ~ 
Ask your husband in text email or talking or even leaving a message on his phone IF it's a good time to ask him something of a serious nature concerning the kids ~ IF he says it's not a good time then ask him to please let you know when it will be & let him know you understand it could take a day ~ a week ~ but that you would like to ask something to be of help to make all less stressful for him & the household ~ 
IF he is ok to talk ~ I would as the above said wait until children are asleep ~ house quiet ~ what he would like that he sees might help ~ IF he isn't a talker tell him he can think on it & just send you a text of what he needs ~ for his peace of mind ~ 
I need major major space to myself & maybe that is what he might need ~ just space ~ 
The space thing is also tricky because in the space the PTSD person doesn't want to feel abandoned either ~ even if they are screaming get out get out ~


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## N.E.wguy

Kelly Lea O YES ~ after reading the other post above ~ I personally do bikram yoga 90 minutes in 105 degrees ~ I work to do it daily ~ it makes a HUGE difference ~ my man begs me to go ~because he sees such a difference in me after ~ he cannot go because he has heat issues but if you can find a bikram yoga class that in itself will change your mans life ~ IF he can go & IF not You go & it will help EVERYTHING ~ promise ~ 
If the bikram is not of interest ~ a gentle YIN yoga class ~ restorative yoga will also be of benefit & if you have Fios ~ go to Veria ~ they have classes on tv ~ you can do at home ~ or get a DVD ~ 
I see the pain in my mans eyes when I'm triggered ~ he became my trigger & reactivated my PTSD that was in remission only a day ~ but what a awesome day that day was ~ 
my man didn't mean to do it ~ trigger in me my ptsd but he betrayed my trust & trust is also a major need when one has PTSD ~
my point in mentioning my man becoming my trigger is to explain why my triggers are now a lash out at him~ he was my safe place & without family & isolated from friends from years of abuse in a DV marriage that I'm in midst of divorce now ~ I needed a safe place & with his betrayal he became intertwined with all my abusers ~ so it has been the hardest thing I have ever gone thru ~ being broken from a DV situation ~ then meeting him to find he had been betraying me since hello ~ it was devastating & because of his having a large family & my only social life is fb ~ I have not been able to talk to anybody of my pain until I found this site all because I don't want to hurt his name ~ I have held all in for the last year when I came to the knowledge of his betrayal ~ 
I stay because number one I'm broken ~ number two he is getting help for his issues & he loves me ~ this I know 100 % ~ I love him too but know I'm not healthy & know if I was ~ I probably would have ended our relationship for what he was doing ~ 
But since I'm not well & since he is a good man that had/ has a problem ~ I stay ~ I have no other choice right now ~ 
He is so kind ~ he says even IF I decide I do not want this relationship he is willing to stick by me & take care of me until I'm able to get well~ 
Just felt i needed to clarify why I rage say unkind things to him at times ~ he is my trigger because he broke trust & I will not KNOW until in better place what we are ~ but for now I have someone who is willing to do what ever it takes to get me well ~ 
I am going to a clinic in Lewisville Texas soon that specializes in PTSD ~ learned of it on Dr Phil ~ think it is called P&P ~ 
Again sorry for my ramble ~ writing is my soothing balm ~ even if I write all over the place ~ Plz forgive me ~ blessings ~
May 29 at 2:22pm via mobile · Like · 1

A Spouse's Story PTSD Reply from another anonymous... " - I am so sorry to hear that you have to go through this. I also am in a similar situation. It has been tearing me apart because I also feel like I have to choose between my husband (who is their step parent) whom I love dearly and my precious children. He and I both have PTSD and its a constant struggle and lots of arguments. I can only tell you what I do, not everyone can do the same. It has to come from within and only you know how far you can push your husband. Whenever my husband yells and scolds the kids for things that they should not be scolded or yelled at for, I defend them on the spot. I dont want them to think that they are the ones in the wrong. He is the one with the problem and needs to learn to deal with it. In my situation I had too,its something that needs to be fought for every single day. They (husbands) need to learn that they can help their situation with training. yes, training.. sounds nuts because we are adults, but PTSD sets us back. We have to learn to love, care, patience, rationalizing and so many other things all over again. Counseling is good, but the right one is vital. They truly have to want it, or counseling wont help. make that first step towards counseling but like I said only you know how far you can push your husband. I pray that you find the strength and solution to your needs. "
May 29 at 4:51pm · Like · 1

Kelly Lea I'm so sorry but I have to disagree with the last post ~ 
I think it is vital that children have a unified front PERIOD ~ 
This I feel will cause more confusion ~ I'm a stickler on what I say ~ because my own parents never had a unified front & it messes up the entire dynamic in my opinion ~ it turns kids against one parent as they can't know when they are at fault or not ~ they are children ~ it teaches them to not respect the parent that is being scolded by the other or vise versa ~ 
If a therapist ever said this was ok ~ I would find a new therapist ~ 
I feel it would be better to separate or get a duplex & live next door to one another & have play dates when all are feeling well rather than be disrespectful to one of the parents in front of the children ~ 
As a child should not be scolded in front of others neither should an adult ~ these are all private matters and this is just my opinion & I may make ppl mad but I'm passionate of this ~ ALL even those out of control with PTSD deserve respect PERIOD ~
May 29 at 5:30pm via mobile · Like · 2

Drew Beardmore This will sound a little strange even so Try finding a good life coach who is skilled up in NLP (Nuro-linguistic programming) ask the coach to do some work with your anxiety and his anger strategies you will find that this will help to change the triggers and how you actually do it. I am studying it here with the hope to be able to help some of my Military Brothers who struggle with it
May 29 at 6:09pm · Like · 2


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## N.E.wguy

*Sometimes in life with PTSD, things are going to get rough.* It is going to seem or feel like your life is falling apart. Relationships are going to get rocky. 

But I will gladly be the first to tell you that relationships can survive PTSD. It will take more work and effort then normal, learning how to communicate so you know where each other is standing and what you both are feeling, it takes truly accepting that PTSD is real, and planting your feet in concrete that you are not going to let PTSD destroy your family.

I know the fact is not every relationship will survive, however if you truly love someone, you can get past what PTSD can bring or did bring, and you can heal and form a stronger relationship then you ever thought possible. But you have to try!

I won't tell you PTSD is just going to go away and a fairy tale story magically appear... that won't happen, this is real life. However I will tell you there are many ways of coping with it and making things better then where you have been or are standing now. But you have to put your all into it. BOTH of you!

When you both give it your all, you might be shocked at how much better things can become, instead of that dark rock bottom place you have been.

There were several times over the years that I thought I couldn't do this anymore, thought it might be best to walk away, but when it came down to it and I looked in the mirror, I realized he is a part of me. I couldn't walk away, he's worth more then that, WE are worth more then that.

So I planted my feet and decided the only way for us to make it through this was facing the battle and learning what weapons/tools to use to fight it. You know what? It's worked.

Every day I come here, I share things, and I rarely post something without some type of meaning behind it. I've been there, I live beside PTSD every day, and I share the tools with you that can help no matter which side of the fence of PTSD you are standing on. PTSD and life with it is by no means new to me. I won't tell you it's always easy, it's not, those ups and downs are going to come. But I can tell you, our marriage survives through it, we have and are raising wonderful well balanced children through it, and we do make it from one day to the next. I won't accept anything less.

But I can't make you use what I share, that one has to be up to you. You are the one that chooses your and your family's future. You are the one that decides if the fight is worth it. You are the one that can make a change for the better. But you have to choose to.

I will tell you, even through the worst PTSD can bring, it is possible for things to get better. But the first thing you have to do is stop holding things against each other, accept PTSD is what you are battling, and take a stand to battle it together! Craig and I, and our family are living proof it can be done! If we can do it, so can you!

* If you have already left, it does not have to be the end!

If you have already chosen to and walked out that door, have taken breathing room, really think about if that's what you truly want. If it's not, if there is any ray of hope, walk back through that door and stand tall that you two are going to work together to make life better through this.

* Communication. 

Place the anger, hate, and hurt of the past to the side and start new today. I know you won't forget whatever has happened, but you can get past it. Learn to really talk as well as listen so you can work together.

* Set rules. 

Learn each others lines or boundaries. They have to be spoken, even write them down if it helps. But you have to know where each other stands in order to move forward and heal whatever has already happened.

* Get professional help. 

Many times having a third party to help you find a level ground is needed, you are both worth trying, reach for additional help if you can't find that level ground to stand on. Get one on one help also. Therapy can help keep both of you balanced and moving forward.

* Take care of yourself. 

BOTH of you have to do this! Make sure you use the coping skills. Make sure you take "me" time when needed. Use self-help therapy, whatever works for you to help keep you balanced.

* Physical and/or Verbal Abuse.

These are things that can change! No one purposely hurts the one they love. In many cases you can get past these. Coping skills, learning about PTSD and what comes with it, communication, and everything else you can use to your advantage can help correct these things. Work together to get past any abuse that may be going on. Do it for yourself and do it for your family.

* Safety Protocol.

Rather there is any type of abuse in your home or not, having safety guidelines is a must in any home. Especially if you have children. We all know what PTSD is capable of bringing, have safety in place of what to do in any certain situation, it goes back to it's better to be safe then sorry. Knowing ahead of time if you are faced with such and such then this is how it will be handled, and everyone understanding that, can save a lot of issues from happening or knowing how to handle them if they do arise.

* Education.

Learn! There is no tool more powerful or that can help both of you more then both of you learning what you are faced with. As you learn you will also learn solutions and ways of dealing with or coping with what PTSD can bring. You learn how to handle situations without over reacting. You learn to find a balance which helps you move forward.

* Stop fighting each other.

You have a larger beast to battle then each other! Fighting and arguing just breaks down your relationship, don't let it!

Through everything, keep in mind you chose to be with the one you are with for a reason, don't lose sight of that! Both of you do what you need to in order to make it through life with PTSD. PTSD is not just going away, so make a plan and take action to make life the best it can be with it. Life might not be a fairy tale story all of the time, but it doesn't mean life has to be bad either. Don't give up on each other! Work together, help each other, support each other, and let go of the past and start new today... it can make all of the difference in the world! 

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD vs Outside Negative Influence*

This is huge! Anyone that has PTSD probably has heard their doctor say "Try to avoid additional stress." Or something along those lines. Keeping a calm, stable environment is pretty important when it comes to PTSD and coping with it.

Hard one to do isn't it? I mean, this is real life which comes with stressful situations.

There are many situations in life where it is just not possible. Sometimes you are put in a position where you have to face it and handle it accordingly. Lay the facts on the table and do what you have to in order to get the situation handled/solved and move on. Don't hold on to negative situations... when you do they are just going to eat at you and bring you down, flair up your PTSD symptoms, as well as depression if you also suffer from it. Don't let them run your life. 

Work with the facts. 

What can you do right now this minute?

If there is nothing you can do right now this minute then try not to dwell on it. When the time comes to handle it, then be prepared for it but don't allow it to run your life every second of every day. Pace yourself and don't get ahead of yourself with the what if's and but's. When you allow this to happen, many times your mind thought process will leave from the facts at hand and everything will start to consume you and your life. Don't allow this to happen!

Then there are others who like to push your buttons so to speak... which is nothing less then cruel! Especially when they know there is a disability at hand.

But I hate to say this happens oh too often. Some people are going to try to break you, weigh you down, try to put you in a worse condition then you are already battling... normally for their own personal gain or due to their own issues in life. A bully, that's really all they are. Someone who is not happy with their own life so they pick on someone else.

Don't let them! Life already has enough that comes with it without you allowing other people to get at you. When these times come, and sooner or later they will come, focus on who you are and don't let their words or actions tear you down. You are better then that and obviously a better person then they are!

So what do you do?

* Stick with the facts of the situation.

* Don't let the "what could happen" weight you down.

* Handle things accordingly as they come and don't let them consume you and your life.

* Don't allow negative people to over rule who you really are or cause you to question yourself.

* Use coping skills in stressful situations.

* Make a plan of action for situations you know are coming. Set a pace and timeline for you to do things to prepare for it so it does not consume your life every second of every day.

* Don't allow a situation to take over your time you need to focus on yourself and take care of yourself.

* Talk to someone close to you or your doctor when stressful things are weighing on you. Just talking to someone can help.

* Seek professional help in situations where a professional can take added stress off of you rather it is a financial adviser, a lawyer, a doctor, or even a housekeeper or lawn maintenance person.

* Avoid negative people if you have to. 

Life can be stressful, and adding PTSD to it is at times difficult. Do what you know is best in or for your situation and most of all for YOU! You spend a lot of time and energy being the best you can be with living life with PTSD, don't allow additional things damage how far you have come!

~Bec
"A Spouse's Story...PTSD"


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## N.E.wguy

Okay let&#8217;s hit this page running this morning. I&#8217;m seeing HUGE issues going on in the PTSD world right now, and I believe there are some simple things we can do to prevent them! On BOTH sides of the fence.[/font][/COLOR][/LEFT]

*Let&#8217;s face the facts. Relationships are falling apart! With PTSD being involved there are extra steps that have to happen in relationships to make sure they survive.* These things take extra self-control that is beyond normal. It takes stepping out of the box as I say it and looking back in. Putting yourself in someone else&#8217;s shoes even for a brief moment to take a look at where you stand, what you are doing, and what you could do to make things better. And that goes for everyone.

Having PTSD or living beside it does not bring the &#8220;normal&#8221; relationship! And you can&#8217;t expect it to! I&#8217;ll be honest, as a child majority of us had our heads filled with fairy tale stories of the happily ever after and the house with the white picket fence, children running around happy, and a dog named Spot. It&#8217;s a mind set that every little girl grows up believing in, it&#8217;s every boy&#8217;s vision of being the knight in shining armor. Think about it, many will agree.

But the fact is, none of those visions of what life is suppose to be like include sickness of any sort, and especially not PTSD. So you have to reset your thoughts. It&#8217;s called the facts of life. I&#8217;m not saying you can&#8217;t have a happy life or be that knight, what I&#8217;m saying is you have to reach that type of life in a different way. It&#8217;s not just handed to you, you can&#8217;t just expect it to happen.

With any relationship it takes work! Then you mix PTSD, as well as other disabilities or illnesses with it and that happy life and relationship are not going to just fall into your hands.

Let me touch on these separately&#8230;

Spouse/SO:

Look at yourself. Look at how you act, how you respond to things. Are you keeping in mind that PTSD is real and does exist? Be honest with yourself.

I know that living with a partner that has PTSD can get lonely. That&#8217;s a fact about it. But at the same time you can&#8217;t rely on someone else to make you happy all of the time. It goes back to doing things for yourself to bring happiness. If you don&#8217;t know how to make yourself happy, how would you be happy in a relationship? Especially mixed with PTSD.

This goes back to one of the things I do for myself, I buy myself flowers once a month, or something that I want for myself that will bring me a different sense of happy. This month and last I didn&#8217;t buy flowers, I put time into gardening and my pond. And don&#8217;t get me wrong, many budgets are tight and buying things for yourself isn&#8217;t always the answer, you can do something for yourself, whatever it might be that brings a smile to your face. Something that you can see that reminds you that you did it for yourself.

Self-help therapy! A huge key to living a balanced life when living with PTSD. No, it doesn&#8217;t take the loneliness away, but it helps you keep your self esteem which is extremely important and easily lost with everything that goes on.

Look at how you treat your partner. Many times I hear &#8220;but look at how I&#8217;m being treated!&#8221;

Well, the truth is, if you don&#8217;t like the way you are being treated, then don&#8217;t treat them that way because you are hurting or feelings are hurt. Two wrongs don&#8217;t make a right&#8230; at all!

Sometimes when a person with PTSD sees their partner smile, laugh, still live life, it doesn&#8217;t mean you are going on with life without them, it means you have a chance to lift them up from those dark places PTSD brings them to.

As long as they are seeing you sad or upset, even angry what do you think is going to be the response? I can answer this, they are going to feel like a burden, that you deserve a better life, that they are just bringing you down, that you would be better off without them and it fuels the PTSD anger. That&#8217;s not quite the outcome or response you want now is it. NO!

Your feelings are going to show rather you want them to or not, but you can work on making yourself feel better which in turn leads to them not worrying as much. You always have to keep in mind PTSD consumes them, and they can&#8217;t help this, it&#8217;s a part of what comes with PTSD.

Oh I hear you saying it now! &#8220;But he doesn&#8217;t want me to be happy! He doesn&#8217;t want me to feel good because he can&#8217;t!&#8221;

Well guess what, sure you are absolutely right. This does happen. But how about adding something simple to this? How about &#8220;I&#8217;m trying to be happy and accomplish things because it will help US be happy&#8221;. It will help take the burden off of their shoulders of bringing you down too. It&#8217;s hard for one with PTSD, normally they have lost most everything to this and in reality many times can have jealousy that you can succeed in something but they can&#8217;t. It takes time for you to get through to them that things you do are to help both of you. You have to be able to stand on your own two feet so both of you can be better. I&#8217;m already hearing the &#8220;but&#8221; in this, don&#8217;t worry, the PTSD side of this is coming also. It takes working together, not against each other!

Being in a relationship with PTSD is hard, extremely hard&#8230; but it&#8217;s not impossible! You as the spouse have to remember that it&#8217;s PTSD NOT your partner! Come on, would you have ever been with them in the first place if all they were was &#8220;bad&#8221;? Absolutely not! You saw something in them, something that you loved. That something is still there, it&#8217;s just harder to see, but it&#8217;s there. Think of the good things, find a way that brings those good things back to life&#8230; it&#8217;s possible. &#8220;Look for the good&#8221; I say it on here all of the time, there&#8217;s a reason for it. 

Stop being at war with your partner and start working together to find solutions, they are there, you just have to find them!

The one with PTSD:

Nope, not leaving you out of this. We know you still love and care about your partner, it&#8217;s just hard to show it much of the time. PTSD takes so much time and energy just to feel some sense of normal.

I know you are a good person! If you weren&#8217;t your partner would not be there for you! They found the good in you that they love and attracted them to you in the first place.

It&#8217;s time to start unmasking that good so they still see it. I know this is one of the most difficult things you will ever do. PTSD does not like the good and hides it so to speak. I truly believe that PTSD affects &#8220;the best of the best&#8221; and I will keep saying that until you believe it again yourself!

PTSD breaks you down, it brings you to your knees, and it&#8217;s a battle that is very tiring on the mind and the body. I understand that completely, BUT, yes there&#8217;s that word you hate hearing me say. But YOU are still there! YOU can override some simple things so that good part in you shines through. I know it&#8217;s not easy, but you CAN do it!

A partner of PTSD feeling &#8220;lonely&#8221; is the largest thing I hear, and also feel many times. I want to explain this feeling to you so you can understand it from a spouse&#8217;s view and can help change this.

You don&#8217;t have to be physically apart from each other to feel lonely. You can be in the same place even 24/7 and still feel it. It comes when you are focusing on yourself and fighting PTSD within yourself and all of the focus is on that and little on your partner. I know you don&#8217;t mean to do this, it&#8217;s hard enough coping with PTSD. But this is exactly what is happening. Then the anger of the fight comes and rolls over to your partner, no one means for this to happen but it does. Your focus remains on yourself, not because you are selfish by any means, but because you are trying to survive!

But in this surviving you are forgetting one huge, major tool you have on your side to use! Your partner! I know it seems like so much work, added stress and worry, the thoughts of I can&#8217;t please her/him. But I have something very important to help you in this, and it&#8217;s simple.

Loneliness comes from an emotional as well as physical distance, a wall put up between the two of you. And I&#8217;m saying loneliness because this seems to be the largest battle a partner has being with someone who suffers from PTSD. We all have feelings, even when there is numbness. You are human! And you do deserve feelings, you deserve happiness, and it does not matter what or where PTSD has you, there is something you can do.

As difficult as it is to take the feeling of lonely away, there are things that you can do to help prevent it. And they are rather simple but get lost in the trying to make yourself better.

Let&#8217;s start with the more easy ones, even though I know nothing that comes with PTSD is easy. 

A hug. A kiss. An &#8220;I do love you and glad you are here.&#8221;. Sitting on the couch while watching a tv show and putting your arm around your partner or holding their hand. Look at them, think of why YOU chose them, there&#8217;s a good reason and it&#8217;s still there. Focus on that person for a second and think about who they are, the things you like about them, the things they do and many times do for you. Don&#8217;t let guilt that PTSD brings overlook these things, don&#8217;t think about the bad or how they would be better off without you, think about why they chose you and why you those them. It brings a sense of a happy time and place. That time and place are not lost, they are just set to the side. Use those good times to help in your relationship. No, you can&#8217;t go back, but you can move forward, and moving forward creates new senses of happy. PTSD causes you to feel stuck, things as simple as what I&#8217;ve said here can help you get unstuck&#8230; and with help from your partner.
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## N.E.wguy

Here&#8217;s something else that seems silly and unimportant. But it plays a huge roll in all of this life with PTSD. PTSD puts you in a place where you rely on that other person, sometimes too much but might not notice that. Things like duties around the house, fixing meals, taking care of majority of things for you. It goes back to that stuck place PTSD puts you. Let&#8217;s help you get unstuck.

Simple things like picking up your clothes from the floor and putting them in the hamper. How about when you fix yourself a drink, asking your partner if they would like one. Asking what you could help with so things get done and you have more &#8220;couple time&#8221; without your partner being worn out. The little things as I call them. Just anything that could help, show you are thinking about them, shows you do care about how they feel. I know many, especially men, are use to the wife/woman doing many of these things&#8230; their role so to speak. But you have to remember, especially for those of you who are home all of the time now or most of the time, things have changed. Life with PTSD does not separate his and her roles anymore. Another mind set that many of us were raised with. You have to learn to work together on things so there is balance.

This also helps you! It helps you from being stuck, it helps you from feeling unworthy, and it will sure help your relationship. And wow&#8230; it battles PTSD on a new playing field that will be to your advantage!

*Anger.* *Oh a huge thing that PTSD has on it&#8217;s side. When you feel that anger starting, tell your partner. Make them aware that you are feeling this way. And focus on not letting the anger control you.* When both of you are aware of this feeling happening you can work together to get through it. Use your coping skills! Breathing exercises. Talking about it. Anger comes out during some of the worst times PTSD gives you and it takes a lot of self control to make it through it, but you can! Say out loud &#8220;I&#8217;m angry right now but I don&#8217;t want to take it out on you.&#8221; You might have to have a break of just quietness during this time, let your partner know that and you need this quiet time to get a grip on it because you love them and don&#8217;t want it released on them. Try this! It works! Verbal abuse is one of the most damaging things PTSD brings, and I know that none of you mean to do this, but it does happen. And when it does it really puts a wall up in a relationship, just as you use a wall to cope through things, your partner will do the same thing, it&#8217;s a defense mechanism. You both have to watch out for this, it can be dangerous to a relationship and very hard to tear down. Be open and honest with your partner, communication is a huge key that is on your side.

SO&#8230; all of this is something to really think about. None of you want to feel lonely no matter which side of the fence you are on in this. Take back your relationship, work together, you can speak honestly and calmly with the goal of making changes for the better. Avoid the fighting PTSD brings. Fighting it, for either of you, is feeding the PTSD. YOU can control this and strengthen your relationship at the same time. Try these things. Start new, start now! Work on rebuilding your relationship and letting the past hurt go so you can move forward together. And always keep in mind that when it comes to PTSD, the simple things in life are going to be the things that bring the most meaning and change for the better.

Don&#8217;t let PTSD take your relationship from you! Because it will if you allow it to. Work together, communicate, &#8220;look for the good&#8221;&#8230; it&#8217;s still there!

And to add my legal note to all of this, I&#8217;m not a doctor or in any sort of medical field. I&#8217;m simply a spouse that&#8217;s been there and these are my personal opinions and points of views. If you have an emergency situation please contact your local help hotline.

Love to you all

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story PTSD&#8221;[/font]


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## N.E.wguy

*PTSD vs Guilt*

That is a very strong word and it carries a ton of weight with it. Guilt can come from many different reasons. But what are some of the reasons that can be related to PTSD?

You know, PTSD is hard enough for one to cope with and the struggles from day to day can be difficult, then there is guilt mixed with it.

Now, I&#8217;m not only talking about survivor&#8217;s guilt, which many with PTSD do have. That is a beast within itself already. Surviving when someone else didn&#8217;t, feeling as if you should have been the one that didn&#8217;t make it&#8230; it&#8217;s a huge weight to carry and you have to work hard to make it through those feelings every day. And to those of you that experience it, and yes my husband is one of them so I do understand what it causes. Don&#8217;t give up on yourself! I truly believe there is a reason you are here, rather it is a known reason or not to you right now.

Other common reasons guilt my develop:

* Not being able to work.

This is a tough one for many! You have a person who has worked their entire life, worked hard to succeed in what their line of work was, then they faced a disability that took it all away. They now feel like they have let themselves and others down by not being able to provide as they use to be able to do.

This was a very difficult one in our home. I had to find a way for this to be viewed differently and voice a different way of viewing it to easy that guilt. Craig is a disabled Veteran due to his military career, even though he can no longer work, he does receive financial benefits that he EARNED. To me, that IS indeed providing! 

* Feeling like a burden.

This is very common. A person always took care of themselves as well as others, and now is in a position that those things are not so easy, or not as easy as they use to be. That can weigh on a person.

But let me tell you something, even if you are viewing yourself as a burden to others, you are NOT a burden to that person who loves you. You are in their life for a reason, try to remember that.

* I can&#8217;t do the things I use to do.

The old me and who I am now. An extremely hard one to grasp. The I use to do this or that and now it&#8217;s hard to even leave the house.

You are still you! Things have just changed, change is a part of life rather we like it or not. On your good days, do what you can and try not to worry about the things you can&#8217;t. I know that is way easier said then done, but try to make the best of the now. Find new things to do. You might be shocked at what you can indeed do.

* Not spending a lot of time with children.

This is the hardest one on any parent. Soccer games, school events, crowded places, lots of noise and rowdiness of children. That can be overwhelming to PTSD. You start feeling like if you don&#8217;t go or attend everything then you are letting your children down.

I&#8217;ve got news for you on this one! No matter what amount of time you spend with children, no matter what you attend or don&#8217;t attend, quality is the key. As long as when you are able to you spend quality time with a child that is the largest thing that matters. They just want you to love them and be there for them, it does not mean you have to go everywhere. Children can be the most understanding and forgiving people in this world, so don&#8217;t let something that they can overlook and get past continue to weigh on you.

* Date Night.

I personally hate this term lol! You hear it all of the time especially from your friends in the social media. It can weigh on you that you don&#8217;t go out like everyone else does, you can feel guilt because it&#8217;s something you can&#8217;t offer your loved one or not on a regular basis. You feel as if you are keeping them from the rest of the world.

There is something you can do or try. Even if you are one that your PTSD does not allow you to go out or not much, try some of these&#8230;

- Go out during off hours. It does not have to be a Friday night during dinner time outing to be a date night! Go out for lunch or during the week when things aren&#8217;t so busy. It is still going to mean just as much!

- Make special dinner plans, a movie, etc at home. There is nothing wrong with having a date night at home! Turn it into something special for the two of you, do something you two don&#8217;t normally do, oh jeez and for the ladies add that sissy romance in there lol. Even through numb feelings PTSD can cause, the motions to show you do care can still be used. 

* Not being able to participate in special events/holidays.

Just do what you can and take breaks when you need to! Holidays are overwhelming! Many time just showing face can be enough or making a call to let someone know that you would love to be there but it&#8217;s just not a good day. People are either going to take time to understand or they aren&#8217;t! Don&#8217;t let them weigh on you! You do what you can at your pace and do what is best for your situation.

- Take breaks to leave crowds when you need to.
- Show face even if you can&#8217;t stay&#8230; IF you are able to make it somewhere.
- Let people know that it does matter to you, even if you can&#8217;t make it.
- Do something on another day. A holiday does not always have to be celebrated on that day, anyone that has experienced military life knows this one well! You celebrate when you can.

* Spouses!

Don&#8217;t play the guilt trip!!! You will cause a lot of damage if you do. Work with the one with PTSD and find ways to cope and handle things. A guilt trip is just going to bring anger, frustration, the guilt, and your loved one falling into a really dark place. And sure won&#8217;t bring them any closer to you! DON&#8217;T do this to them!!!

There are MANY things that can bring guilt. Guilt can eat you alive if you allow it to, don&#8217;t let it. In many of the situations there are ways around allowing it to happen or take control of you. Don&#8217;t just give up. Guilt is a very real feeling and it&#8217;s not at all easy to overcome, it will take time and a lot of hard work, but do what you can! By trying to get past some of the guilt, you might just find new things in life you enjoy or can do. 

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*In going over things NOT to say to a person that suffers from PTSD, *I know there are a lot of lists out there. But what about the &#8220;why&#8221; to those lists? You can tell anyone not to say certain things, but it makes more sense when you can understand why you should not say them. I have listed a FEW of them here and over time will add to this, but here is a good start.

What NOT to say to one who suffers from PTSD and Why:

* It&#8217;s in your head, just don&#8217;t think about it. Get over it.

This is one of the most uneducated phrases out there regarding PTSD. How is one suppose to not think about it? PTSD was formed from a serious trauma, this trauma repeats itself over and over in their DREAMS! Dreams are a way of the mind venting what has happened. No one has the physical ability to just get over it. 

Flashbacks, this is something that happens from a trigger which could be a sight, a smell, a certain feeling of a breeze that blows bt you. These lead to flashbacks which is where the person thinks they are actually back in the place and reliving the trauma which lead to PTSD. They zone out as I say it, they are right before you physically but they are not &#8220;there&#8221;. It takes a long time and effort to learn to cope with triggers to prevent them from taking over, sometimes they are not going to be avoided. 

Can you control your dreams? Nope, sure can&#8217;t. How many times have you dreamed something and woke up thinking why did I dream that? Many times I would guess. Well one who suffers from PTSD relives their trauma in their dreams, over and over again. If you can&#8217;t predict and control what you dream, how would you expect one who has PTSD to do it? You can&#8217;t. There is no such thing as getting over it or don&#8217;t think about it. Even with all of the medications, coping skills, and professional help, at times it is still going to be there.

* You don&#8217;t need medications, you&#8217;re fine. You act so normal.

How would you feel if someone told you that you are fine, you don&#8217;t need your cancer treatment, or blood presure medication? You would probably answer them in anger and tell them your life depends on those things! Ah, we hit a nerve. PTSD is no different. Those medications are what help a person be able to find a place where they can cope with PTSD. The medications are what make them seem normal to you. In reality, if you do not live with the person, most likely you are going to only see them on a good day when they are actually able to leave the house. Be thankful this person reached for help and does have those medications, or you might not see them very often at all. Many with PTSD do not leave home because they do not want others seeing the rough side of PTSD. They want to be viewed as normal, and are just like the next person, they just have a tougher battle that is there every day they have to fight to feel that normal.

* Pull yourself up by your bootstraps soldier.

Pull up your bootstraps, hummm. Actually, they DID! The fact is PTSD sets in with what I call &#8220;the best of the best&#8221;. The ones that indeed have pulled up their bootstraps one too many times, the one that stood tall and took every trauma thrown at them. A human can only take so much trauma before something is going to give, that something is called PTSD. It when you have taken so much that your mind just wants to shut it out, which turns into a battle withing yourself. It turns into nightmares or terrors, anxiety, hypervigilence, anger, lack of self esteem, and all of the other symptoms that form PTSD. Being in a position to pull those bootstraps one too many times has factually lead many to developing PTSD. Wanna pull on your bootstraps a little too hard? No, you don&#8217;t.

* Did you kill anyone?

The one question that shows no respect at all. Again, turn the question back to yourself. Many people are raised with some sort of religious upbringing, take that then be in a position to where killing someone was your job, what you have to do. Then take that and turn around ask ask that person if they killed someone. What do you think is going to happen. One of two things normally, you are either going to set them off or they are going to walk away from you and never look back. Let&#8217;s be real, if you know a person was in a position where they might have had to kill someone, do you think there is any respect in asking that question? NO! One with PTSD has a hard enough time coping with the past, don&#8217;t put it in their face. Have respect that the person in front of you put their life on the line for someone else&#8217;s. If you have the urge to see death, try joining the military or police force. It will cure that urge real fast. Life is not a video game!

* If you could go out last week, why can&#8217;t you go out now?

One of the most stressful questions to PTSD. With PTSD every single day is different. A person might be angry one day, happy the next. They might have 3 good days followed by 2 weeks of bad ones. They have a hard time making schedules and keeping them. Planning things in advance is extreme for them. If they have a day they do go out, be thankful for it! And understanding on the days they can&#8217;t make it out the front door. All it takes is one thing to trigger their PTSD and a good day can head south. They have to focus on every single aspect of their day and things around them to make it through the day, sometimes that is too much of a struggle and it mentally and physically wears them out. When they do make it out, they tend to mask PTSD with a smile, normal, they just want to fit in and feel normal. As I say it, take the good days when you can get them and be of help and support when they are bad. Anything can be rescheduled for another day, have the understanding to do so if it&#8217;s a day they can&#8217;t get out. Goes back to no expectations, never expect too much.

* I&#8217;ve been through things too, that&#8217;s life.

Sure! Everyone has been through something, very true. However, when a person has been through a life threatening trauma, sometimes more then one, and they stand strong and hold it in&#8230; that holding it in builds and begins to weigh on you. Not everyone handles trauma the same way, and it&#8217;s normally the strongest people that PTSD affects. They are normally the ones that have lived through, seen more, and also may have guilt of being the one who did survive. If you understand PTSD, this is something you would never quote to a person.

* So you are crazy.

The good ol&#8217; crazy statement. The old reliable for those that don&#8217;t get it, don&#8217;t understand it, and are uneducated. PTSD does not mean you are crazy! PTSD means you have experienced a massive trauma that changed your life. Anyone can develop PTSD, so it&#8217;s one of those things where before you judge someone else, would you want that said to you? Again NO! PTSD converts the trauma into nightmares or terrors, flashbacks, vents in anger at times or verbally. But it by no means means a person who suffers from it is crazy. Many of them are vey educated, more understanding of life, and some of the strongest people you will ever meet.

* Man you&#8217;ve gained weight!

Really? Wow that&#8217;s great for anyone&#8217;s self esteem! Pointing out weight gain on a person that is on medications&#8230; which cause weight gain by the way&#8230; many that fight depression which keeps them from being active, and PTSD has effected their lives to where they can&#8217;t seem to be able to do the things they use to because the battle is mentally and physically draining, is disrespectful! Weight gain and self esteem are two of the most deadliest battles of PTSD and/or depression. Even if you view it as a joking manner, they are not going to! One with PTSD needs support of those they are around. Telling them they are fat or getting fat is not support by any means!

* So you are a spouse beater.


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## N.E.wguy

Oh my! Those are fighting words within themselves. Just because a person has PTSD does not mean they are monsters or physically abusive to anyone! Yes, one with PTSD has anger, but normally that anger is with themselves! They judge themselves that they could have done something differently for a different outcome to what they experienced, they could have tried harder, they should have been there, the list is endless. I&#8217;m not saying that physical abuse may not be a part of one&#8217;s PTSD, sometimes it is and outside help is needed to get it under control. But majority of the time it&#8217;s not. They vent anger verbally, sometimes they might throw things or punch a wall or such. But the abuse is more towards themselves then someone else. Many that I know with PTSD are actually the most caring, loving, understanding people that would do anything to help another person. Especially their spouse!

* You can&#8217;t be a good parent if you have PTSD.

This is far from the truth! And I know this first hand! One who suffers from PTSD can be a better parent then some of the parents out there. They put effort in everything they do, it&#8217;s a part of surviving PTSD, therefore place a great deal into parenting. They don&#8217;t want to do wrong, they don&#8217;t want it to effect their children, they want to be the best person they can be. So when it comes to children, children give them the sense of being needed and many that are parents put extra effort into getting professional help so they can be that good parent. That parent know there is someone relying on them&#8230; that actually makes a huge difference in coping and managing their PTSD. They might not be able to attend every school event, but I bet they will put every effort into it. Another thing to add to this, having a parent with PTSD educates children to a whole new respect for life, for others, and can very well be the generation, if taught about it, to change the stigma of PTSD and other disabilities.

* You were not in the military, you can't have PTSD.

This one of the worst battles for someone who has PTSD not related to the military. PTSD can develop from ANY trauma that severely effected your life. It is not only related to the military. It can develop from a natural disaster, sexual assault, physical assault, car accident, child abuse, home invasion, loss of a loved one close to you, major surgery, cancer patients can develop it... the list is endless.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and educate yourself. As always, with any of my postings please feel free to &#8220;share&#8221; them, there is a great need for education and it will be of help to someone.


*We have talked about what NOT to say to one who has PTSD, but what are things &#8220;TO SAY&#8221; that can help?
*
Thing &#8220;To Say&#8221; to one with PTSD:

* &#8220;I&#8217;m always here if you want to talk&#8221;

PTSD needs support, and many times one with PTSD just wants an ear to listen. When talking with someone who has PTSD, it is important not to interrupt when they are talking. Truly listen to what they are saying. Then respond without changing the subject. Communication! A huge key.

* &#8220;I know I can&#8217;t understand exactly what you went through, but I&#8217;m trying to understand the best I can&#8230;&#8221;

No, we will never understand exactly what someone else went through with their trauma, so it is important not to say comments that are out of context. We only see &#8220;what&#8221; they are going through now as a result of the trauma, so our understanding comes from seeing the results not from the trauma itself.

* &#8220;I care about you/love you.&#8221;

PTSD is tough. Sometimes just reassuring one that you care about them can help. Sometimes they &#8220;need&#8221; to hear it. It gives the comfort that even through the rough times you are still there for them and still care no matter what you are going through.

* &#8220;Can you help me with&#8230;&#8221;

Many times when one has PTSD, we know they battle so much each day that we don&#8217;t want to add to it. So at times we stop asking them for help with even simple things. Where you think you are helping, you might actually be doing the opposite, it could be taken as &#8220;I&#8217;m not needed any more&#8221; or &#8220;they are fine without me&#8221;. Keep a balance. Ask for help if you need it or would like to have it from one with PTSD, and accept a no if they don&#8217;t feel up to it without tossing negative remarks at them. By asking let&#8217;s them know they are still needed and helps keep the balance.

* &#8220;Would you like to&#8230;&#8221;

This helps keep them included, even if it&#8217;s just going for a walk or watching a movie. Again, stay away from any negative remarks if the answer is no, you could follow it up with &#8220;is there anything else yo would like to do?&#8221;. You are giving input to something you would like to do with them and also backing it up with a different option of their choice. The important thing is for PTSD not to get into that stuck position too much.

* &#8220;You seem&#8230;(angry, frustrated, sad, etc) today, do you want to talk or is there anything I could help with?&#8221;

This is important. Many times one with PTSD might not realize their actions or the way they are coming across to someone else. By saying this you are pointing out how you are viewing things, you are opening the door for if they want or need to talk, and if that&#8217;s not the way they are feeling it opens communication for what they are actually feeling and keeps misunderstandings from happening or one taking it personally.

* &#8220;I am taking your medical condition to heart, keeping it in mind, can we talk about the way I am feeling about&#8230;?&#8221;

By saying things along this line before starting a serious conversation helps let the one with PTSD know you are not tossing their feeling and what they are going through to the side. You are keeping them in consideration. But you are also allowing for your feelings to be discussed on whatever topic is at hand. Communication is important, and both of you are important. This gives a decent icebreaker to prepare one with PTSD that a serious talk is needed but you also care what they think and how they feel. Do not misuse this! If you are keeping them in mind, make sure you do!

These are a few things that can help with knowing what &#8220;TO&#8221; say to one with PTSD. Words and how they are used becomes a great importance with PTSD so also think before you speak, keep communication lines open, make sure you do not just assume things, and make sure you use your ears and not just your mouth.

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8221;


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## N.E.wguy

*Nearly 1 in 4 stroke survivors develop PTSD, study shows*
hxxp://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/19/study-stroke-ptsd/2417697/
 Cathy Payne, USA TODAY 5:03 p.m. EDT June 19, 2013
About one in nine stroke or mini-stroke patients have chronic PTSD more than a year later, a new study finds.
Brain stroke

    PTSD may hinder recovery after a stroke or mini-stroke
    Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the USA
    Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability

A stroke may leave some survivors with post-traumatic stress disorder, which may hinder their recovery, according to a study released today.

About 23% of patients who survive a stroke or transient ischemic attack, a brief interruption of blood flow to the brain, have PTSD symptoms within a year, the study finds. About 11% have chronic PTSD, in which symptoms last three months or longer, more than a year later. The study, led by Columbia University Medical Center researchers, was published online today in the journal PLOS ONE.

"Strokes are among the most terrifying life-threatening events," says lead author Donald Edmondson.

People think about PTSD in relation to external events like war or sexual assault, says Edmondson, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia's Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health. "There is something different about PTSD after a stroke because the threat is inside your body," he adds.

The analysis looked at nine studies of PTSD induced by a stroke or TIA, sometimes called a mini-stroke. The studies included 1,138 stroke or TIA survivors in France, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. The average age of participants was 64.5 and 47.5% were men.

PTSD can develop after an event involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Symptoms include having nightmares, avoiding reminders of the event and feeling tense. Treatments are psychotherapy, medications or a combination.

Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the USA, according to the American Stroke Association. It is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

Ralph Sacco, an American Heart Association spokesman who was not involved in the study, says Edmondson's research looks at an under-recognized condition. "This is one of the first studies that investigates what's in the literature about PTSD after a stroke or TIA," he adds. "We often think of PTSD as coming on after other kinds of stressful events &#8212; wars or other emotional events.

"A stroke or TIA can be an emotionally charged event &#8212; some strokes can be life-threatening or potentially disabling," says Sacco, chairman of neurology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.

Edmondson says, "Our current results show that PTSD in stroke and TIA survivors may increase their risk for recurrent stroke and other cardiovascular events."

The concern is that PTSD may threaten recovery. Previous research has shown that PTSD is associated with patients not adhering to their schedule for taking medications.

Sacco recommends that stroke patients who suspect that they have PTSD symptoms get medical attention.

Edmondson says there are good PTSD treatments. "But first, physicians and patients have to be aware that this is a problem," he says. "Family members can also help. We know that social support is a good protective factor against PTSD due to any type of traumatic event."

He adds, "The next step is further research to assess whether mental health treatment can reduce stroke- or TIA-induced PTSD symptoms and help these patients regain a feeling of normalcy and calm as soon as possible after their health scare."
related stories
New study links PTSD to heart disease, other ailments11 days ago
7 tips for living a healthier life12 days ago


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## N.E.wguy

*New study links PTSD to heart disease, other ailments*
hxxp://www.usatoday.com/story/nation/2013/06/25/ptsd-linked-to-heart-disease/2456567/
3:30 p.m. EDT June 25, 2013
Vietnam veterans

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
    Afghanistan
    Southeast Asia
    Iraq

More scientists worry that mental illnesses from war, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, can damage the body as much as the emotions. Some even speculate that war could cause an early aging affect.

It means the cost of war can last decades beyond the battles are fought.

An unusual study released today underscores these fears. During 13 years of research, scientists followed twins who were Vietnam-era veterans -- 340 identical and 222 fraternal -- and found that those with PTSD were more than twice as likely to develop coronary heart disease.

The findings were published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"This study provides further evidence that PTSD may affect physical health," says Gary Gibbons, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, which provided some funding for the research.

Scientists at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health followed Vietnam-era veterans, about half of whom had served in Southeast Asia. By using the 562 twins, researchers were able to control for genetic or environmental influences in the development of heart disease and PTSD.

Heart disease was found among 22.6% of veterans with PTSD compared with 8.9% without the mental illness.

Studies show that about 10% to 12% of troops who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffer from PTSD, often characterized as a signature wound of those conflicts.

Scientists speculate that because the mental disorder causes high rates of anxiety, it can lead to heart-damaging higher blood pressure and heart rates.

Heart disease in this study was defined as suffering a heart attack, being hospitalized overnight with a heart-related problems or having undergone a heart operation.

Scientists with the Department of Veterans Affairs tracking veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who have been diagnosed with PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury also report finding signs of heart disease, diabetes, slowed metabolism and obesity among young veterans -- maladies more common to middle age and beyond.


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## N.E.wguy

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Symptoms, Treatment and Self-Help for PTSD
PTSD & Trauma Help Center
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

After a traumatic experience, it's normal to feel frightened, sad, anxious, and disconnected. But if the upset doesn't fade and you feel stuck with a constant sense of danger and painful memories, you may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can seem like you'll never get over what happened or feel normal again. But by seeking treatment, reaching out for support, and developing new coping skills, you can overcome PTSD and move on with your life.
In This Article:

    What is PTSD?
    PTSD vs. normal reaction to trauma
    Signs & symptoms of PTSD
    PTSD symptoms in children
    PTSD causes and risk factors
    Getting help for PTSD
    Finding a therapist for PTSD
    Self-help & support for PTSD

Print this! 


What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
Wendy&#8217;s PTSD Story

Three months ago, Wendy was in a major car accident. She sustained only minor injuries, but two friends riding in her car were killed. At first, the accident seemed like just a bad dream. Then Wendy started having nightmares about it. Now, the sights and sounds of the accident haunt her all the time.

Wendy has trouble sleeping at night, and during the day she feels irritable and on edge. She jumps whenever she hears a siren or screeching tires, and she avoids TV programs that might show a car chase or accident scene. Wendy also avoids driving whenever possible, and refuses to go anywhere near the site of the crash.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless.

Most people associate PTSD with battle-scarred soldiers&#8212;and military combat is the most common cause in men&#8212;but any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma.

PTSD develops differently from person to person. While the symptoms of PTSD most commonly develop in the hours or days following the traumatic event, it can sometimes take weeks, months, or even years before they appear.
Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include:

    War
    Natural disasters
    Car or plane crashes
    Terrorist attacks
    Sudden death of a loved one



    Rape
    Kidnapping
    Assault
    Sexual or physical abuse
    Childhood neglect

Or any shattering event that leaves you stuck and feeling helpless and hopeless
The difference between PTSD and a normal response to trauma

The traumatic events that lead to post-traumatic stress disorder are usually so overwhelming and frightening that they would upset anyone. Following a traumatic event, almost everyone experiences at least some of the symptoms of PTSD. When your sense of safety and trust are shattered, it&#8217;s normal to feel crazy, disconnected, or numb. It&#8217;s very common to have bad dreams, feel fearful, and find it difficult to stop thinking about what happened. These are normal reactions to abnormal events.

For most people, however, these symptoms are short-lived. They may last for several days or even weeks, but they gradually lift. But if you have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the symptoms don&#8217;t decrease. You don&#8217;t feel a little better each day. In fact, you may start to feel worse.
A normal response to trauma becomes PTSD when you become stuck

After a traumatic experience, the mind and the body are in shock. But as you make sense of what happened and process your emotions, you come out of it. With post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), however, you remain in psychological shock. Your memory of what happened and your feelings about it are disconnected. In order to move on, it&#8217;s important to face and feel your memories and emotions.
Signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can arise suddenly, gradually, or come and go over time. Sometimes symptoms appear seemingly out of the blue. At other times, they are triggered by something that reminds you of the original traumatic event, such as a noise, an image, certain words, or a smell.
While everyone experiences PTSD differently, there are three main types of symptoms:

    Re-experiencing the traumatic event
    Avoiding reminders of the trauma
    Increased anxiety and emotional arousal

Symptoms of PTSD: Re-experiencing the traumatic event

    Intrusive, upsetting memories of the event
    Flashbacks (acting or feeling like the event is happening again)
    Nightmares (either of the event or of other frightening things)
    Feelings of intense distress when reminded of the trauma
    Intense physical reactions to reminders of the event (e.g. pounding heart, rapid breathing, nausea, muscle tension, sweating)

Symptoms of PTSD: Avoidance and numbing

    Avoiding activities, places, thoughts, or feelings that remind you of the trauma
    Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
    Loss of interest in activities and life in general
    Feeling detached from others and emotionally numb
    Sense of a limited future (you don&#8217;t expect to live a normal life span, get married, have a career)

Symptoms of PTSD: Increased anxiety and emotional arousal

    Difficulty falling or staying asleep
    Irritability or outbursts of anger
    Difficulty concentrating
    Hypervigilance (on constant &#8220;red alert&#8221
    Feeling jumpy and easily startled

Other common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

    Anger and irritability
    Guilt, shame, or self-blame
    Substance abuse
    Feelings of mistrust and betrayal



    Depression and hopelessness
    Suicidal thoughts and feelings
    Feeling alienated and alone
    Physical aches and pains

Symptoms of PTSD in children and adolescents

In children&#8212;especially those who are very young&#8212;the symptoms of PTSD can be different than the symptoms in adults. Symptoms in children include:

    Fear of being separated from parent
    Losing previously-acquired skills (such as toilet training)
    Sleep problems and nightmares without recognizable content
    Somber, compulsive play in which themes or aspects of the trauma are repeated
    New phobias and anxieties that seem unrelated to the trauma (such as a fear of monsters)
    Acting out the trauma through play, stories, or drawings
    Aches and pains with no apparent cause
    Irritability and aggression

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes and risk factors

While it&#8217;s impossible to predict who will develop PTSD in response to trauma, there are certain risk factors that increase your vulnerability.

Many risk factors revolve around the nature of the traumatic event itself. Traumatic events are more likely to cause PTSD when they involve a severe threat to your life or personal safety: the more extreme and prolonged the threat, the greater the risk of developing PTSD in response. Intentional, human-inflicted harm&#8212;such as rape, assault, and torture&#8212; also tends to be more traumatic than &#8220;acts of God&#8221; or more impersonal accidents and disasters. The extent to which the traumatic event was unexpected, uncontrollable, and inescapable also plays a role.
Other risk factors for PTSD include:

    Previous traumatic experiences, especially in early life
    Family history of PTSD or depression
    History of physical or sexual abuse
    History of substance abuse
    History of depression, anxiety, or another mental illness
    High level of stress in everyday life
    Lack of support after the trauma
    Lack of coping skills

Getting help for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

If you suspect that you or a loved one has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it&#8217;s important to seek help right away. The sooner PTSD is confronted, the easier it is to overcome. If you&#8217;re reluctant to seek help, keep in mind that PTSD is not a sign of weakness, and the only way to overcome it is to confront what happened to you and learn to accept it as a part of your past. This process is much easier with the guidance and support of an experienced therapist or doctor.

It&#8217;s only natural to want to avoid painful memories and feelings. But if you try to numb yourself and push your memories away, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will only get worse. You can&#8217;t escape your emotions completely&#8212;they emerge under stress or whenever you let down your guard&#8212;and trying to do so is exhausting. The avoidance will ultimately harm your relationships, your ability to function, and the quality of your life.
Why Should I Seek Help for PTSD?

    Early treatment is better. Symptoms of PTSD may get worse. Dealing with them now might help stop them from getting worse in the future. Finding out more about what treatments work, where to look for help, and what kind of questions to ask can make it easier to get help and lead to better outcomes.
    PTSD symptoms can change family life. PTSD symptoms can get in the way of your family life. You may find that you pull away from loved ones, are not able to get along with people, or that you are angry or even violent. Getting help for your PTSD can help improve your family life.
    PTSD can be related to other health problems. PTSD symptoms can make physical health problems worse. For example, studies have shown a relationship between PTSD and heart trouble. By getting help for your PTSD you could also improve your physical health.


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## N.E.wguy

*Source: National Center for PTSD
Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)*

Treatment for PTSD relieves symptoms by helping you deal with the trauma you&#8217;ve experienced. Rather than avoiding the trauma and any reminder of it, treatment will encourage you to recall and process the emotions and sensations you felt during the original event. In addition to offering an outlet for emotions you&#8217;ve been bottling up, treatment for PTSD will also help restore your sense of control and reduce the powerful hold the memory of the trauma has on your life.

*In treatment for PTSD, you&#8217;ll:
*
    Explore your thoughts and feelings about the trauma
    Work through feelings of guilt, self-blame, and mistrust
    Learn how to cope with and control intrusive memories
    Address problems PTSD has caused in your life and relationships

*Types of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)*

* Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy.* Cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD and trauma involves carefully and gradually &#8220;exposing&#8221; yourself to thoughts, feelings, and situations that remind you of the trauma. Therapy also involves identifying upsetting thoughts about the traumatic event&#8211;particularly thoughts that are distorted and irrational&#8212;and replacing them with more balanced picture.

*Family therapy.* Since PTSD affects both you and those close to you, family therapy can be especially productive. Family therapy can help your loved ones understand what you&#8217;re going through. It can also help everyone in the family communicate better and work through relationship problems caused by PTSD symptoms.
    Medication is sometimes prescribed to people with PTSD to relieve secondary symptoms of depression or anxiety. Antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft are the medications most commonly used for PTSD. While antidepressants may help you feel less sad, worried, or on edge, they do not treat the causes of PTSD.
*  EMDR* *(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)* incorporates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation, such as hand taps or sounds. Eye movements and other bilateral forms of stimulation are thought to work by &#8220;unfreezing&#8221; the brain&#8217;s information processing system, which is interrupted in times of extreme stress.

*Finding a therapist for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)*

*When looking for a therapist for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), seek out mental health professionals who specialize in the treatment of trauma and PTSD. You can start by asking your doctor if he or she can provide a referral to therapists with experience treating trauma.* You may also want to ask other trauma survivors for recommendations, or call a local mental health clinic, psychiatric hospital, or counseling center.

Beyond credentials and experience, it&#8217;s important to find a PTSD therapist who makes you feel comfortable and safe, so there is no additional fear or anxiety about the treatment itself. Trust your gut; if a therapist doesn&#8217;t feel right, look for someone else. For therapy to work, you need to feel respected and understood. To find a trauma therapist, see the Resources and References section below.
*Help for veterans with PTSD*

*If you&#8217;re a veteran suffering from PTSD or trauma, there are organizations that can help with counseling and other services. To find help in your country, see the Resources and references section below.
Self-help treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)*

Need More Help with Depression Need More Help with PTSD?
Help guide's Bring Your Life into Balance mindfulness toolkit can help.

*Recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a gradual, ongoing process. Healing doesn&#8217;t happen overnight, nor do the memories of the trauma ever disappear completely.* This can make life seem difficult at times. But there are many things you can do to cope with residual symptoms and reduce your anxiety and fear.
*PTSD self-help tip 1: Reach out to others for support*

*Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can make you feel disconnected from others. You may be tempted to withdraw from social activities and your loved ones. But it&#8217;s important to stay connected to life and the people who care about you. Support from other people is vital to your recovery from PTSD, so ask your close friends and family members for their help during this tough time.*

Also consider joining a support group for survivors of the same type of trauma you experienced. Support groups for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can help you feel less isolated and alone. They also provide invaluable information on how to cope with symptoms and work towards recovery. If you can&#8217;t find a support group in your area, look for an online group.

*PTSD self-help tip 2: Avoid alcohol and drugs*
When you&#8217;re struggling with difficult emotions and traumatic memories, you may be tempted to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. But while alcohol or drugs may temporarily make you feel better, they make post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) worse in the long run. Substance use worsens many symptoms of PTSD, including emotional numbing, social isolation, anger, and depression. It also interferes with treatment and can add to problems at home and in your relationships.

*PTSD self-help tip 3: Challenge your sense of helplessness*
Overcoming your sense of helplessness is key to overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma leaves you feeling powerless and vulnerable. It&#8217;s important to remind yourself that you have strengths and coping skills that can get you through tough times.

One of the best ways to reclaim your sense of power is by helping others: volunteer your time, give blood, reach out to a friend in need, or donate to your favorite charity. Taking positive action directly challenges the sense of helplessness that is a common symptom of PTSD.
Positive ways of coping with PTSD:

    Learn about trauma and PTSD
    Join a PTSD support group
    Practice relaxation techniques
    Pursue outdoor activities
    Confide in a person you trust
    Spend time with positive people
    Avoid alcohol and drugs
    Enjoy the peace of nature

*PTSD self-help tip 4: Spend time in nature*
The Sierra Club in the United States offers wilderness expeditions for veterans who have served in recent wars such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Anecdotal evidence suggests that pursuing outdoor activities like hiking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and skiing may help veterans cope with PTSD symptoms and transition back into civilian life.

It&#8217;s not just veterans who can benefit from spending time outdoors. Anyone with post-traumatic stress disorder can benefit from the relaxation, seclusion, and peace that come with being in the natural world. Focusing on strenuous outdoor activities can also help challenge your sense of helplessness and help your nervous system become &#8220;unstuck&#8221; and move on from the traumatic event. Seek out local organizations that offer outdoor recreation or teambuilding opportunities.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the family

If a loved one has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it&#8217;s essential that you take care of yourself and get extra support. PTSD can take a heavy toll on the family if you let it. It can be hard to understand why your loved one won&#8217;t open up to you&#8212;why he or she is less affectionate and more volatile. The symptoms of PTSD can also result in job loss, substance abuse, and other stressful problems.

Letting your family member&#8217;s PTSD dominate your life while ignoring your own needs is a surefire recipe for burnout. In order to take care of your loved one, you first need to take care of yourself. It&#8217;s also helpful to learn all you can about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The more you know about the symptoms and treatment options, the better equipped you'll be to help your loved one and keep things in perspective.
Helping a loved one with PTSD
*
 Be patient and understanding. Getting better takes time, even when a person is committed to treatment for PTSD. Be patient with the pace of recovery and offer a sympathetic ear. A person with PTSD may need to talk about the traumatic event over and over again. This is part of the healing process, so avoid the temptation to tell your loved one to stop rehashing the past and move on.
    Try to anticipate and prepare for PTSD triggers. Common triggers include anniversary dates; people or places associated with the trauma; and certain sights, sounds, or smells. If you are aware of what triggers may cause an upsetting reaction, you&#8217;ll be in a better position to offer your support and help your loved one calm down.
    Don&#8217;t take the symptoms of PTSD personally. Common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include emotional numbness, anger, and withdrawal. If your loved one seems distant, irritable, or closed off, remember that this may not have anything to do with you or your relationship.
    Don&#8217;t pressure your loved one into talking. It is very difficult for people with PTSD to talk about their traumatic experiences. For some, it can even make things worse. Never try to force your loved one to open up. Let the person know, however, that you&#8217;re there when and if he or she wants to talk.*


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posttraumatic_stress_disorder

hxxp://afids.org/publications/PDF/CRI/Prevention%20and%20Management%20of%20CRI%20-8-%20-%20Thoracic-abdominal.pdf


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## GreggHead

I didnt read the whole thread, no need to. I live in a state that has prehistoric MJ laws, I break the law almost everyday. 
It helps with my back problems, as well as the aforementioned PTSD. I wasnt shot, or shot at - not that I know - but the things I saw, and you saw too, will never go away.
Did you know you can smell in your dreams? Yeah, thats freakin amazing to me. 
Thanks for your research and posting. It means something to "us".


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## N.E.wguy

Thanks for your post GH. My brother is in Afghanistan atm Army Infantry has multiple ptsd himself from things people should not have to think about so I will not post. But knowledge is power I know I blanketed the thread but just a little a day you can make it thru it all I have yet to read some parts just getting it out there is step one to me at all costs.. People are dying this is not a joke it needs this attention NOW not later, later may very well be to late for one of us! 

thanks again to all who view and SHARE!!!

Thanks you for your service~!
my life was saved by a Vietnam vet medic because he was not afraid to rip me apart, actually terrible story of how he died after saving me I will post some one it.. I owe him my life and he is no longer with us so I may as well keep his spirit alive...


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## N.E.wguy

One of the Saddest days of my life yearly...i was shot in dec. 96 almost not alive to save me...

hxxp://www.bu.edu/today/2008/bmc-trauma-chief-drowns-in-boating-accident-2/

*BMC Trauma Chief Drowns in Boating Accident*

 Erwin F. Hirsch, a much-respected and well-loved physician who served as chief of trauma surgery at Boston Medical Center for 25 years, died Friday, May 23, after his dinghy capsized in the harbor off Rockport, Maine. The 72-year-old surgeon was legendary for his efforts to provide the highest quality care to all patients, regardless of their finances or personal histories, and for his seemingly inexhaustible energy and goodwill.

*&#8220;Dr. Hirsch was instrumental in the development of the Boston Medical Center level one trauma center, which is one of the best of its type in the world,&#8221; *said Aram Chobanian (Hon.&#8217;06), president emeritus of Boston University and dean emeritus of the BU School of Medicine. &#8220;He not only was an outstanding surgeon, but he had the organizational skills to develop an intricate and coordinated system for care for the most complicated trauma patients. He also worked internationally to develop trauma centers in other countries. He trained innumerable medical students and house officers, and his legacy will live on through them.&#8221;

Jonathan Olshaker, chief of emergency medicine at BMC and chair of the MED department of emergency medicine, said Hirsch would truly be missed. &#8220;Erwin Hirsch was an amazing man,&#8221; said Olshaker. &#8220;His dedication to his patients, residents, and students was simply unsurpassed.&#8221;

Peter Burke, BMC chief of critical care and a colleague of Hirsch&#8217;s for 10 years, said the center was very fortunate to have had the enormous experience that Hirsch brought with him. "One of his strengths was that he was able to teach the rest of us how to deliver excellent trauma care,&#8221; said Burke. &#8220;So while he is gone now, his knowledge is not.&#8221; 

The Boston Globe reported that as many of his peers retired, Hirsch continued to accept as many overnight rotations as surgeons half his age, that he encouraged his staff to engage in cutting-edge research on trauma interventions, and that he told his medical students to never ignore a child&#8217;s birthday.

John Auerbach, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, described Hirsch as a great friend and advisor to the department for more than 25 years. Hirsch was an original member of the DPH Trauma Advisory Committee and served as its chairman until his death. &#8220;His leadership drove the development of the state&#8217;s Trauma Registry,&#8221; said Auerbach. &#8220;His efforts will improve emergency trauma care for all the residents of the commonwealth. In addition to the countless lives that he saved as a skilled surgeon, it is fitting that his legacy of service in the creation of the Registry will help save many more lives in the future." Karen Antman, dean of the School of Medicine and provost of the Medical Campus, and Elaine Ullian, president and CEO of Boston Medical Center, said both institutions are grieving the institutions&#8217; loss. "We are shocked and saddened by this news,&#8221; wrote Antman and Ullian in a joint statement. *&#8220;Dr. Hirsch served as chief of trauma surgery at BMC for more than 25 years and was professor of surgery at Boston University School of Medicine. He exemplified our mission of providing exceptional care, without exception. He was a talented surgeon whose primary focus was advancing the treatment of trauma victims. Many people are alive today because of the work of Dr. Hirsch and the trauma team at BMC. Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family.&#8221; &#8220;Dr. Hirsch is beloved by his residents and his students,&#8221; Antman added. &#8220;He is a legend. He has been saving lives for decades. If you suffered a trauma in this region, you wanted to be air-lifted to him and treated in his department.&#8221;*

The Globe reported that Hirsch, who lived in Marblehead, Mass., was in a dinghy in Rockport Harbor with Kevin Wilkins, a 46-year-old resident of Salem, Mass., when the boat capsized and both men were thrown into 48-degree water. After clinging to a moored boat for more than a half hour, Wilkins was pulled from the water and treated for hypothermia. Wilkins alerted rescuers to the disappearance of Hirsch, who was pulled from the water and given CPR. Hirsch was pronounced dead at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

Suresh Agarwal, a trauma surgeon at BMC, told the Globe that the opportunity to work with Hirsch was the reason he came to Boston Medical Center. &#8220;He was a father, a friend, a role model, and someone I aspire to be like,&#8221; said Agarwal. &#8220;He is a true giant in American trauma surgery.&#8221;



-----
*Dr. Erwin F. Hirsch &#8211; Fifth Year Anniversary
May 23, 2013*

*Boston Trauma*
At Boston Medical Center, the Trauma Service and the Emergency Department have a longstanding legacy of providing comprehensive emergency and trauma care to the critically ill and injured. We are the largest and busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England and the longest verified Level I Trauma Center in New England

This Memorial Day Weekend marks the fifth anniversary of Dr. Erwin F. Hirsch&#8217;s untimely passing. It doesn&#8217;t feel like five years to me because in so many ways his influence is still with us. Those that had the opportunity to work with him still feel his presence in our daily activities and especially in the extraordinary events around the recent Marathon bombings. We find ourselves thinking, what would Dr. Hirsch do? What would he think about this? And I hope I don&#8217;t disappoint him and the high standards he holds for everyone.

People often remark about how much things have changed (some for the better, some not), since his death and would he have been able to alter or affect these changes were he still with us. That will always be the subject of debate, but one thing is certain; change is inevitable and that includes the people around us. What we must do is manage change by learning from the past, staying engaged in the present and not losing sight of our mission going forward in the future. Keeping the patient at the center of the plan and striving for exceptional care every day, I believe would both honor his legacy and make him proud of the work we are all doing in his absence.

If we can continue to remind one another of these simple goals, everything else will be a &#8220;Piece of Cake&#8221;.

Joseph Blansfield, NP, Trauma Program Manager, Boston Medical Center


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## N.E.wguy

From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe
hxxp://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/05/dr_edwin_hirsch.html

*Dr. Erwin Hirsch, renowned trauma surgeon, 72*

May 27, 2008 

Hirsch at Boston Medical Center in 2006.

By Bryan Marquard, Globe Staff

Nearly 20 years ago, when Elaine Ullian was head of Faulkner Hospital, she got an inkling of the high regard with which Dr. Erwin Hirsch was held across the country.

"I was recruiting a surgeon and he said, 'It will be fun to come to Boston because the best trauma leader in the world is Erwin Hirsch and I'll get to see him,'" Ullian, now president and CEO of Boston Medical Center, said today.* "Erwin had rock star quality in the trauma community -- he really was a rock star. And he would be very amused to hear me say he was a rock star. He would giggle."*

Drawing lessons from a life that spanned three continents and vast changes in the medical field, Dr. Hirsch spent more than three decades turning Boston City Hospital and its successor, Boston Medical Center, into the city's premier trauma center, all the while training physicians who used the knowledge he shared in careers throughout the country.

Dr. Hirsch, who was 72 when he drowned Friday in a boating accident in Rockport, Maine, "was iconic," Ullian said. "I cannot think of anybody at this medical center who was held in the same esteem that Erwin Hirsch was."

"He had an impact not only at the Boston Medical Center, but also on how trauma is practiced in the city and in the state as well -- and in the country, it would not be unfair to say," said Dr. Peter A. Burke, chief of surgical critical care at Boston Medical Center. "He had a national reputation as a person with an enormous amount of experience. Trauma, unlike other specialties, is something that requires experience because no trauma is alike and you're always dealing with the unknown, really."

*Beginning in the early 1970s, when he was an assistant professor of surgery at Tufts University School of Medicine and had a clinical position at Boston City Hospital, Dr. Hirsch began building the trauma program that would become his legacy. Appointed assistant chief of surgery at the hospital in 1977, he worked with Dr. Lenworth Jacobs to secure for the hospital a Level 1 trauma center designation.*

*"First and foremost he was for the patient and it didn't matter to him who that patient was -- rich person, poor person, whatever,"* said Jacobs, a professor of surgery at the University of Connecticut and director of the trauma program at Hartford Hospital. "He was going to take good care of that person, that was his defining moment. This might sound a little trite, but with trauma, you get to know your patients very, very well and Erwin was a people person. He would really go out of his way to make sure his patients got anything they needed to get better."

In the early 1980s, Dr. Hirsch worked behind the scenes to create Boston MedFlight, a nonprofit financially backed by several of the city's hospitals that uses helicopters, a small jet, and ground vehicles to transport patients. He served on its board of directors since the service was created.

"My crew will tell you he's the father of MedFlight, and they say it with reverence," said Suzanne Wedel, medical director and CEO of Boston MedFlight.

"He also was one of the earliest people to welcome women into surgery," she said. "Even when women in surgery were an unusual breed, there were many women in surgery at Boston City Hospital and Boston Medical Center."

Dr. Hirsch, who became chief of trauma surgery at Boston Medical Center, was also a professor of surgery at Boston University School of Medicine for more than two decades.

*"Trauma is a social issue as much as a medical one," he told the Globe in 1984. "The reasons [this society] sees so much of it are obvious. We drive too fast and drink too much. We batter our children and stab strangers on the street. We glamorize violence on television, then permit every Tom, ****, and Harry to own a gun."*

*Born in Mannheim, Germany, Erwin Federico Hirsch was the oldest of three sons and left the country with his family in 1939 after his father was released from a Nazi concentration camp, according to information from his family. In Buenos Aires, where the family settled during World War II, he was a member of the Argentine national rugby team and in 1959 graduated from the medical school at the University of Buenos Aires.*

*Immigrating to the United States, Dr. Hirsch trained as a surgeon at Washington Hospital Center in the nation's capital and at University of Maryland Hospital's shock trauma unit.*

*He volunteered for the Navy during the Vietnam War, served as a surgeon in Da Nang, then remained in the Naval Reserves and was stationed briefly in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. While in Vietnam, his family said, he learned to sail, a pastime he continued to pursue after returning home.*

"He was a citizen of the world, he really was, and he had a wonderful sense of humor -- his eyes always sparkled," Ullian said. "He just was full of life and he loved his family. He just adored his wife and his two daughters. I used to tease him: Here he was such a strong personality, and how fitting it was that he was surrounded by three equally strong women."

Dr. Hirsch leaves his wife, Susan, of Marblehead; two daughters, Christina Townsend of New York City and Kathleen of South Boston; and two brothers, Carlos of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Cristobal of Buenos Aires.


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://www.goarmyreservedocs.com/a-T_TraumaSystem.html

*TRAUMA SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN A THEATER OF WAR: EXPERIENCES FROM OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.*
Brian J. Eastridge, MD, Donald Jenkins, MD, Stephen Flaherty, MD, Henry Schiller, MD, and John B. Holcomb, MD
Source: The Journal of TRAUMA Injury, Infection, and Critical Care

Background: Medical lessons learned from Vietnam and previous military conflicts led to the development of civilian trauma systems in the United States. Operation Iraqi Freedom represents the first protracted, large-scale, armed conflict since the advent of civilian trauma systems in which to evaluate a similar paradigm on the battlefield.

Methods: Collaborative efforts between the joint military forces of the United States initiated development of a theater trauma system in May 2004. Formal implementation of the system occurred in November 2004, the collaborative effort of the three Surgeons General of the U.S. military, the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. One trauma surgeon (Trauma System Director) and a team of six trauma nurse coordinators were deployed to theater to evaluate trauma system component issues. Demographic, mechanistic, physiologic, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome data were gathered for 4,700 injured patients using the Joint Theater Trauma Registry. Interview and survey methods were utilized to evaluate logistic aspects of the system.

Results: System implementation identified more than 30 systemic issues requiring policy development, research, education, evaluation of medical resource allocation, and alterations in clinical care. Among the issues were transfer of casualties from point of injury to the most appropriate level of care, trauma clinical practice guidelines, standard forms, prophylactic antibiotic regimens, morbidity/mortality reporting, on-line medical evacuation regulation, improved data capture for the trauma registry, and implementation of a performance improvement program.

Conclusions: The implementation of a theater trauma system demonstrated numerous opportunities to improve the outcome of soldiers wounded on the battlefield.

Key Words: Battlefield, Combat, System, Trauma, Quality improvement, War.


The development of trauma care has been a synergistic relationship between the military and civilian medical environments for the past two centuries. During the Civil War, military physicians realized the utility of prompt attention to the wounded, early debridement, and amputation to mitigate the effects of tissue injury and infection and evacuation of the casualty from the battlefield. World War I saw further advances in the concept of evacuation and the development of echelons of medical care. With World War II, blood transfusion and resuscitative fluids were widely introduced into the combat environment and surgical practice was improved to care for wounded soldiers. From his World War II experiences, Dr. Michael Debakey noted that wars have always promoted advances in trauma care because of the concentrated exposure of military hospitals to large numbers of injured people during a relatively short span of time. Furthermore, this wartime medical experience has fostered a fundamental desire to improve outcomes by improving practice. In Vietnam, more highly trained medics at the point of wounding and prompt aeromedical evacuation decreased the battlefield mortality rate even further.

In 1966, the National Academy of Sciences published &#8220;Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society,&#8221; noting trauma to be one of the most significant public health problems faced by the nation. Concomitant with advances on the battlefield and the conclusions of the National Academy of Sciences was the formal development of civilian trauma centers. In 1976, the American College of Surgeons produced the first iteration of injury care guidelines, the &#8220;Optimal Resources for the Care of the Injured Patient.&#8221; This concept rapidly evolved into the development of formal, integrated trauma systems. Trauma centers and trauma systems in the United States have had a remarkable impact on improving outcomes of injured patients, reducing mortality by up to 15% in mature systems.

However, despite the evolving successes of civilian trauma systems, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1992 highlighted a number of issues in which the U.S. military had fallen behind the successful construct fostered by civilian systems of injury care. Inadequacies were formally noted in both preparation and delivery of trauma care in the combat environment.3,19&#8211;21 Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States once again had vast numbers of soldiers committed to armed conflict. At this juncture, the medical leadership of the joint forces enacted a plan to emplace a formal system of trauma care in theater to improve the care of the battlefield wounded. The goal was to develop and implement a true trauma system, modeled after the successes of civilian systems but modified to account for the realities of combat. The stated vision of the joint theater trauma system was to ensure that every soldier, marine, sailor, or airman injured on the battlefield has the optimal chance for survival and maximal potential for functional recovery. In other words, to get the right patient to the right place at the right time.

Methods
The joint military forces of the United States initiated the development of a theater trauma system in May 2004. Initial groundwork included military surgical consultant visits to theater followed by the identification of a trauma surgeon (Trauma System Director) to be placed at the theater&#8217;s medical command headquarters to introduce the concept and importance of establishing a trauma system in the theater of operations. After this preparatory phase, a collaborative effort of the Surgeons General of the U.S. military, United States Central Command, the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma formally implemented the system in November 2004. A trauma system director and a team of six trauma nurse coordinators were deployed to the theater to address trauma system components and to organize the medical assets and identify discrete deficiencies within the existing medical infrastructure. A formal system performance improvement process was initiated. Injury data, including demographic, mechanistic, physiologic, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome data, were gathered using a Joint Theater Trauma Registry (JTTR). Interview and survey methods were utilized to evaluate logistic aspects of the system.

Results
The initial charges of the system were identified as follows:

    Recommend improvements to the trauma system to:
        optimize placement of surgical assets within theater.
        decrease the number of surgical sites within the theater.
        develop triage criteria for casualty evacuation to get &#8220;the right patient to the right place at the right time.&#8221;
        develop and implement trauma practice guidelines.
    Review and maintain the following:
        JTTR
        Morbidity and mortality reports shared between institutions
        Operative case reports
    Develop clinical information management scheme.
    Implement a system of continuous performance improvement.
    Develop/write a resource for optimal care of combat casualties, &#8220;green book&#8221; utilizing the Optimal Resources Gold Book as a template.

Derived from the Resources for Optimal Care handbook, component elements of the trauma system included prevention, point of wounding/battlefield care, and acute care facilities. To be complete and successful, the system implementation also mandated placement and evaluation of infrastructure elements including trauma leadership (impact of education on medical and tactical planning, etc.; path to leaders who make the decisions); professional resources; performance improvement; morbidity and mortality information management; research and education; and advocacy.

Prevention
Since the implementation of the military trauma system, the effect of new prevention measures has been most marked in the reduced number of soldiers killed from combat wounds, with current case fatality rates of 8.8% compared with 16.5% during Vietnam23,24 (Tables 1and 2). The two primary modes of prevention are realistic and relevant predeployment training and personal protective equipment.

Numerous trauma training programs, including the Army, Air Force, and Navy Trauma Training Centers associated with nationally renowned Level I trauma centers, have evolved to train providers to treat combat injury and prepare them for the realities of medical care on the battlefield. Others courses, such as Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Emergency War Surgery, and the Joint Forces Combat Trauma Management Course, have revolutionized the way medical providers are trained for wartime deployment.

Data gathered about injury patterns has driven force protection changes in combatant training and equipment. The impact of the personal protective equipment (body armor) fielded during this conflict has been substantial. In an early interim analysis of casualties from January to July 2004, the rate of thoracic injury was 18% in patients without body armor and <5% in soldiers wearing armor. As the conflict transitioned from a maneuver war, in which most injuries were the result of gunshot wounds, to an insurgency characterized by ambushes and improvised explosive devices, wounding patterns changed from mainly small arms injuries to multiple fragment injuries. Rapid fielding initiatives led to the up armoring of military vehicles with anecdotal concomitant reports of a decrease in the number and severity of these types of injuries.


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## N.E.wguy

Battlefield Care
Most deaths on the battlefield are caused by total body disruption, severe brain injury, or hemorrhage. Little can be done on the battlefield for primary injury from total body disruption or severe brain injury. However, attention to hemorrhage control at the point of wounding is the focus of ongoing efforts. Responding to feedback from medics and corpsmen on the battlefield, a number of products and therapeutic devices have been fielded to the battlefield for hemorrhage control, including new hemostatic dressings and newly tested and selected tourniquets. Reports from the battlefield thus far have documented efficacy of both dressings and tourniquets in the tactical environment similar to those in the literature.

Acute Care Facilities
The onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom was marked by a rapid ground influx of combat elements that required attached medical/surgical capability to support the fast-paced tempo of the conflict. Surgical support was initially ascribed to small surgical units such as the Army forward surgical team and the Navy forward resuscitative surgical system. Subsequently, more robust hospital elements with more operating room and intensive care unit capability were established throughout Iraq. With the increased capability came an increased capacity to render higher level care to soldiers injured on the battlefield. The larger hospital units were capable of operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and could provide trauma care at a standard that would be expected of a major trauma center in the United States.

Leadership
With the backing of the Central Command Surgeon and the three Surgeons General, the position of trauma system director was rapidly incorporated as a general staff position within the theater medical command. This leadership position enabled the trauma system director to rapidly implement actionable items such as data collection, implementation of standard practice guidelines, and performance improvement. A number of trauma clinical practice guidelines have now been instituted as standards of care within the theater trauma system, including deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, prophylactic antibiotics, hypothermia prevention, and the management of specific battlefield injury patterns such as burn, vascular injury, and penetrating traumatic brain injury. To illustrate the efficacy of clinical practice guidelines in theater, the rate of hypothermia upon presentation has been decreased from 7% to <1% since inception. The leadership and administration of the combat trauma system is roughly analogous to the leadership hierarchy of the U.S. civilian trauma community. These intrinsic leadership entities within the medical system drive advances within the trauma system by direct oversight of the medical processes and advocacy, which ultimately leads to better patient care.

Professional Resources
Professional resources are a finite and precious commodity, not only for the maintenance of the trauma system, but also for the medical care of injured warriors. Evaluation of the surgical assets in theater by the trauma system made a strong case for redeploying home many of the smaller surgical units after the larger combat support hospitals were established to conserve vital surgical resources, especially in light of the ongoing nature of the conflict and the likelihood of subsequent deployments for these individuals, approximately 65% of whom are Reserve soldiers.

In the context of the trauma system, it was rapidly determined that one trauma coordinator was needed for oversight at each combat support hospital to guarantee compliance with guidelines, improve information management, and enable data collection. Predeployment training for these individuals was performed under the guidance of the trauma coordinator and staff at the Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Medical Center, the two Level I trauma centers in the Department of Defense. These trauma site coordinators have proven invaluable to the function of the combat trauma system.

Information Management
Multiple deficiencies were noted in all aspects of the information management and casualty information flow of injured patients. This immediate concern was one of the primary issues addressed by the system. One basic problem noted early in the evaluation was the relative paucity of clinical patient information, which was transferred to the next higher level of care. In many instances, for lack of a better method, surgeons wrote brief narratives in marker directly on patients&#8217; dressings to convey clinically relevant information.

The reason for this lack of information flow was multifactorial, but included communication failures, operational tempo, casualty acuity, casualty load, etc. The goals at the system level were to improve clinical information flow, thereby minimizing the number of duplicate procedures at multiple levels of care and streamlining the continuity of care for soldiers being evacuated from the battlefield. Several strategies are currently being implemented to correct this problem, including universal serial bus memory devices and Internet-accessible electronic medical records. One particular instrument was developed in response to the trauma system demand. This tool known as the Joint Patient Tracking Application is a Web-based application that allows users to get real-time information about the status of injured troops as they make their way through the medical system.

The other aspects of information flow essential to the improved care of injured soldiers were the performance improvement project and registry data management currency. The performance improvement process was adopted at all combat support hospital sites and is being utilized to identify inadequacies in the evolving system. Registry data that was being completed at a 10% rate before the system is now being collected on >80% of casualties within the current theater of operations.

Research
Before the current conflict, much of the data on combat injury was derived from the Vietnam conflict and the Wound Data and Munitions Effectiveness Team database. Before the development of the formal combat trauma system, little data were being published about the conflict, and the data being published was largely small series and case reports. With the thought that research drives doctrine, a concerted effort was put forth to field the JTTR. This registry is a concise form developed to capture demographic, mechanistic, physiologic, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome data along with a brief physical examination. To date, with improved registry capture as a direct result of the trauma system, the JTTR database contains >7,500 soldier injury records as well as data on other individuals injured and cared for at U.S. theater medical assets. The results being derived from this data will likely drive the course of combat trauma care for decades to come.

Ongoing joint military research efforts include the following:

    Personal protective gear
    Body armor extensions
    Kevlar helmet revisions
    Hemostasis
    Battlefield tourniquets
    Hemostatic dressings
    Recombinant factor VIIa
    Resuscitation
    Hypotensive resuscitation
    Hemostatic resuscitation
    O2 therapeutics/hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers

Education and Advocacy
Combat injury is the most substantial healthcare issue in theater. Two-thirds of all evaluations at combat support hospitals are for injury. One goal of this system has been to educate soldiers, leaders, and medical providers and commanders with respect to the importance of maintaining the system that has been built. Coalition partners, including the British, have expressed sincere interest in broadening the system into a multinational coalition venture. The combat trauma system has become the standard of care on the battlefield.

Conclusions
The combat trauma system has improved combat casualty care to a level never seen before. However, a less tangible but nonetheless very real and practical impact of the combat trauma system is the effect it has on soldiers and families and morale. They can read in the newspaper or see on the television that combat soldiers injured on the battlefield have a greater chance than ever before of surviving their injuries and returning home. Although this marked improvement in outcomes is multifactorial, the continued evolution and development of a deployed trauma system will certainly have a lasting impact on the delivery of healthcare on the battlefield of today and the future. Full implementation of the joint theater trauma system will ensure that the credo, &#8220;Right Patient, Right Place, Right Time,&#8221; will be met and lives will continue to be saved as a consequence.


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## N.E.wguy

Acknowledgments
All coauthors of the article have extensive contemporary battlefield experience and mutually participated in the conceptualization, development, and implementation of the joint theater trauma system.

Discussion
Dr. Donald D. Trunkey (Portland, Oregon): I think this article is very encouraging, because I think there has been a major change since Desert Storm. I believe, though, there are still some unsolved problems. I would like to have your comments. Has the military looked at how effective the civilian trauma training is for those who are in the active military?

My sense is it has been very positive. However, there may be another problem. At least a majority of the surgeons and anesthesiologists that come into the military from the reserve are not getting the same type of training, and their skills may not be equal to what you&#8217;re being able to maintain in the active duty.

This becomes a further problem if you look at the other needs within the United States. Not only do we have to provide training for the reserves but then we have the DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Teams) and we have Homeland Security needs.

It seems to me that if we had the vision, we could put together a system that integrates all of these needs. I think we should have a pool of highly trained surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses who could solve all of these needs. By increasing by one-third the manpower in Level I trauma centers, we would create a &#8220;reserve pool.&#8221;

Who pays for this? Well, I would argue that the military is already wasting some money with STRAP programs in order to attract people into the military. If you pooled these dollars and you got Health and Human Services and Homeland Security to put in some dollars, we could then have this reserve pool. It would be very similar to what the airline pilots do. They can get called back into active duty at any time. The airlines cooperate with this program. Similarly, if you had surgeons and anesthesiologists and nurses working in civilian trauma centers, you could pull out maybe up to a third at any given time to solve some of these needs.

The other thing that I identified, at least after Desert Storm, is that in military hospitals, critical care was being done by nonsurgeons. Maybe that&#8217;s the model we should adopt; I, personally, don&#8217;t think so, but I&#8217;d like your opinion about that, as well.

I was very encouraged by some of the things that you&#8217;re doing from a system standpoint, and it is so logical to use the American College of Surgeons system&#8217;s approach in the military.

Finally, I&#8217;m going to ask you a question you won&#8217;t probably want to answer, but is this now the time that we should reconsider the purple suit? It seems to me the Surgeons General are now cooperating, and should we have a pool of surgeons who belong to really no branch but could be dispatched or placed anywhere in the world and fulfill what the military sees as their role.

Dr. Donald Jenkins (San Antonio, Texas): I think that the judgment would be that the civilian trauma center experience has been effective. Certainly, the opinion polls taken of those surgeons who have been through that site, the nurses and the medics, have gained tremendous amounts of hands-on experience they didn&#8217;t otherwise get the opportunity to have.

They felt much more confident. I think that there is some clinical success that you see there in the first engagements that we have data for. As far as critical care, that&#8217;s what we see as being the difference. I wasn&#8217;t in Vietnam, but I judge that the ward that we have in that field hospital doesn&#8217;t look a lot different. The difference in lives saved, I think, is over in the critical care end of that.

What can&#8217;t be overlooked is the Air Force role in critical care air transport, where you could take a fellow with a damage control operation, triple amputation arriving with a blood pressure of 60, have a lifesaving damage control operation, three times in less than 40 hours: once in Iraq, once in Germany, and once in Walter Reed, and that kid then, 6 months later, is getting married, and walking without assistance on his prostheses. It is a tremendous success story.

So, I think critical care is definitely the way to go. As far as the purple suit idea goes, that would sort of be a Department of Defense level question that you know I&#8217;m not going to answer. But I will tell you this, I worked side-by-side with my Army colleagues at this hospital. That team up there was made of Australian neurosurgeons and Air Force general surgeons and Army nurses and British nurses, and we were about as close to a purple suit operation, I think, as you can get there in some of those facilities. So, I think there is merit to that, Sir.

Dr. Sheldon Brotman (Pittsfield, Massachusetts): You say that you have a PI program. I&#8217;d like to know how you&#8217;re closing loops. Let&#8217;s say you&#8217;ve got a triage problem with a certain unit. How do you get back to these people and how are you able to effectively monitor your problems?

Dr. Donald Jenkins (San Antonio, Texas): That is a 24/7 endeavor. We have one trauma nurse at each one of those Level III facilities. Their responsibility is to provide feedback down to those Level II institutions, as well as forward to the Level IV institutions.

We just held, for the first time, a three-continent performance improvement conference out of Iraq last week via the telephone with folks in San Antonio, folks in Germany, folks in Washington, DC, and folks down in Iraq, all on the phone together talking about some of those patients. So, it&#8217;s old fashioned hard work, stubby pencil, see the problem, come up with a solution set for that problem, call those folks forward. It&#8217;s done on a regular basis. Lowell Chambers, down at Level II, I think, would be the first to say that it&#8217;s in evolution, but it does work. Captain DeNobile (USN) and Colonel Flaherty are in Iraq actually working on this today.

Dr. David G. Burris (Bethesda, Maryland): For Don Trunkey&#8217;s question, it was very interesting a year and a half ago, when a Tri-Service trauma surgeon group sat down and said, &#8220;What we need in theater is this kind of a guy&#8221; (a Theater Trauma Consultant). For that group to suggest that a &#8220;blue guy&#8221; (Air Force) suddenly go into a &#8220;green slot&#8221; (Army) in theater to make this happen shows that we are functioning as a purple suit, but maybe are not wearing a purple suit.

Don, some people ask me, &#8220;What does purple suit mean?&#8221; So, if you would define that, and second, you mentioned the levels of care, and you mentioned &#8220;The Gold Book.&#8221; Please discuss that a little bit because there is not a one-to-one correlation between Gold Book levels of care and military levels of care. I think that might be confusing for people, so I appreciate your discussion of that.

Dr. Donald Jenkins (San Antonio, Texas): The purple suit idea is that instead of each of the services having their own medical corps (with the Navy serving not only the Navy but also the Marine Corps), you had one medical service that was joint, you could tap into that pool and they would go to any kind of engagement regardless of the troops that would be involved. I&#8217;m currently wearing pretty close to a purple suit. I&#8217;ve got this little Army medical department badge up here that was put on me by the Army Surgeon General; I speak a lot of Army now.

To answer the Army levels of care question, those ordinals are inverse from what we would consider in the United States. A Level I trauma center in the United States is a Level V facility for the U.S. military. That&#8217;s the burn center in San Antonio or Walter Reed Army Medical Center. These Level III facilities that we&#8217;re talking about are more robust than Level III facilities, I think, that you would find here in the U.S. system of things. It&#8217;s somewhere between a II and a III with, again, 6 or 8 operating beds, 40 to 100 ward beds, half a dozen to 25 ICU beds at those places, with all the surgical capabilities.

Dr. Gregory Beilman (Minneapolis, Minnesota): Just a quick question. I noticed in my experience there that 70% to 80% of the patients we&#8217;re caring for are Iraqis, Iraqi soldiers, MOI, and so on. How are you tracking outcomes with those patients compared to our soldiers?

Dr. Donald Jenkins (San Antonio, Texas): Yes, the local Iraqi population is a difficult endeavor to track down those outcomes. Things change over time, and we had the great luxury of being able to keep our patients for as long as they needed to be kept and see them back in follow-up.

Some of that is changing today, so it does represent a significant challenge for us. If those patients are transferred out of that hospital today, you lose that follow-up on those individuals. The JTTR has the charts and will be entering the data of these Iraqi patients. Across the theater, 60% or more of all admitted casualties are non-U.S. casualties; these patients will all eventually be captured in the JTTR.

Dr. Erwin F. Hirsch (Boston, Massachusetts): After the debriefings that occurred in the aftermath of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, many questioned the ability of the Armed Forces to prepare its Medical Services in the care of combat casualties. I stand here to congratulate the authors of this article plus everybody else involved since the beginning of this operation, not only for the excellence in patient care, but in addition for the development of this system, which we in the civilian community should look at very seriously. I think very soon the paradigm that the civilians are training the military is going to change and that military lessons learned will apply to the care of nonmilitary patients.


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## 4u2sm0ke

:48:


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## happydaze

yeah brother, props for the thoughfulness and length of your input regarding ptsd.


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## N.E.wguy

Thanks guys!


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## N.E.wguy

*WORST things to say to someone who is depressed*

Some people trivialize depression (often unintentionally) by dropping a platitude on a depressed person as if that is the one thing they needed to hear.Some people trivialize depression (often unintentionally) by dropping a platitude on a depressed person as if that is the one thing they needed to hear. While some of these thoughts have been helpful to some people (for example, some find that praying is very helpful), the context in which they are often said mitigates any intended benefit to the hearer. Platitudes don't cure depression.

Here is the list from contributors to ask:

0. "What's your problem?"

1. "Will you stop that constant whining? What makes you think that anyone cares?"

2. "Have you gotten tired yet of all this me-me-me stuff?"

3. "You just need to give yourself a kick in the rear."

4. "But it's all in your mind."

5. "I thought you were stronger than that."

6. "No one ever said life was fair."

7. "As you get stronger you won't have to wallow in it as much."

8. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps."

9. "Do you feel better now?" (Usually said following a five minute conversation in which the speaker has asked me "what's wrong?" and "would you like to talk about it?" with the best of intentions, but absolutely no understanding of depression as anything but an irrational sadness.)

10. "Why don't you just grow up?"

11. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself."

12. "There are a lot of people worse off than you."

13. "You have it so good, why aren't you happy?"

14. "It's a beautiful day!"

15. "You have so many things to be thankful for, why are you depressed?"

16. "What do you have to be depressed about."

17. "Happiness is a choice."

18. "You think you've got problems..."

19. "Well at least it's not that bad."

20. "Maybe you should take vitamins for your stress."

21. "There is always somebody worse off than you are."

22. "Lighten up!"

23. "You should get off all those pills."

24. "You are what you think."

25. "Cheer up!"

26. "You're always feeling sorry for yourself."

27. "Why can't you just be normal?"

28. "Things aren't *that* bad, are they?"

29. "Have you been praying/reading the Bible?"

30. "You need to get out more."

31. "We have to get together some time." [Yeah, right!]

32. "Get a grip!"

33. "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

34. "Take a hot bath. That's what I always do when I'm upset."

35. "Well, everyone gets depressed sometimes!"

36. "Get a job!"

37. "Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone."

38. "You don't look depressed!"

39. "You're so selfish!"

40. "You never think of anyone but yourself."

41. "You're just looking for attention."

42. "Have you got PMS?"

43. "You'll be a better person because of it!"

44. "Everybody has a bad day now and then."

45. "You should buy nicer clothes to wear."

46. "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

47. "Why don't you smile more?"

48. "A person your age should be having the time of your life."

49. "The only one you're hurting is yourself."

50. "You can do anything you want if you just set your mind to it."

51. "This is a place of business, not a hospital." (after confiding to supervisor about my depression)

52. "Depression is a symptom of your sin against God."

53. "You brought it on yourself"

54. "You can make the choice for depression and its effects, or against depression, it's all in your hands."

55. "Get off your rear and do something." -or- "Just do it!"

56. "Why should I care?"

57. "Snap out of it, will you?"

58. "You want to feel this way."

59. "You have no reason to feel this way."

60. "Its your own fault."

61. "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

62. "You're always worried about *your* problems."

63. "Your problems aren't that big."

64. "What are you worried about? You should be fine."

65. "Just don't think about it."

66. "Go Away."

67. "You don't have the ability to do it."

68. "Just wait a few weeks, it'll be over soon."

69. "Go out and have some fun!"

70. "You're making me depressed as well..."

71. "I just want to help you."

72. "The world out there is not that bad..."

73. "Just try a little harder!"

74. "Believe me, I know how you feel. I was depressed once for several days."

75. "You need a boy/girl-friend."

76. "You need a hobby."

77. "Just pull yourself together"

78. "You'd feel better if you went to church"

79. "I think your depression is a way of punishing us." &emdash;My mother
*
80. "Shut up or get off the pot."*

81. "So, you're depressed. Aren't you always?"

82. "What you need is some real tragedy in your life to give you perspective."

83. "You're a writer, aren't you? Just think of all the good material you're getting out of this."

84. This one is best executed with an evangelical-style handshake, i.e., one of my hands is imprisoned by two belonging to a beefy person who thinks he has a lot more charisma than I do: "Our thoughts and prayers are with you." This has actually happened to me. Bitten-back response: "Who are 'our'? And don't do me any favors, schmuck."

85. "Have you tried chamomile tea?"

86. "So, you're depressed. Aren't you always?"

87. "You will be ok, just hang in there, it will pass." "This too shall pass." --Ann Landers

88. "Oh, perk up!"

89. "Try not being so depressed."

90. "Quit whining. Go out and help people and you won't have time to brood..."

91. "Go out and get some fresh air... that always makes me feel better."

92. "You have to take up your bed and carry on."

93. "Why don't you give up going to these quacks (i.e., doctors) and throw out those pills, then you'll feel better."

94. "Well, we all have our cross to bear."

95. "You should join band or chorus or something. That way you won't be thinking about yourself so much."

96. "You change your mind."

97. "You're useless."

98. "Nobody is responsible for your depression."

99. "You don't like feeling that way? So, change it."

Compiled by [email protected]*com.


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## N.E.wguy

*Best Things to Say to Someone Who Is Depressed*

It is most tempting, when you find out someone is depressed, to attempt to immediately fix the problem. However, until the depressed person has given you permission to be their therapist (as a friend or professional), the following responses are more likely to help the depressed.

The things that didn't make me feel worse are words which 1) acknowledge my depression for what it is (Not 'it's just a phase') 2) give me permission to feel depressed (Not 'but why should you be sad?')

1. "I love you!"

2. "I care"

3. "You're not alone in this"

4. "I'm not going to leave/abandon you"

5. "Do you want a hug?"

6. "I love you (if you mean it)."

7. "It will pass, we can ride it out together."

8. "When all this is over, I'll still be here (if you mean it) and so will you."

9. "Don't say anything, just hold my hand and listen while I cry."

10. "All I want to do know is give you a hug and a shoulder to cry on.."

11. "Hey, you're not crazy!"

12. "May the strength of the past reflect in your future."
*
13. "God does not play dice with the universe." --A. Einstein

14. "A miracle is simply a do-it-yourself project." --S. Leek*

15. "We are not primarily on earth to see through one another, but to see one another through" - (from someone's sig.)

16. "If the human brain were simple enough to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it." --a codeveloper of Prozac, quoted from "Listening to Prozac"

17. "You have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to live an ordinary life?" --from the movie "Little Women" (Marmee to Jo)

18. "I understand your pain and I empathize."

19. "I'm sorry you're in so much pain. I am not going to leave you. I am going to take care of myself so you don't need to worry that your pain might hurt me."

20. "I listen to you talk about it, and I can't imagine what it's like for you. I just can't imagine how hard it must be."

21. "I can't really fully understand what you are feeling, but I can offer my compassion."

22. "You are important to me."

23. "If you need a friend..... (and mean it)"

Compiled by [email protected].


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## N.E.wguy

got a new set of xrays today


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## Dr. Green Fang

Bah crazy! There's nothing they can do to get that out then obviously, eh?


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## N.E.wguy

at the time saving my life was all they cared about, leaving them in was the last thing they cared about 1 in a 100k for surgey alone would of lived.. they called me a miricale walked out of the hospital in 10 days on my own... was up off life support walking in 4 days ripped my feeder tube out threw my nose i wanted out so bad they had to pput it back in was like when arnold removed that tumor thing in total recal 

don't know in process of diagnosing chronic chest pains at heart location obviously one of these could be the culprit, lots of tests coming up hoping for a solution even if it means surgery...


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## N.E.wguy

here are a few more


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## Hushpuppy

I have a close friend that has high anxiety disorder that is genetic on his father's side of the family. It turned all of the men and several of the women in his father's family and 2 of his kids(one being my friend) into alcoholics. I helped him work through the worst of it a few years ago when he was suffering with severe panic attacks. 

He was so afraid that he was going in circles and pulling me down with him. I told him that this was an ailement like any disease(rather than just "being crazy") and that we could get him through it. He told me that he kept rehashing stuff to me, so I told him as long as he had an itch, we would keep scratching it until we could make it smaller and lesser of an itch. It took 2 years of "talk therapy" as that was all I could offer to get him through it. 

I watched this guy go for as many as 4-5 days without more than a couple hours of sleep over the whole period of what we called "episodes" of panic attack. I discovered that I could actually help him sleep by talking to him so that he could focus on my voice rather than the voices of panic and distress in his head. That would allow him to fall asleep for a few more hours. I now supply him with free smoke as that helps him to destress in the evenings and not drink as much. I wish I was growing back then, it would have made such a difference for him.


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## N.E.wguy

Your a good guy to do all that! that's all it can take is as little as an ear and some smoke to save a life people just gotta know what to look for and not to say to help prevent it. 

I have the same issues, it at time feels like you are insane and no one can understand the things in your head it's unimaginable tbh...
He told me that very few people confront PTSD, most hide from it and the ones that do try to confront it last no more then 10 weeks. That he is surprised I have done all I have for treatment and am doing so long after this tragic event.. PTSD is a terrible thing and any thing can cause/ trigger it, lots of people live unhappy lives due to not knowing the facts or just hiding from it. The fact there may be a cure some day from MMJ is amazing! 

So my doctor today knew of my heart surgeon that saved me, 
apparently he had a book published will dig (ask the Dr. as I can;t find it.) up the name. but guy really was world known. 



Also told me that i need some heart scans done (pet&ekg I think) and a breathing test. (smoke may come to an end) 


but i have to say the right strain is better then all pharma combos they try


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## N.E.wguy

*Gratitude *
by Carol Bailey Floyd

Integrating gratitude into your WRAP is a very effective way of empowering it.  Most people know that gratitude is a good thing, but not too many people realize how extremely powerful it is.

Studies conducted by Michael McCullough, PhD and Robert A. Emmons PhD uncovered many benefits of gratitude.  They found that grateful people are more optimistic, energetic, determined, interested, joyful, and enthusiastic.  Those are reasons enough to cultivate gratitude in our lives!  But here are even more benefits:

Grateful people feel stronger about handling challenges, have fewer illnesses, get more sleep, and exercise more.  They are more likely to help other people, are less envious, have more clear thinking, and have better resilience.  People who are grateful experience less stress, have a higher immune response, are less possessive, have closer family ties, make more progress towards goals, and have longer lives!! 

These benefits of gratitude can make your WRAP stronger and even more effective.  Practicing gratitude is a terrific wellness tool, and when it is turned into an action plan, it can be quite amazing.  

Here are some of the ways that I use gratitude in my WRAP:

*If I have had Triggers, Early Warning Signs, or am having a tough day, *I count 10 good things.  For example:  getting a friendly phone call, seeing a sweet baby, finding a lucky penny on the ground, having a fun snack.  Even the worst days include good things happening.  I start by just noting them in my mind, but if the day is really terrible, I will count 20 good things.  If my day is beyond awful, I write down the 20 things so they become even more noticeable throughout the day.  This seems like a simple Wellness Tool/Action Plan, but it is one of the very most reliable things I can do to get out of a funk, and back into feeling more empowered.

I often make a gratitude list at night right before I go to sleep.  Just listing 5 things that were positive in my day makes me feel more peaceful and ready to have a good night's sleep, and I really believe I wake up in a happier mood.   I also often post on xww.welovegratitude.com, which is a gratitude community where people from all over the country post gratitude lists.  Both of these gratitude ideas surface often in my Daily Maintenance section.

One thing I do is called "Emergency Thank You" therapy.  I usually do this when I am feeling really sad, upset, or off balance.  I just stop whatever I am doing and start saying (either to myself or out loud), "thank you for this . . ."   For example, if I were to do it right now, I would say, "thank you for this computer, thank you for this table, thank you for my shoes, thank you for this glass of ice water, thank you for my notes, thank you for my chair, thank you for this light, etc."  I keep that up until I know I am done.  The idea is to just let gratitude wash over me until the uneasy feelings are gone.  This may seem a little silly, but it has worked every single time I have done it, and I have been doing it for years!

List making is a powerful Wellness Tool and Action Plan. Making a gratitude list of 100 things that make me feel grateful is incredible!  Making a list that long seems like a lot, but once I get rolling with it, I can do lots more than 100.  I post this list where I can see it, and I remember how lucky and blessed I am every time I notice it.

Writing thank you notes, especially unexpected ones, is an interesting and thoughtful way to let people know that you are grateful.  If you are feeling a little low, try writing a thank you note to someone - it can transform your mood, and make the recipient feel great, too!

One of my most powerful Wellness Tools/Action Plans is something I call "Quotation Therapy".  For example, if I am feeling a little hopeless, then I do a keyword search on "hope quotations" on my computer and hundreds of quotes appear!  I just pick some of my favorite ones and post them around our house.  The key concepts - hope, personal responsibility, education, self-advocacy, and support, all have quotations that can strengthen them and make them come more alive.  This is fun and very empowering.  I collect quotes anyway, so this is one of my favorite things to do.

Here are some of my favorite quotes about gratitude:

Gratitude has the power to turn challenges into possibilities, problems into solutions, and losses into gains.  - Daniel T. Peralla

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.  It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.  - Melody Beattie

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so let us all be thankful.  - Buddha

Feeling grateful also raises awareness levels and that can improve the quality of your life immensely.   When you are feeling really low, it often feels like you have felt that way forever.  So if you want to feel better, try some gratitude exercises and notice how your outlook changes.  As your awareness level improves, you will be more likely to be more aware of your surroundings, people, colors, sounds, possibility, and your blessings.

There are many ways that gratitude can be used throughout WRAP.   Being actively grateful costs nothing, but reaps big rewards.  It is impossible to be unhappy and grateful at the same time.  The next time you need to liven up your WRAP, try doing some gratitude exercises and then notice how the quality of your life improves!


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## N.E.wguy

*Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)*
SSRIs, a popular antidepressant type, can help you overcome depression. Discover how SSRIs boost mood and what side effects they may cause.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. They can ease symptoms of moderate to severe depression, are relatively safe and generally cause fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants do.
How SSRIs work

SSRIs ease depression by affecting naturally occurring chemical messengers (neurotransmitters), which are used to communicate between brain cells. SSRIs block the reabsorption (reuptake) of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Changing the balance of serotonin seems to help brain cells send and receive chemical messages, which in turn boosts mood.

Most antidepressants work by changing the levels of one or more of these neurotransmitters. SSRIs are called selective because they seem to primarily affect serotonin, not other neurotransmitters.
SSRIs approved to treat depression

*SSRIs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression*, with their generic names followed by brand names in parentheses, include:

* Citalopram (Celexa)
    Escitalopram (Lexapro)
    Fluoxetine (Prozac)
    Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva)
    Sertraline (Zoloft)*

Paxil CR is an SSRI that provides controlled release of the medication throughout the day or for a week at a time with a single dose.

SSRIs also may be used to treat conditions other than depression, such as anxiety disorders.
Side effects and cautions

All SSRIs work in a similar way and generally cause similar side effects. However, each SSRI has a different chemical makeup, so one may affect you a little differently than another. Most side effects may go away after the first few weeks of treatment, but talk to your doctor if any side effects are too troublesome for you.

Side effects of SSRIs may include, among others:

    Nausea
    Nervousness, agitation or restlessness
    Dizziness
    Reduced sexual desire or difficulty reaching orgasm or inability to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)
    Drowsiness
    Insomnia
    Weight gain or loss
    Headache
    Dry mouth
    Vomiting
    Diarrhea

Taking your medication with food may reduce the risk of nausea. Also, as long as your medication doesn't keep you from sleeping, you can reduce the impact of nausea by taking it at bedtime.

Read the package insert for additional side effects, and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.
Safety concerns

SSRIs are relatively safe. However, here are some examples of safety issues to be considered:

    Antidepressants and pregnancy. Some antidepressants may harm your child if you take them during pregnancy or while you're breast-feeding. Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) in particular appears to increase the risk of birth defects, including heart and lung problems. If you're taking an antidepressant and you're considering getting pregnant, talk to your doctor or mental health provider about the possible dangers. Don't stop taking your medication without contacting your doctor first.
    Drug interactions. When taking an antidepressant, be sure to tell your doctor about any other medications or dietary supplements you're taking. Some antidepressants can cause dangerous reactions when combined with certain medications or herbal remedies.
    Abnormal bleeding. Use of some pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others), or anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin), may increase the risk of bleeding when combined with SSRIs. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using these medications in combination.
    Serotonin syndrome. Rarely, an SSRI can cause dangerously high levels of serotonin. This is known as serotonin syndrome. It occurs when two medications that raise serotonin are combined. These include other antidepressants, certain pain or headache medications, and the herbal supplement St. John's wort. Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome include anxiety, agitation, sweating, confusion, tremors, restlessness, lack of coordination and rapid heart rate. Seek immediate medical attention if you have any of these signs or symptoms.

Suicide risk and antidepressants

Most antidepressants are generally safe, but the FDA requires that all antidepressants carry black box warnings, the strictest warnings for prescriptions. In some cases, children, teenagers and young adults under 25 may have an increase in suicidal thoughts or behavior when taking antidepressants, especially in the first few weeks after starting or when the dose is changed.

Anyone taking an antidepressant should be watched closely for worsening depression or unusual behavior. If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts when taking an antidepressant, immediately contact your doctor or get emergency help.

Keep in mind that antidepressants are more likely to reduce suicide risk in the long run by improving mood.
Stopping treatment with SSRIs

SSRIs aren't considered addictive, but sometimes physical dependence, which is different from addiction, can occur. So stopping treatment abruptly or missing several doses can cause withdrawal-like symptoms. This is sometimes called discontinuation syndrome. Work with your doctor to gradually and safely decrease your dose.

Withdrawal-like symptoms can include:

    Nausea
    Dizziness
    Lethargy
    Flu-like symptoms

Finding the right antidepressant

Each person may react differently to a particular antidepressant and may be more susceptible to certain side effects. Because of this, one antidepressant may work better for you than another, or your doctor may prescribe a combination.

When choosing an antidepressant, your doctor will take into account your particular symptoms, what health problems you have, what other medications you take, what has worked for you in the past and what has worked for a close relative with depression.

Inherited traits play a role in how antidepressants affect you. In some cases, where available, results of special blood tests may offer clues about how your body may respond to a particular antidepressant. The study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs is called pharmacogenomics. However, other variables besides genetics can affect your response to medication.

Typically, it may take several weeks or longer before an antidepressant is fully effective and for initial side effects to ease up. You may need to try several dose adjustments or different antidepressants before you find the right one, but hang in there. With patience, you and your doctor can find a medication that works well for you.

*How serotonin works in the brain to help with Depression
*
hxxp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=managing-depression&pubDate=07/03/2013

Transcript

The human brain has about 10 billion brain cells. Each brain cell can have as many as 25,000 connections with other cells. Messages, which direct many functions throughout your body, travel through your brain from cell to cell, through these connections.

For these signals to move from a sending cell to a receiving cell, they must cross a small gap called the synapse. Chemicals called neurotransmitters, located at the ends of the sending cells, help the signal cross this gap. Serotonin is one such neurotransmitter &#8212; a very important one that helps regulate mood, emotions and other body functions.

After the serotonin has done its job, it's reabsorbed by the sending cell and is soon back in position to help with the next nerve signal.

If you have depression, you may have a serotonin imbalance. Your overall level of serotonin may be low, and some of it may be reabsorbed too soon. As a result, communication between the brain cells is impaired.

An SSRI, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, is a medication designed to help increase the amount of serotonin in the synapse by blocking its reabsorption.

As serotonin builds up, normal communication between cells can resume and your symptoms of depression may improve.
*

J Biol Chem. 2013 May 31;288(22):15712-24. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M113.454843. Epub 2013 Apr 16.
G-protein Receptor Kinase 5 Regulates the Cannabinoid Receptor 2-induced Up-regulation of Serotonin 2A Receptors.
Franklin JM, Carrasco GA.*
*Source

From the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045.*
hxxp://cannabinoidsociety.org/

We have recently reported that cannabinoid agonists can up-regulate and enhance the activity of serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptors in the prefrontal cortex (PFCx). Increased expression and activity of cortical 5-HT2A receptors has been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and schizophrenia. Here we report that repeated CP55940 exposure selectively up-regulates GRK5 proteins in rat PFCx and in a neuronal cell culture model. We sought to examine the mechanism underlying the regulation of GRK5 and to identify the role of GRK5 in the cannabinoid agonist-induced up-regulation and enhanced activity of 5-HT2A receptors. Interestingly, we found that cannabinoid agonist-induced up-regulation of GRK5 involves CB2 receptors, &#946;-arrestin 2, and ERK1/2 signaling because treatment with CB2 shRNA lentiviral particles, &#946;-arrestin 2 shRNA lentiviral particles, or ERK1/2 inhibitor prevented the cannabinoid agonist-induced up-regulation of GRK5.


----------



## N.E.wguy

Most importantly, we found that GRK5 shRNA lentiviral particle treatment prevented the cannabinoid agonist-induced up-regulation and enhanced 5-HT2A receptor-mediated calcium release. Repeated cannabinoid exposure was also associated with enhanced phosphorylation of CB2 receptors and increased interaction between &#946;-arrestin 2 and ERK1/2. These latter phenomena were also significantly inhibited by GRK5 shRNA lentiviral treatment. Our results suggest that sustained activation of CB2 receptors, which up-regulates 5-HT2A receptor signaling, enhances GRK5 expression; the phosphorylation of CB2 receptors; and the &#946;-arrestin 2/ERK interactions. These data could provide a rationale for some of the adverse effects associated with repeated cannabinoid agonist exposure.




"*Flight of ideas* would be the overt, visible manifestation of many disconnected ideas expressed in conversation (or a lecture, or similar discussion format with a listener). 

*Racing thoughts* would be the subjective experience of many thoughts running through your head too fast to keep up with. (Much the way mood is the subjective inner experience of how you feel, while affect is its behavioral expression -- do you LOOK sad, happy, irritable, etc., regardless of your subjective feeling state). Some people describe the acceleration of thoughts in racing thoughts as flipping TV channels too fast to zero in on any one; or, trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant. It is the speed with which ideas run through your mind, regardless of their content, that best characterizes this phenomenon. 

*Rumination*, by contrast, is thought to be more of an anxiety phenomenon that is not particularly accelerated but more repetitive -- the same thing over and over again, dwelling and unable to break off a particular theme or topic, as opposed to a bombardment of multiple disparate topics colliding all at once with no clear theme at all."

Joesph Goldberg, MD


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## N.E.wguy

*Oregon Legislature Votes to Add PTSD to Medical Marijuana Program*
By: Jon Walker Friday May 31, 2013 7:20 am 	
hxxp://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2013/05/31/oregon-legislature-votes-to-add-ptsd-to-medical-marijuana-program/


People suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may soon get access to medical marijuana in Oregon. On Thursday the Oregon House passed Senate Bill 281 in a vote of 36-21. The bill was previously approved by the Senate last month. It now goes to the governor for his signature.

If the bill is signed it would add PTSD to the list of eligible conditions for which someone could receive medical marijuana. A few other states, like New Mexico, have previously included PTSD in their medical marijuana programs.

There is significant anecdotal evidence and some scientific research that indicates cannabinoids could help with PTSD. Of course, it would be great if there were more research to not only prove if medical marijuana is useful for this condition but to also discover what treatment plans are most effective. Sadly, the Obama administration hass stopped this research from being performed.

The Mulitdisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies had been trying for years to run a study on marijuana and PTSD. Even though their study protocol was accepted by the FDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which controls the production of marijuana for federally approved research, refuses to let the research take place.

To add insult to injury, while one part of the Obama administration actively works to stop research which could show marijuana has therapeutic uses, another part of the administration then uses the lack of government approved research to justify keeping marijuana as a Schedule I drug.


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://www.maps.org/research/mmj/

About > Mission
Our Mission

Founded in 1986, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana.

Our Work

MAPS furthers its mission by:

    Developing psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines
    Training therapists and working to establish a network of treatment centers
    Supporting scientific research into spirituality, creativity, and neuroscience
    Educating the public honestly about the risks and benefits of psychedelics and marijuana.


Our Vision
MAPS envisions a world where psychedelics and marijuana are safely and legally available for beneficial uses, and where research is governed by rigorous scientific evaluation of their risks and benefits.


Our Values

    Transparency &#8212; Information is shared openly and clearly. Communications are respectful, honest, and forthright.
    Passion and Perseverance &#8212; We persist in the face of challenges. We have a sense of urgency about our work, and know that it's a long-term effort.
    Intelligent Risk &#8212; Our decisions are informed by research. We try new things and learn from our mistakes.
    Trust and Accountability &#8212; We value integrity and honesty, and embrace high standards.


*MAPS is currently seeking regulatory approval to conduct a study of smoked and/or vaporized marijuana for symptoms of PTSD in veterans of war.*

MAPS is the only organization working to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of botanical marijuana as a prescription medicine for specific medical uses to the satisfaction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Our efforts to initiate medical marijuana research have been hindered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) since our founding in 1986. NIDA's monopoly on the supply of marijuana for research and the DEA's refusal to allow researchers to grow their own has paralyzed medical marijuana research, and for over 12 years MAPS has been involved in legal struggles against the DEA to end this situation.


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## N.E.wguy

*The Blame Game and Forgiveness Let&#8217;s talk about guilt.*

Did you ever wonder why people feel guilt even though they have done nothing wrong? Humans have the psychological need for order. If something they experience is chaotic; blame is the easiest way to make order of it. Sometimes we blame ourselves and sometimes we blame others. But most of us go back and forth between the two.


For example, if someone who we thought loved us, hurts us, we become hurt and confused (chaos), and we try to make sense of it. Immediately we assume we must have done something wrong. It must be me, I am the common denominator. I always mess up.

But soon, we come to our own defense inside our head. Wait a minute&#8230;That wasn&#8217;t fair that they did this. That was mean.

Then, given all this, we have trouble trusting yourself, so we can&#8217;t depend on ourselves to know what to conclude, and the back and forth is perpetuated.

*Now we are more confused. Is it me? Is it them? Me? Them? I call this raging conflict inside our heads the blame game.
The Blame Game*

The blame game is where most of our suffering lies. Either and both blames cut right into our self identity. We don&#8217;t know if we are good or not. It&#8217;s hard to be lovable, vindicated, or validated.

Yes, the original hurt hurt. But it is expanded a thousand fold by the blame game. This is because in making order of the original chaos, we&#8217;ve created a now nu-orderable chaos. And we get stuck in it with no place to stand. There is no innocence for us (maybe we don&#8217;t deserve it), no justice (because what if it is us), no forgiveness (because who should we forgive?), no love (because how can you be lovable?). No understanding (so how could anyone else understand?).

Does this strike a cord?
*How Do We Get Out of the Blame Game?

Forgiveness.*

Forgiveness doesn&#8217;t mean you conclude that you did something wrong and then forgive yourself. It is not like the ancient Christian idea of forgiving a &#8220;sin.&#8221;

Self forgiveness means you decide you did nothing wrong. You lift the veil of the blame and you can see your own beauty. I use the word to mean having compassion for yourself. It is a way of letting go of the blame game by not letting it define you anymore. It is letting go of the guilt of it all (knowing you don&#8217;t deserve the guilt). Knowing you are lovable, because you are a good person. This means that you love yourself and see good in yourself no matter what happened to you. You lay down the weapons of the blame war, and surrender that it doesn&#8217;t matter who did what and why, because you decide that you did the best you could at the time. *Recognize that you survived with skills and those skills say something about what you hold precious. And holding that precious makes you beautiful.*

It may also help to understand that the other person acted out of his or her own hurt, or bad self image. Not that this condones what he or she did, but it helps you see your identity separately.

    &#8220;People aren&#8217;t mean to you because they don&#8217;t like you, they are mean to you because they don&#8217;t like themselves.&#8221; -Jodi

*Sometimes you are still in relationship with the person who hurt you. Don&#8217;t worry. This practice will not take you away from them. The blame game probably has done a good job of putting distance in that relationship anyhow, or at least having you desperately seeking their approval, or isolating yourself since you feel unworthy.

Self forgiveness, or deciding you are innocent will only help all relationships you are in. You will begin to trust yourself and this will allow you to open to people who treat you well, and compassionately set limits with those who don&#8217;t, (outwardly or inwardly).

*Self forgiveness is a decision to trust yourself. -Jodi*


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## N.E.wguy

little off topic but related---


*  						Can MDMA Cure PTSD? *

 hxxp://mdmaptsd.org/news/134-can-mdma-cure-ptsd.html						 			 								
_Vice examines the merits of using MDMA-assisted  psychotherapy as a treatment for PTSD by summarizing past, current, and  upcoming research. The article dedicates much of its length to the  imminent research that will take place in Canada, noting that the  necessary MDMA to be used in the study has been exported from  Switzerland to Canada_
Read at _Vice_
 Studies have shown that an occasional dose of  Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, stupid) in tandem with  psychotherapy can dramatically improve the mental health and wellness of  patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A paper  published last year by Michael and Ann Mithoefer (a psychiatrist and  nurse respectively, who are also married) in the Journal of  Psychopharmacology has produced some eye-opening results.
 It&#8217;s important to note that this study doesn&#8217;t suggest simply  prescribing MDMA pills for the popping. Rather, throughout the course of  therapy, patients are given two doses of MDMA over two eight-hour  sessions held three to five weeks apart. This only happens once, and for  some patients it will be the first and last time they ever take MDMA,  but those three or four pills taken over an eight-week period could  change their lives for the better.
 What the study has shown is that MDMA works like a therapeutic  catalyst. Patients&#8217; scores when measuring common PTSD symptoms such as  anxiety, paranoia, nightmares and depression, consistently dropped by  over 75 percent. That&#8217;s more than a twofold decrease compared to  patients who went through the same therapy without the drug, or had only  been given a placebo.
 More importantly, when following up with patients two months after  they had received the treatment, 83% were no longer even diagnosed with  PTSD, and three to five years later the benefits were still maintained  with no signs of long-term health effects associated with MDMA at all.
 Consider that standard, government approved drugs like Zoloft or  Paxil are only effective in 20% of PTSD patients, and therapy assisted  MDMA is looking more and more like a breakthrough. Even Oprah is getting  her name behind it.
 Due to the success of the Mithoefer&#8217;s study, similar trials are  underway in Switzerland, England, Australia, Israel and&#8212;just last week,  after two and a half years of regulatory inspections and political red  tape&#8212;nine grams of pure MDMA arrived in Canada.
 Vancouver psychologist, Dr. Andrew Feldmar, will begin trials on a  relatively small (12 people in total) group of soldiers, police  officers, and sexual assault victims suffering the effects of PTSD who  have found no relief in a variety of prior treatments.
 The hoops that Dr. Feldmar has had to jump through to get his hands  on nine grams of MDMA (which he acknowledges would have been easier to  just find on the streets of Vancouver) are almost comical.  Two-and-a-half years after the study was approved, officials were still  flying back and forth from Ottawa to inspect the pharmacy where the MDMA  will be stored, behind shatterproof glass, in a safe nailed to the  floor. As Feldmar described it to the CBC, &#8220;It&#8217;s as if the whole of  Vancouver was waiting to see this drug arrive and would rob the pharmacy  to get it&#8230; It&#8217;s like Fort Knox has been waiting for this drug.&#8221;
 When working with patients suffering from PTSD, he defines three  crucial connections that must be made: First, the patient must be made  to feel safe within the present moment. Second, in that moment, patients  need to feel comfortable enough to acknowledge painful memories and to  freely grieve. And third is that, through these first two steps,  patients reconnect with the world, establishing an empathy and trust  with the therapist they are communicating with.
 He says that MDMA addresses the progress of all three stages of  therapy in parallel with the drugs own three perceptible influences:  &#8220;MDMA, has three major effects if it is taken in the right setting. One  is to open your heart. Another one is to make yourself present, so that  the future and past don&#8217;t matter, you really arrive into the here and  now. And the third one is, for some people, for the very first time you  feel no shame. So you&#8217;re shameless.&#8221;
 The trials will follow the Mithoefer&#8217;s method, and Feldmar describes  what this looks and feels like in the context of a psychotherapy  session, &#8220;Ecstasy has been developed as an empathogen, it increases the  person&#8217;s empathy. If you&#8217;re my therapist, I might think that behind your  face there is the person who has hurt me. I basically don&#8217;t trust any  person because of past events. Now if I take ecstasy, I forget what  happened, I don&#8217;t worry about the future, my heart opens and suddenly,  if indeed you are a well meaning person, I will intuit that, and maybe  for the first time since I&#8217;ve been traumatized, I will form a connection  with you that I feel safe in.&#8221;
 Stereotypically, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is perceived as Shell  Shock, designated to veterans or those who have been through violent  combat. But what is being brought further into the greater public  consciousness&#8212;and this study has the potential to shine even more of a  light on that&#8212;is that PTSD doesn&#8217;t just touch those who have lived  through war, terrorism, or random violent accidents. It also affects  those who have suffered in silence: victims of family violence, sexual  assaults, or other stressful events that occur while living life in an  arbitrary and often unforgiving world.
 If these studies continue to show positive results, one would hope  that the drug would become more accessible and more studies would  receive funding from militaries, ministries of health, and  private-sector donors. Regardless of how taboo it might seem at the  moment, if MDMA can be used responsibly to aid PTSD, making this  unforgiving world a little less harsh on those who have suffered it,  then, by all means, Molly needs to go to therapy.


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## 7greeneyes

god bless ya for putting so much effort into this thread newguy.

Resplendently informative as well as personally inciteful.


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## N.E.wguy

7greeneyes said:
			
		

> god bless ya for putting so much effort into this thread newguy.
> 
> Resplendently informative as well as personally inciteful.


 Thanks 7G! 

as far as that last off topic post, I have in the past done my share of that stuff trying to escape my mind and in combination with weed was able to move on for a good 6 years but then was retriggered by sandy hook and the marathon bombings and the govts response not only to them but my own case. (people tell me to move on that drugs did not get me past what i went thru and they are so miss informed and blind they have no idea how much they hurt me to say that) and i'm sure it goes for others out there to this is real common stuff

But in the end ya alot of what i high light pertains to me and i know it probably will to others who come in here and just breeze thru to catch their interest and read more there is alot to learn here for many disorders not just mine. 

Thanks again MP

As always please SHARE, even if just with someone extra sad you never know what they are thinking or how close to the end they maybe it's hard at times, some times we have to look at others and refer them to help that they may not know they even need.

hxxp://mdmaptsd.org/news.html

hXXp://forums.psychcentral.com/#mental-health-support


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## YYZ Skinhead

:yeahthat:   The more accurate info disseminated about PTSD, the better.  

(The above sentence contains no descenders, nor does this one.)


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## N.E.wguy

_I am in no way condoning or saying anyone should use this unless in the controlled professional way, by certified people!_


*It&#8217;s basically like years of therapy in two or three hours. You can&#8217;t understand it unless you&#8217;ve experienced it.

&#8211; former Army Ranger and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study participant, quoted on Military.com (March 2009)

    What you glimpse in the middle of an MDMA experience is like seeing the peak of a mountain, and you can see the path that will take you to the top. It gives you the vision and the motivation to keep on hiking.

&#8211;Julie Holland, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Ecstasy: The Complete Guide

    It meant the world to me to be able to look at the fear, to look at the shame&#8230;When I got out of that session, I felt a hundred pounds lighter&#8230;The drug gave me the ability not to fear fear.

&#8211; Donna Kilgore, PTSD patient and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study participant*

--------------------------------------

*The Biggest Psychedelic Research Group Is Asking the Pentagon to Help Kill PTSD
*
Motherboard writes about the recent visit to the Pentagon of MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin, PhD, to discuss MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research and encourage support for the studies. Article author Brian Anderson explains, &#8220;It&#8217;s a fool&#8217;s errand to say that the US military entertaining the idea of working with a reknowned psychedelics research group isn&#8217;t a sign that our notions of both war and therapeutic (and illicit) drugs aren&#8217;t changing, and quick.&#8221;

Read at Motherboard

It&#8217;d be a monumental leap forward in the ongoing agony and ecstasy of treating wartime post-traumatic stress with psychedelics. They&#8217;d be somewhat unlikely partners, sure, but to hear that the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies has reached out to the Pentagon makes a lot of sense. MAPS needs PTSD-affected troops to fill out its trials, something the Pentagon undoubtedly can provide if it wants to.

Rick Doblin, MAPS founder and executive director, says the non-profit research group is in talks with the Pentagon about a potential study involving active duty soldiers with PTSD. He says that MAPS, which has been at the forefront of MDMA-, LSD-, and ibogaine-assisted psychotherapy research since 1986, would bankroll the trials should the Pentagon allow soldiers to participate.

&#8220;We were [at the Pentagon] about a month ago, and we got a very good reception,&#8221; Doblin tells Wired. &#8220;Now we&#8217;re working our way up the chain of command.&#8221;

The question, then, is who is MAPS looking to include here? Would its prospective Pentagon collaboration be confined strictly to those with boots on the ground, or would it open things up to remote soliders like drone pilots?

Doblin couldn&#8217;t be reached by the time this piece went to press, though I&#8217;ll update if and when I hear back. For now, we can only speculate. But it&#8217;s worth noting the creeping prevalance of PTSD and PTSD-like symptons among drone operators, a dark spell known as &#8220;burnout.&#8221;

Take Brady Bryant. Bryant logged over 6,000 hours flying hunter-killer drones with the Air Force over six years. In that stretch, Bryant told Speigel Online, he saw men, women and children incincerated by Hellfire missiles fired from American drones throughout the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.

&#8220;I never thought I would kill that many people,&#8221; he admitted. &#8220;In fact, I thought I couldn&#8217;t kill anyone at all.&#8221;

One incident in particular would come to haunt Bryant. Flying a drone high above Afghanistan, some 7,000 miles from his cockpit at Creech Air Base, Bryant fired on a flat-roofed mud house that he&#8217;d been monitoring for weeks. It took an agonizing 16 seconds for the missile to reach its target. With about two seconds to go, a child unexpectedly ran into the strike zone. Then the explosion flashed on Bryant&#8217;s screen. Portions of the building collapsed, the child nowhere to be seen. Immediately Bryant felt nauseuous. Spiegel explains:

&#8220;Did we just kill a kid?&#8221; he asked the man sitting next to him.

&#8220;Yeah, I guess that was a kid,&#8221; the pilot replied.

&#8220;Was that a kid?&#8221; they wrote into a chat window on the monitor. Then, someone they didn&#8217;t know answered, someone sitting in a military command center somewhere in the world who had observed their attack. &#8220;No. That was a dog,&#8221; the person wrote.

They reviewed the scene on video. A dog on two legs?

It would only get worse for Bryant. As time wore on, as the 12-hour shifts spent in a locked, climate-controlled trailer in the Nevadan desert began blurring together, his mind and body curled inward, shutting down, until one day he collapsed at work, spitting blood. On orders from his doctor, he&#8217;d stay out of the cockpit until sleeping more than four hours a night for two weeks in a row wasn&#8217;t impossible. Six months later, Bryant was back flying drones.

It&#8217;s a fool&#8217;s errand to say that the US military entertaining the idea of working with a reknowned psychedelics research group isn&#8217;t a sign that our notions of both war and therapeutic (and illicit) drugs aren&#8217;t changing, and quick. And yet the battle to kill PTSD is only just beginning. So if remote soldiers, for all the flak that term gets, don&#8217;t end up wrapped into what for all intents and purporses would be a landmark study, why not?


----------



## YYZ Skinhead

N.E.wguy said:
			
		

> thanks 7G!
> 
> as far as that last off topic post, I have in the past done my share of that stuff trying to escape my mind and in combination with weed was able to move on for a good 6 years *but then was retriggered by sandy hook and the marathon bombings and the govts response not only to them* but my own case. (people tell me to move on that drugs did not get me past what i went thru and they are so miss informed and blind they have no idea how much they hurt me to say that) and i'm sure it goes for others out there to this is real common stuff


I posted before reading this post.  At least I am not the only individual who was triggered by those terrorist acts.  For a while after the shootings I could not see little kids (in real life, in commercials, wherever) without thinking of how vulnerable they were and being afraid that something terrible was going to happen to them.


----------



## N.E.wguy

I defiantly feel there is a double standard to troops and civilians when it comes to PTSD and that is just sad and wrong in so many ways to me.

ya man i have 2-3 horrific nightmares a night on the pharma i'm on, have to take it tho... supposed to help me sleep its a joke.

ya kids are a hard subject involved in our cases it was hard for me to let my kid go to school, way me then an average person i will say that.. my kids school got a cop but not for long right back to they are fine mode

my wife Saturday before the bombings was like "i want to take the kids on the train to Boston" I said not going, no way... She thought I was a loon for not going to the st. pats day parade in southie both days i said to her all set with a terrorist act and sure enough 2 days later on the streets my wife and kids were on 2 bombs go off then the man hunt... I'll leave it there I could go on for pages.


----------



## YYZ Skinhead

A *WHOLE LOT* of my friends are Veterans and current Servicemen and Servicewomen who have the same symptoms as I do, have the same nightmares  and take the same pills.  I take 1600 mg of Seroquel per day, 150 mg of venlafaxine (generic Effexor), 40 mg of propranolol and 10-30 mg of diazepam (generic Valium).  I usually substitute _indica_ for some/all of the diazepam, because I have no desire to develop a tolerance to it like I developed to Xanax.  It may be more obvious now why I am so absent-minded.  :hitchair:


----------



## N.E.wguy

1600 mg of Seroquel per day*

how is that dosed, i take 50mg of that and am side ways, 100mg i'm out like a light but up 3 hours later with nightmares. then if I try to walk it's like i'm a zombie bumping into walls and stuff i hate that stuff. they all want me on it no matter who i see.. says it helps with sleep lol slows my mania if i have a bad episode 50mg will bring me back, have used it a few times in the day for that otherwise only at night ( which it is not supposed to be prescribed for ) my script is intentionally x3 what i need so the pharmacy won;t look into it... ya says eat 200mg before bed lolz *** i'd die

(* actually took 50mg last night woke up, went to piss had a hard time even finding the toilet nvm falling down the stairs going by them twice) i think 200mg i would just wear a dippar to bed then risk my life lol may drown in the toilet


----------



## N.E.wguy

First off, thanks to anyone who looks at all these updates and follows the info trail i am leaving. Hope you all have a great day. 
(It amazes me that for 16yrs or more MMJ has kept about all in this thread subdued on it's own, and after seeking help I have worse episodes and am on all sorts of pharmaceuticals..) 

------------------

*This is the symptoms of bipolar.*
* I am posting this due to the frequent confusion of professionals *that seem to think that PTSD is bipolar. As you can see, there is a huge difference between the description of a manic episode and an &#8220;hyper-vigilant&#8221; episode (described in the PTSD threads).

*Signs and symptoms of a manic episode of bipolar disorder:
*
    happy, expansive, optimistic mood (feeling &#8220;high,&#8221; feeling better than ever)
    alternative mood: irritable, angry, aggressive, provocative, intrusive
    impaired judgment; reckless; unpredictable
    excessive involvement in pleasurable or high risk activities, such as sex, drug or alcohol use, or spending sprees
    high physical and mental energy; increased productivity; excited; a feeling of high intelligence and creativity
    extremely talkative, rapid thoughts
    decreased need for sleep, less ability to sleep
    inflated self-importance; in some, delusions or hallucinations
    extremely sociable
    inability to concentrate; distracted; restless, impulsive
*  no perception that the mood and behaviors are abnormal
*
*A person in the manic phase of bipolar disorder rarely seeks help; the person may feel good and not recognize that anything is wrong.
* (like you are on the best bud ever and you never come down, but when u do it's into an episode below)
*Signs and symptoms of a depressive episode of bipolar disorder*

    profound sadness, hopelessness, pessimism; crying spells
    low self-esteem, worthlessness
    &#8220;flat&#8221; mood: apathetic, indifferent; lack of interest or pleasure in most activities
    fatigue, lethargy: decreased energy and activity; difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
    decreased sexuality
    restless, irritable, angry, worried, anxious, guilty
    fewer thoughts and less talking; slower thinking and talking
    difficulty in concentrating, making decisions, and remembering
    social withdrawal; diminished ability to give and feel love
    drug or alcohol use
    change in appetite; weight gain or loss; loss of interest in food, even if eating more
    change in sleep patterns: sleeping more or less than usual
suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts; life seems devoid of pleasure

*People are more likely to seek help during the depressive phase of bipolar disorder than during the manic* phase.* This is because they recognize that the symptoms are disruptive to normal life. But some do not even seek help during the depression because they have no energy and no hope that anything can change.
(* personally once i am in a manic state i isolate myself, some people lose control and say or do things that may hurt others unknowingly in a episode. Best thing to do if you feel someone close to you is like this just give them space.. Trying to help a this point in time will more make you a possible outlet for this, which neither involved want.)


----------



## N.E.wguy

I'm asking...isn't it PLAUSIBLE that severe trauma...can cause BOTH ptsd and a disorder that looks so much like bipolar that it might as well be? Could it be a possible explanation why so many people are 'mis'diagnosed with bipolar and ptsd comorbid? Or is it a misdx at all? Perhaps singular event, adult trauma ptsd....in which the brain was already developed would NOT be able to cause such a neurobiological change....(another prime reason why C-PTSD is truly a separate class of PTSD)....*but I'm curious what studies have been or will be done which might shed light on severe, repeated trauma in the developing brain causing...basically...bipolar in addition to the symptoms of C-PTSD. It seems prior studies have been quite ignored, and not taken to their fullest possible conclusions.*



---------------------
*Coping with bipolar/PTSD parent*
hxxp://forums.psychcentral.com/bipolar/33326-coping-bipolar-ptsd-parent.html

My father is Dx bipolar and ptsd. He has been affected by it in waves for as long as I have known him. When he start's feeling "off" or is triggered by a traumatic event he becomes manic and begins drinking to "cope" with his mental state. He veers on and off his meds at this point and is very unpredictable and prone to outbursts and mood swings all over the map. It has been difficult dealing with his personality throughout my life. He has had pockets of stability that last years only to succumb to another episode which can last a year, two or more at a time. As a kid I always just wanted the "normal" 9-5 TV dad and used to tell grand stories about my absentee father.... Now that I have a family of my own I am unable to excuse or tolerate his erratic behavior, outbursts and unpredictability around my home. I have tried to get him help through the VA hospital and have appealed to him to do whatever it takes to get back"on track" so he can be a part of his family's life again. ( before this last episode began back in Feb. 06 he was a loving, doting grandfather and a big part of everyone's life for 6 years straight.) He refuses to accept his condition and does nothing but revert all conversations back to a sum of money that is contested between us from some old utility bills. I tried to straighten out those bills last year and was in the final stage of doing so and he instructed me NOT to do so'"that the VA was going to clean them up ... " Soon after he came into some $$ and stayed out of touch for almost 5 mos.
He has torn through over$15,000 of an inheritance this past summer gambling and drinking and the like and now that these funds have been exhausted he is once again surfacing and looking to "get what he has coming."
I refuse to provide any financial fuel to enable him to propel himself further down his road to ruin. His health is in the toilet and he refuses to see a correlation between his life of excess and his failing health.
If it were I alone I could deal with this man, as I have known this "character" my whole life. But it has impacted my family and at times terrorized them and my neighbors, and for that reason he has been instructed by myself and the authorities to stay away from my home.
I bumped into him at the store today and after a "hello and howyadoin " the conversation deteriorated into the usual arguements about $ and my appeals for him to seek and FOLLOW THROUGH with whatever treatment that will get him well.

*As this once well groomed, meticulous, detail oriented man rode away disheveled and unshaven on his hand-me-down old style bicycle, his pockets stuffed with random papers and notes with wild agendas, all I could do was call out " hope you have a decent holiday, whatever you do, and I love you." I parked my vehicle, and shed some tears, then dried them and drove home to my family... the same family who shared the holidays with smiles this time last year with this same man.*
breezer~


----------



## YYZ Skinhead

N.E.wguy said:
			
		

> 1600 mg of Seroquel per day*
> 
> how is that dosed, i take 50mg of that and am side ways, 100mg i'm out like a light but up 3 hours later with nightmares. then if I try to walk it's like i'm a zombie bumping into walls and stuff i hate that stuff. they all want me on it no matter who i see.. says it helps with sleep lol slows my mania if i have a bad episode 50mg will bring me back, have used it a few times in the day for that otherwise only at night ( which it is not supposed to be prescribed for ) my script is intentionaly x3 what i need so the pharmacy won;t look into it... ya says eat 200mg before bed lolz *** i'd die


I take 4 400 mg pills a day for major depression and insomnia, which means I take more of them in the evening than during the day.  Since I have been taking this drug cocktail for years, if I miss a dose my head and body start feeling prickly and off-kilter.


----------



## N.E.wguy

ya they want me to try and use it daily but the way it affects my nights i am worried it will couch lock me and in my life i don't have that option.

they had me on zolof (ssri) made me mental instantly so they have me on seriquil 50-200mg, clozapm 2mg min.(supposed to take a half mg if my mania kicks in, (otherwise .5 every 4 hrs. i find any thing less then 1mg is useless, i am 6' 250 takes more imo but they say .5 is fine it's addictive lol get real it helps but u can't take it cause its addictive ok) like i said i have used the seriquil one time out of desperation in the day but that was it.. so i guess your body adapts to (my) side effect if taken daily? second time on this stuff and about to flush the bottle so ant info is good info to me. 
lastly they have me on 50mg Lamictal (lamotrigine) i take in am asap with .5mg kpin. (soon as i hit 50mg on lamictal nighmaress increased, and altered from normal, sleep is more of an issue now as well even with the seriquil)

all of which does nothing for me unlike MMJ amazes me how clueless the smartest doctors are or have been made to be negative of such a universal cure/allivatior of so many ailments especially such a wide spectrum of mental ones, without it i surly would be in a looney bin i guess thats what they used to do with us. electro shock and lsd therapy in looney bins

THANK FULLY THEY ARE ON TO CBD AND PTSD NOW ATLEAST


----------



## YYZ Skinhead

*IF* American doctors were permitted to research _Cannabis_ the way Canadian and Israeli doctors are, hundreds of thousands of PTSD patients in this country would benefit.  It's perfectly legal to prescribe oxycodone and hydrocodone (and my wonderful Valium) here, but non-addictive, nontoxic _Cannabis_, oh no!  :angrywife:


----------



## N.E.wguy

ya i was abused at the hand of a ptsd vet being my father when i was younger also that was my first ptsd around age 12, he wants forgiveness as he's on his death bed but refuses to admit the abuse took place. I wonder how much of what i went thru was due to the lack of knowledge, testing, mismedicating of these people it;s hard to get past even thinking maybe he did it cause he was like me and i learned to control myself by going thru that...but at the same time partially put me on my path to being shot..buying weed to cope with the basically every thing from broken family, beating to homelessness and end up dead pretty much all the while mmj is real and avail to certain vets...I consider myself a casualty of the war on drugs and govt has done nothing for me even tho they listed me as a victim of a violent crime/ conspiracy to commit murder


hXXp://forums.psychcentral.com/#mental-health-support


ya the OC lead to heroin that where the govt makes there money fighting itself in a false war on drugs should be a war on pharma not cannabis


----------



## YYZ Skinhead

N.E.wguy said:
			
		

> *Signs and symptoms of a depressive episode of bipolar disorder*
> 
> profound sadness, hopelessness, pessimism; crying spells
> low self-esteem, worthlessness
> flat mood: apathetic, indifferent; lack of interest or pleasure in most activities
> fatigue, lethargy: decreased energy and activity; difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
> decreased sexuality
> restless, irritable, angry, worried, anxious, guilty
> fewer thoughts and less talking; slower thinking and talking
> difficulty in concentrating, making decisions, and remembering
> social withdrawal; diminished ability to give and feel love
> drug or alcohol use
> change in appetite; weight gain or loss; loss of interest in food, even if eating more
> change in sleep patterns: sleeping more or less than usual
> suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts; life seems devoid of pleasure
> 
> *People are more likely to seek help during the depressive phase of bipolar disorder than during the manic* phase.* This is because they recognize that the symptoms are disruptive to normal life. But some do not even seek help during the depression because they have no energy and no hope that anything can change.
> (* personally once i am in a manic state i isolate myself, some people lose control and say or do things that may hurt others unknowingly in a episode. Best thing to do if you feel someone close to you is like this just give them space.. Trying to help a this point in time will more make you a possible outlet for this, which neither involved want.)



You painted a photorealistic picture of my depression, except that I am "unipolar" (as opposed to bipolar) and it is always the south pole.  Thank God I don't have mania too.  I have completely forgotten what "normal" life is and have given up on trying to fit in.  I am a proud misanthrope, I detest _Homo "sapiens"_ and I isolate myself from my fellow humans as much as possible.  Like 95% of the work I do is in my own house.  Exposure to humans is possible exposure to another debilitaing trauma which I will relive in my mind for the rest of my damn life, so the only humans with whom I usually associate are people with whom I have something in common:  PTSD patients (a lot of them Veterans), artists, and artists with PTSD.  I think religion is mostly man-made propaganda crap but I have faith (not religion) in the God of the Bible and reading it, praying, thanking God for good things and having my friends pray for me has literally helped to keep me from killing myself.  Talking with people online who have the same symptoms and take the same pills helps as well.  Even my very good shrink says that talking online with other PTSD patients is useful.  It may not seem likely but there is still hope for "our kind".


----------



## 7greeneyes

YYZ Skinhead said:
			
		

> You painted a photorealistic picture of my depression, except that I am "unipolar" (as opposed to bipolar) and it is always the south pole.  Thank God I don't have mania too.  I have completely forgotten what "normal" life is and have given up on trying to fit in.  I am a proud misanthrope, I detest _Homo "sapiens"_ and I isolate myself from my fellow humans as much as possible.  Like 95% of the work I do is in my own house.  Exposure to humans is possible exposure to another debilitaing trauma which I will relive in my mind for the rest of my damn life, so the only humans with whom I usually associate are people with whom I have something in common:  PTSD patients (a lot of them Veterans), artists, and artists with PTSD.  I think religion is mostly man-made propaganda crap but I have faith (not religion) in the God of the Bible and reading it, praying, thanking God for good things and having my friends pray for me has literally helped to keep me from killing myself.  Talking with people online who have the same symptoms and take the same pills helps as well.  Even my very good shrink says that talking online with other PTSD patients is useful.  It may not seem likely but there is still hope for "our kind".




So sounds more like you have Chronic Depression/Dysthymia, not really bi-polar disorder?

I have to give *NEWGUY* credit for his suggestion on how to interact with ppl when they are in the "valley" part of their bi-polarity.

Again, thanks for this thread, it's a good read.

God Bless you *YYZ*. Stay strong, lady


----------



## N.E.wguy

This thread will become what it does based off the same as MP it's members. It is what we make it!

I agree with your shrink about online interaction, as well as yours 7g. & YYZ with isolation to the fullest degree. But personally i'm at about 100% avoidance atm.. 

First person who really figured out me was a kid I met on  gaming website (who someone on here is is a member there, msg me , may even know this person or of him at the very least , one of the most inelegant bipolar manics I have ever met it was because of him i made it thru years of my life unknowing. Then I met him in real life and we practically never talk literally first time in 2 yrs was a few weeks ago. he refereed me to this guy, told me to request to be on his emailing list that he has lots of useful info and runs a group in ct. for b/m i think. here is his email I highly suggest emailing him and just put add me to the list as content and he will. the kid I know goes to his group I think. 

[email protected]  //// his name is Alan Rosenthal, just put you were refered thru m.w.


----------



## N.E.wguy

7g what part are you referencing just to clarify (I have to give NEWGUY credit for his suggestion on how to interact with ppl when they are in the "valley" part of their bi-polarity.) maybe quote it in your post just so people can relate or refer back to that section there is alot in here. 
-


ya YYZ " normal life " or lack of is one of the hardest things to come to understanding with I have my whole life wanted to be "normal" you'll never have a normal life unless you allow yourself to see your life as a normal life for you is all i have come up with still searching for peace and happiness daily.

lookie lookie what I found a reason not to take more of their **** 
hxxp://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=13&m=2010050
Hi guys,
I recently made a post about Lamictal(lamotrigine), but this one is more on the serious side. I have been taking Lamictal for about 4 days now, at 50 mg's. I am experiencing the most lucid and vivid nightmares that I haven't experienced since I was a little kid. I mean, I'm talking so frightening and unsettling that I am afraid to go to sleep. 2 nights ago, I had a dream that I could hear my dog growling in the middle of the night- very unusual for her. So immediately, I knew something was wrong. I crept downstairs to discover my mother sleeping on the couch. My dog was growling in the direction of the front door, where stand this huge, tall, man/monster looking thing staring at my mother as she slept. I ran to the door to lock it, but the thing had already opened the door and was pushing its way inside. Thankfully, I then woke up, screaming so loud that the actual dog that was in the dream came running upstairs to see if I was okay. It was a cross between a nightmare and a night terror, as I was not fully convinced it was a dream after I had awoken. Has anyone else experienced dreams this horrifying while taking Lamictal, or any other drug? If so, do you have any suggestions for alleviating and preventing these awful occurrences? The Lamictal is already starting to lift my mood, but the nightmares are a colossal drawback. If there are any suggestions other than quitting the medicine, please tell me. I am not interested in taking addictives like Xanax or Ambien to help me sleep. Thanks,
William
-----

   Posted 1/30/2011 8:51 PM (GMT -6)   		
i have been on lamotrigine 25 mg since last wednesday...soo for about a week now.
my ideal dosage is 100 mg my dr said, but im going to start slow and up the dose every two weeks....
i have been having really intense dreams as well but i didnt even think it was related to the medication, but now that you mention it i think i am going to write down my dreams as soon as i wake up so that i can discuss it with my dr. ive notced that ive been having such REAL LIFELIKE dreams that ive made comments to my roommates about things that they say have never happened..... scary to think that its possible that im not going to be able to differentiate between my dreams and reality.


----------



## YYZ Skinhead

7greeneyes said:
			
		

> So sounds more like you have Chronic Depression/Dysthymia, not really bi-polar disorder?
> 
> I have to give *NEWGUY* credit for his suggestion on how to interact with ppl when they are in the "valley" part of their bi-polarity.
> 
> Again, thanks for this thread, it's a good read.
> 
> God Bless you *YYZ*. Stay strong, lady


:aok:  Props 7ge, indeed this is an excellent thread.  I have major depressive disorder and am not bipolar (I asked both my shrink in San Francisco and the one here in Hell if I was bipolar and they said no).  I ought to ask about dysthymia.

The funny thing is that I wanted to start a PTSD thread but had no idea *how.*  Props to Newguy for launching and maintaining this one.  

As for thee, 7ge, anyone with a brain knows you are *the* go-to for _Cannabis_ news and not only medbud news.  I have gargantuan respect for hardcore researchers who dig and find info that may be obscure but is *desperately* needed.


----------



## N.E.wguy

Yes you both as well as JAAM are as much apart of maintaining it by posting, relating contributing articles, which Initiated the thought of this thread thru me and JAAM sending me links which were first posted in here. 

I found the facts of those articles very interesting. I thought it was important enough to spread that info in here and it just has has started I think. I'm sure this will become a highly viewed thread with lots of new traffic and information getting out where it needs to be.

You should really email that guy. I need to find a group, getting out is how you actually break the depressive home stuck syndromes. like 4 day hikes is what my buddy does he's as manic as they come i swear but he is the most normal sociable person able to run a highly successful business. As well as maintain his mania and bipolar... stays away from benzos and alcohol.
 Guy gets memorizing mountain top pics, bears chasing him all sorts of stuff.lol But resets his brain so he can be "(what we search for (normalness) at least temporarily).


----------



## 7greeneyes

it was this part of your post #88

*"
(* personally once i am in a manic state i isolate myself, some people lose control and say or do things that may hurt others unknowingly in a episode. Best thing to do if you feel someone close to you is like this just give them space.. Trying to help a this point in time will more make you a possible outlet for this, which neither involved want.)"*

That part really rings true on how my wife is sometimes due to her bipolarity.


----------



## N.E.wguy

7greeneyes said:
			
		

> it was this part of your post #88
> 
> "
> (* personally once i am in a manic state i isolate myself, some people lose control and say or do things that may hurt others unknowingly in a episode. Best thing to do if you feel someone close to you is like this just give them space.. Trying to help a this point in time will more make you a possible outlet for this, which neither involved want.)"
> 
> That part really rings true on how my wife is sometimes due to her bipolarity.



Thanks for pointing that out. There are alot of little things that can be said to me to go off like a fire cracker like jekel/hyde but just on a word level my defensive words are like little razor blade comments that's when i usually separate and calm down or it will ramp up and last days weeks who knows


----------



## N.E.wguy

:clap: :clap: :clap: :dancing: :ciao: :ciao: Just had our 420th viewer of the thread ! missed the pic op tho already at 422 gogogo


----------



## SmokinMom

N.E.wguy said:
			
		

> Hi guys,
> I recently made a post about Lamictal(lamotrigine), but this one is more on the serious side. I have been taking Lamictal for about 4 days now, at 50 mg's. I am experiencing the most lucid and vivid nightmares that I haven't experienced since I was a little kid. I mean, I'm talking so frightening and unsettling that I am afraid to go to sleep. 2 nights ago, I had a dream that I could hear my dog growling in the middle of the night- very unusual for her. So immediately, I knew something was wrong. I crept downstairs to discover my mother sleeping on the couch. My dog was growling in the direction of the front door, where stand this huge, tall, man/monster looking thing staring at my mother as she slept. I ran to the door to lock it, but the thing had already opened the door and was pushing its way inside. Thankfully, I then woke up, screaming so loud that the actual dog that was in the dream came running upstairs to see if I was okay. It was a cross between a nightmare and a night terror, as I was not fully convinced it was a dream after I had awoken. Has anyone else experienced dreams this horrifying while taking Lamictal, or any other drug? If so, do you have any suggestions for alleviating and preventing these awful occurrences? The Lamictal is already starting to lift my mood, but the nightmares are a colossal drawback. If there are any suggestions other than quitting the medicine, please tell me. I am not interested in taking addictives like Xanax or Ambien to help me sleep. Thanks,
> William
> -----
> 
> Posted 1/30/2011 8:51 PM (GMT -6)
> i have been on lamotrigine 25 mg since last wednesday...soo for about a week now.u
> my ideal dosage is 100 mg my dr said, but im going to start slow and up the dose every two weeks....
> i have been having really intense dreams as well but i didnt even think it was related to the medication, but now that you mention it i think i am going to write down my dreams as soon as i wake up so that i can discuss it with my dr. ive notced that ive been having such REAL LIFELIKE dreams that ive made comments to my roommates about things that they say have never happened..... scary to think that its possible that im not going to be able to differentiate between my dreams and reality.



I've been skimming this thread as I know several people who suffer and try to learn what I can.  There's also issues going on with me that I'm not quite comfortable bringing up just yet, I do appreciate all thr responses and personal stories and I hope no one minds me jumping in.  

I'm on lamictal but for epilepsy.  My dr also started me off slow and titrated me up to 150'mg in about 6 weeks.  Immediately I started having the very vivid dreams, sometimes even several a night but for the most part they were just odd and not necessarily nightmares.  It's funny, before I began lamictal I maybe remembered 1 or 2 dreams a year.  I also had hair loss and blurry vision.  I was very fatigued but it kept my seizures away.  These types of brain meds are serious business.  It's been 3.5 yrs since I started lamictal and while the vision and hair loss issues have lessened, I'm sorry to say the dreams are still here.  I sleep a lot and actually look forward to the little movies in my head each night.  A gal on a sz site I help moderate says her bizarre dreams have gone away so there might be hope for you yet.

The lamictal xr 200 mg really hasn't done anything for my mental state, if anything it's made matters worse.  I'm not the same girl I was a few yrs ago.  Is it depression?  Is it epilepsy?  Is it side effects from the meds or a combo of all 3...who knows.

As long as it keeps my tonic clonics at bay I guess I should be happy.  It truly is a miracle drug for some and I hope it works for you.  Good luck with the med, feel free to pm if you have any questions.

*oh crap, I just saw this thread was from 2011, my bad.  I had done a search for lamictal and it popped up.  My apologies.  *


----------



## N.E.wguy

ya i didn't finish reading and started typing i used to dream once in 10yrs before triggered. the lamictal is def imo a bad pill for some 

glad you chimed in and just the quote you are referencing is from '11 I just recently started thread  glad it;s coming up in searches


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## N.E.wguy

was told to only post links from now on i guess..


*Colorado Petitioners Seek Medical Marijuana Access for PTSD Patients*

hxxp://www.mpp.org/states/colorado/co/colorado-petitioners-seek.html


----------



## N.E.wguy

*Arizona Refuses to Approve Medical Marijuana for PTSD
By: Jon Walker Friday July 20, 2012 11:00 am*

hxxp://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/07/20/arizona-refuses-to-approve-medical-marijuana-for-ptsd/


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## N.E.wguy

*New Mexico: Campaign Launched To Improve Veterans' Access to Medical Marijuana for PTSD*
Submitted by steveelliott on Mon, 07/08/2013 

http://www.hemp.org/news/content/ne...mprove-veterans-access-medical-marijuana-ptsd


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## N.E.wguy

*
Why Veterans Struggling with PTSD Want Access to Medical Marijuana
A new campaign aims to educate the public about PTSD and marijuana's potential to treat it.
*

hxxp://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/why-veterans-struggling-ptsd-want-access-medical-marijuana


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## N.E.wguy

*hxxp://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/24336/
Maine Medical Cannabis Program Expanded to Include PTSD, Other Debilitating Conditions*

 Daniel Haszard &#8226; 16 days ago
---

hahahaha
    &#8722;

Bravo our Veterans!
Current drug pharmaceutical PTSD treatment for Veterans found ineffective.

*Eli Lilly made $70 billion* on the Zyprexa franchise.Lilly was fined $1.4 billion for Zyprexa fraud!
The atypical antipsychotics* (Zyprexa,Risperdal,Seroquel*) are like a 'synthetic' Thorazine,only they cost ten times more than the old fashioned typical antipsychotics.
These newer generation drugs still pack their list of side effects like diabetes for the user.All these drugs work as so called 'major tranquilizers'.This can be a contradiction with PTSD suffers as we are hyper vigilant and feel uncomfortable with a drug that puts you to sleep and makes you sluggish.
That's why drugs like Zyprexa don't work for PTSD survivors like myself.
-- Daniel Haszard Bangor Maine


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## N.E.wguy

*Private Equity Firms Investing in the Future of Legal Marijuana Sales SEATTLE, WA &#8212;*



hxxp://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/24664/private-equity-firms-investing-in-the-future-of-legal-marijuana-sales/


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## YYZ Skinhead

If one has a sense of humor, joking about one's own PTSD can be useful -- I would never joke about anyone else's (unless I were in a crowd of other PTSD survivors), but I joke about mine all the time.  _E.g._ I gave my shrink a glow-in-the-dark painting of a quetiapine (Seroquel) molecule.



No, really.


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## N.E.wguy

ooh man i have my shrinks laughing all the time, I honestly get a bit insulted even tho i cause it, hard to pay someone to laugh at you,. I tell them this is note a joke or a movie it's my life.


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## YYZ Skinhead

If they are laughing *at* you, they aren't real shrinks, they are quacks.  Shriinks are paid to heal sick people, not make them feel worse.


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## N.E.wguy

honestly stopped going to one and am currently iso a real one that understands my situation not just my copay


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## YYZ Skinhead

When I said I was "unipolar" as opposed to bipolar I was joking and thought I had made up the term, but apparently major depressive disorder is actually called that   :huh:  :  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unipolar_disorder


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://www.kjzz.org/content/1307/arizona-nurses-petition-treat-ptsd-medical-marijuana

Arizona Nurses Petition To Treat PTSD With Medical Marijuana
By: Peter O'Dowd on 07/26/2013

A group of nurses is asking the state health department to add post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of ailments that can be treated with medical marijuana. A similar effort failed last year. The health department considers new petitions every six months. In 2012, the agency did not to approve medical pot for PTSD because it said the research was not convincing enough. Medical experts were also concerned marijuana would lead to further substance abuse in people with traumatic stress, but now the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association will try again.

Josh Miller helped the group write the latest petition.

"A lot of these people with PTSD are veterans. They contract their PTSD while they are fighting for our freedoms back home, and then they return home, and they don&#8217;t even have the freedom to chose how to treat their PTSD," Miller said.

 A handful of states, like Oregon and Maine, do give PTSD patients the right to use medical marijuana. Miller said his group&#8217;s petition will use research from other countries to prove pot is an effective alternative.


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## N.E.wguy

YYZ Skinhead said:
			
		

> If one has a sense of humor, joking about one's own PTSD can be useful -- I would never joke about anyone else's (unless I were in a crowd of other PTSD survivors), but I joke about mine all the time. E.g. I gave my shrink a glow-in-the-dark painting of a quetiapine (Seroquel) molecule.
> 
> 
> 
> No, really.


 lol, wish i could see that, i stopped taking it... like a week ago had to take one last night cause had an episode of the usual bedtime mix in my head


side note supposed to go up to 100mg of lamictal tomorrow from 25 to 50 now up to 100mg really hope for no increased nightmares


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## 7greeneyes

thats kinda weird in a coincidental sort a way. 

Erin takes some sort of anti-nightmare drug but it's efficacy is starting to wear out.

Do those nighmare pills help you, *N.E.Wguy*?


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## YYZ Skinhead

I am curious too, I take damn propranolol to wipe out nightmares and (presumably) to forget possble triggers and I still have nightmares.  

Propranolol scares the hell out of me since it nearly killed me last year.  Fortunately my shrink reduced my dose.  If you are an asthmatic and are prescribed propranolol/other beta blockers, you may want to ask your MD if they are safe, because beta blockers are contraindicated in asthmatics (at least some of us).


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## 7greeneyes

holy sheet!

The wifey has breathing problems due to COPD and takes like three different breathers. thanks for the warning YYZ!


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## N.E.wguy

ya man i been having lightheaded instances to point of near collapse last few days, today literally had to sit in a chair last night had to hold on to a handrail till i regain conciseness basically scary as heck those are new last 4 5 days. ( since starting Propranolol 20mg day) lowers blood pressure i think but mine runs fine normally possibly light headed due to blood pressure? have and appt. the 1st

the seriquil at the dose i take does nothing for the nightmares it knocks u out but does not keep me asleep like a good weed high would, stuff makes me literally a zombie, bumping off walls to go to bathroom in middle of night does not keep me asleep but i can;t tolerate 100mg or wtv more other people can take. If I cloud stand those doses then maybe, seems a popular prescription for sleep but they do not want u using it for that go figure

Lamictal/Lamotrigine is the one that gives nightmares, due to increase that tomorrow not looking forward to that.


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://veteransformedicalmarijuana.org/content/general-use-cannabis-ptsd-symptoms


*General use of cannabis for PTSD Symptoms
*
Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D.

Dr. Mechoulam is the Israeli scientist who identified THC as the psychoactive compound in marijuana, and decades later he discovered the brain's endocannabinoid system and the endogenous neurotransmitter anandamide. He is one of the most respected Israeli neuroscientists and has been a senior advisor to the Israeli government on marijuana policy and the ethics of research with human subjects. He discussed his experiments demonstrating the neuroprotective effects of the endocannabinoid system in mice that have had traumatic injuries to the brain. He believes the neuroprotective effects of marijuana may eventually have applications for other neurological and psychiatric conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Another fascinating discovery, one with implications for PTSD, is that the cannabinoid system is integrally related to memory, specifically to memory extinction. Memory extinction is the normal, healthy process of removing associations from stimuli. Dr. Mechoulam explained that an animal which has been administered an electric shock after a certain noise will eventually forget about the shock after the noise appears alone for a few days. Mice without cannabinoid systems simply never forget - they continue to cringe at the noise indefinitely.

This has implications for patients with PTSD, who respond to stimuli that remind them of their initial trauma even when it is no longer appropriate. By aiding in memory extinction, marijuana could help patients reduce their association between stimuli (perhaps loud noises or stress) and the traumatic situations in their past. Working with Army psychiatrists, Dr. Mechoulam has obtained the necessary approvals for a study on PTSD in Israeli veterans, and hopes to begin the study soon.

*The Alternative Medical Journal: General use of cannabis for PTSD Symptoms.
*
Despite the anecdotal evidence to the contrary, most of the experimental studies that have been conducted so far indicate that by and large the administration of exogenous cannabinoids such as vaporizing therapeutic cannabis may not be the most reliable nor effective means of utilizing the eCB system to treat anxiety and aversive memories such as those formed in PTSD. For reliable and truly effective treatment of these conditions it appears that restricting eCB breakdown by way of FAAH inhibition is the best target discovered so far within the eCB system. (The other eCB targets include the two primary receptors CB1/CB2, vanilloid receptors, eCB reuptake, as well as eCB production.) To this end, Kadmus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has started to express serious interest in marketing a new FAAH inhibitor they have developed, currently code-named KDS-4103. KDS-4103 appears to have a lot of potential from a pharmacological perspective. Even though it produces analgesic, anxiolitic, and anti-depressant effects it otherwise does not produce a classic cannabis-like effect profile and animals easily discriminate between THC and KDS-4103. All this indicates that KDS-4103 does not produce a â&#8364;&#339;highâ&#8364; like THC and other direct CB1 agonists. KDS-4103 is orally active in mammals and fails to elicit a systemic toxicity even at repeated dosages of 1,500mg/kg body mass. All other available evidence to date also suggests a very high therapeutic margin for KDS-4103. All in all, considering that the kinds of events which usually precipitate PTSD in most individuals often also involve pain, KDS-4103 seems like it may be just about the perfect medication.

So what should all this mean to the individual? Anecdotal evidence says by and large the use of therapeutic cannabis provides a significant improvement in quality of life both for those suffering from this malady and for their family and friends. Whether or not this is taking the fullest advantage possible of the eCB system in the treatment of PTSD is yet to be seen.* Mostly the use of cannabis and THC to treat PTSD in humans appears to provide symptomological relief at best. In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with symptomological relief. That's what taking aspirin for a headache, a diuretic for high blood pressure, opiates to control severe pain, or olanzapine for rapid-cycling mania is all about. We do have the potential, however, to do better than just treating symptoms of PTSD via activation of the cannabinoid receptors. With the right combination of extinction/habituation therapy and the judicious administration of a FAAH inhibitor like KDS-4103 we have the potential to actually cure many cases of PTSD.* For the time being though, symptomological treatments are all we have for more generalized anxiety and depression disorders.

If an individual were to want to get the most out of using therapeutic cannabis to improve a PTSD condition they should try to use low to moderate doses with as stable a blood level as possible for general anxiety and depression symptoms. Oral cannabis produces more stable blood levels. Since peak levels will produce the most soporific effect, administration of oral cannabis right before bed should produce the most benefits for improving sleep patterns. If the goal is to use cannabis to facilitate extinction of the response to PTSD triggers than small to moderate doses of cannabis vapors should be administered shortly before planned exposure to the trigger. A series of regular extinction sessions will produce better results than a single session. If cannabis appears to make aversion, fear, or aversive memories worse then the dosage should be lowered. If feelings of fear do not improve with lower dose then discontinue use of cannabis as fear-extinction aide.
*
In light of all evidence currently available, it is striking that the FDA refuses to investigate cannabinoids for the treatment of anxiety disorders like PTSD yet they have approved studies of MDMA, the club drug Ecstasy, for the treatment of PTSD (Doblin, 2002). Even if you do not accept cannabis as the answer itself, it should be hard to accept that by and large we still have not found effective and reliable ways to utilize the eCB system in modern western medicine. After all, the most potent (meaning it takes the least amount to produce a threshold effect) substance know to humans is not LSD as many still assume but is instead a derivative of fentanyl, know as Carfentanil. The threshold dosages for LSD and Carfentanil are 20-30Âµg (micrograms) and 1Âµg, respectively (Wikipedia, 2 & 3). This makes Carfentanil 10,000 times more potent than morphine, 100 times more potent than fentanyl, and 20-30 times more potent than LSD. At least up until 2005 and unlike LSD, Carfentanil was(is?) regulated as a Schedule II substance in the US (Erowid). For those that do not know, this means that despite perceived extreme dangers from use or abuse of this drug it is still assumed to have medical value. With the lives and well being of so many veterans AND private citizens at stake, those in the scientific community and police makers alike cannot afford to miss the wake up call. Even a child should be able to see the hypocrisy evident in the relative policies concerning cannabinoids and opiates. It is time to fix this appalling imbalance in our policies concerning the pharmacopia or else be the laughing stock of future generations.*


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/kristen-gwynne/veteran-faces-jail-time-treating-ptsd-medical-marijuana

 Posted by Kristen Gwynne at 12:59 pm
March 5, 2013

*Veteran Faces Jail Time for Treating PTSD With Medical Marijuana*



In 2003, former U.S. Navy Corpsman Jeremy Usher returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, only to suffer from flashbacks of combat and a variety of mental health issues, including nightmares and insomnia, panic attacks, and depression. Thanks to medical marijuana, he is doing better, but is now facing jail time for choosing a medication the federal government refuses to legitimize. 

A combat medic, Usher was on the back of a helicopter sent to rescue wounded marines when he was shot in the head, causing brain damage and memory loss and leaving him with a stutter. When he walked out of a treatment at a San Diego  hospital, he was still not well, and according to the Greeley Tribune, "suffered form extreme paranoia as he wandered San Diego, constantly spinning around while walking to make sure no one was sneaking up on him." 

According to the the Greeley Tribune, Usher then began self-medicating with alcohol, marking the beginnings of his criminal record. He is currently serving probation in Colorado -- where pot is now legal for adults -- for his second and third DUIs.  Usher says he is cleaning up in his act in counseling and school, but is facing jail time for violating probation by treating his PTSD with medical marijuana nonetheless. For failing dozens of drug tests, he could do 29 days in jail. 

Usher told the Greeley Tribune he feels like he is "being punished for being a little different" and "not understanding why." His doctors have written letters to the court explaining that medical marijuana and Marinol pills have helped treat his PTSD, and they recommend he stay on it. Nonetheless, America's draconian drug policy is now threatening to send a traumatized veteran to jail, where he worries his progress could begin to reverse

Surely, living without medication in jail,  where the environment is often unpredictable and violent, is not beneficial to a PTSD sufferer's mental health. Moreover, if Usher is abstaining from drinking and using medical marijuana to treat the PTSD that caused his self-medication and run-ins with the law in the first place, identifying the public safety threat that might justify his incarceration is difficult, to say the least. 

Usher maintains hope that he will be allowed to continue his medication, but also wants to prevent the same consequences for other veterans. 

"I want to raise enough awareness so that this doesn't happen to guys coming out of there," Jeremy told the Greeley Tribune. 

"I'm never going to be free of the flashes of the memories; I'm stuck with those for life. What I'm able to do is manage those in an appropriate manner, without just going out and cracking open a bottle."


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## YYZ Skinhead

The quantity of drugs I take would kill a lot of people.  I dunno if I can still donate blood--I'd feel sorry for the poor vict...patient who received my blood (the nicotine in it wouldn't improve their chances :evil: ).


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## N.E.wguy

:48: :bump: it is amazing what they deem ok for us to take and the list of side effects most include Death,,, but don't smoke pot


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## 7greeneyes

exactly


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## N.E.wguy

hxxp://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/08/michigan_medical_marijuana_pan_1.html

August 06, 2013 at  5:53 PM, updated August 06, 2013 at  9:47 PM


LANSING, MI -- A state panel appointed to review Michigan's medical marijuana law gave preliminary approval on Tuesday to a citizen petition seeking to add post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of debilitating conditions that can qualify a patient for participation in the program.
The  Michigan Marihuana Act Review Panel, in a 7-2 vote, recommended adding  PTSD to the list. The preliminary vote will be followed by a public  hearing, which must be scheduled within 60 days under state rules,  before the panel reconvenes to make a formal recommendation.
The  head of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the  state agency responsible for appointing the panel and administering the  medical marijuana program, will have final say on whether to add PTSD  to the list of debilitating conditions.
LARA disbanded a previous iteration  of the panel in April after acknowledging failure to appoint members in  a manner consistent with administrative rules. The original panel had  recommended adding PTSD, and the new-look group, whose members were  appointed in June, followed suit in Tuesday's preliminary vote.
*"In  my opinion, marijuana is one of the best medications for people with  PTSD," said appointee David Crocker, a medical doctor from Kalamazoo who  serves as president of Michigan Holistic Health. "&#8230;We have a lot of  veterans with PTSD in our clinics. Many of them will tell you they think  marijuana saved their lives, and many of their families will tell you  the same thing."*
Jeanne Lewandowski of Detroit, a panel member who  works as director of palliative medicine at St. John Hospital and  Medical Center, spoke out against the petition and was one of two  appointees to vote against it. She argued that marijuana could impair  the ability of military veterans to reintegrate into society and said  she was concerned about social isolation.



PTSD petitioner John Evans                                 		John Evans of  Ann Arbor, a military veteran and medical marijuana user, explains why  he filed a petition seeking to add PTSD to Michigan's law.                         		 				


 	    In a series of separate votes, the panel rejected petitions seeking  to add insomnia, asthma and autism to the list of debilitating  conditions under the law. The insomnia vote was preliminary, meaning it  will also be subject to a public hearing followed by another vote.
The  asthma and autism votes, however, were considered final because the  previous iteration of the panel had already considered the petitions and  LARA had organized public hearings, frustrating some members who felt  the agency was employing a double standard.
"I didn't feel it was  appropriate," said David Brogren of Bloomfield Hills, a non-physician  panelist who serves as president of Cannabis Patients United. "They  disbanded the original panel because it was put together in error. I  don't believe the errors were malicious or anything like that -- it  wasn't a conspiracy, they just made a mistake -- but I think what they  should do was go back to square one on all (the petitions). That would  be the most fair thing."
During a public comment section of  Tuesday's panel meeting, several marijuana advocates criticized the  state for its handling of the review panel, which was envisioned in the  2008 law, mandated by administrative rules established in 2009, but did  not meet for the first time until 2012.
A number of advocates  questioned whether LARA had again violated the administrative rules by  appointing only six members to the panel who also serve on the state's  Advisory Committee on Symptom Management. Seven are required.
But  Carole Engle, director of LARA's bureau of health care services,  expressed confidence that the panel was properly constituted and  convened, noting that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to appoint  another member to the committee who would then serve on the panel moving  forward.
"We are convinced that we are not wasting our time,"  Engle said in response to a question from a panel member. "&#8230;We're still  missing one member from the advisory committee, but we do have a quorum  of appropriately appointed members here today, and that should not  impede the panel's ability to make decisions at all."



Thanks JAAM!


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## N.E.wguy

High CBD strains
Two years ago one analytic chemistry lab had begun testing Cannabis buds for potency in California, and one strain had been found to contain more than 4% Cannabidiol (CBD) by weight. Today there are at least 10 labs serving the industry in CA, Colorado, and Montana, and more than 25 CBD-rich strains have been identified (See list at right). Dedicated plant breeders aspire to produce strains stable enough to enable seed sales. As one skilled breeder reminds us, "stabilizing the genetics... is not just a simple F1 Hybrid between two parents that may or may not have the desired traits. Stabilization could take as many as five or six inbred generations beyond the original F1 cross to establish a homozygous gene condition for CBD." We asked the dean of West Coast plant breeders, DJ Short, to define his standard of stability. "If you cross it with itself, you get pretty much the same thing," he replied. DJ guarantees that at least 2 females (and 2 males) in your pack of 10 will display or exceed the advertised characteristics. That means half the seeds, based on an 80% sprout rate. DJ says he could cross more generations and approach 100% replicability, but he knows the buyers would rather have access now, on the two-out-of-10 basis. Lawrence Ringo of Southern Humboldt Seed Collective informs us that he has stabilized the CBD-rich Sour Tsunami strain and will make seeds available as of March 1! The Marketing of Cannabidiol Given the huge potential market for less psychoactive and non-psychoactive Cannabis, the introduction of CBD-rich medicine at the dispensary level can be seen as rather slow. Many dispensary owners have been reluctant to stock CBD-rich strains because their present customers are seeking &#8212;or are not adverse to&#8212; Cannabis that provides euphoria or sedation. In other words, THC content sells, it's a sure thing. Why should a dispensary spend money and devote shelf space to a type of Cannabis that most medical users haven't heard of and whose effects are unproven? Growers, in turn, have to anticipate the wants of dispensary buyers, and are reluctant to devote precious garden space to plants for which there is no established market. Demand at the dispensary level might not take off until effectiveness is established. Which might not happen until significant numbers of patients have tried CBD-rich Cannabis and results. Why the Occasional CBD-rich Strain? Why does it happen, that after generations of breeding Cannabis to maximize THC, about one in 500 samples tested by the labs is found to contain 4% CBD or more? This is one of many questions we hope to answer. A friend is convinced that a mutation gave rise to his True Blueberry x OG Kush cross, which typically contains 10% CBD or more. "Neither parent stock had CBD," he notes. It took a series of crosses and parent selections to produce his blue-ribbon strain. When and where would such a mutation occur? As the Cannabis plant matures, the common precursor to both CBD and THC is a molecule called cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). CBD Synthesis CBGA is turned into CBD acid and THC acid by enzymes called CBDA synthase and THCA synthase. A mutation resulting in excess CBDA synthase or deficient THCA synthase would result in CBD-rich offspring. We hope to track the similarities and differences reported between strains with similar cannabinoid ratios. Harlequin, Jamaican Lion and Omrita Rx3, for example, have been tested several times by several labs and are in the neighborhood of 8-9% CBD and 5.5-6% THC &#8212;about a 3:2 ratio. And yet anecdotal evidence suggests differing effects. We have only taken the first step on a long march towards understanding.

hxxp://canadianhempco.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_178


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## N.E.wguy

great person to follow= hxxps://www.facebook.com/ASpousesStoryPTSD

There are so many new faces on here that I want to jump back to something I try to touch on quite often.

&#8220;Self-Help&#8221;

Self-help is something that is urgent for those living with someone who suffers from PTSD AND for the one with PTSD themselves! PTSD can be very damaging to a person and/or family, so there are things you can do to keep yourself as well as your family balanced. Especially if you are one just starting to learn about it.

In the beginning I&#8217;m sure you are saying &#8220;I have no clue who I&#8217;m living with! This isn&#8217;t my spouse.&#8221; Well in a way you are right, but in a way you are wrong. Your spouse is still there, it&#8217;s just learning to cope and find the true them that is under the mask of PTSD.

PTSD can bring horrible things about. Verbal abuse&#8230; which is very common, sometimes physical abuse (which in this case you always have to make sure you are safe and seek professional help quickly!), they might throw things, anger can come out of nowhere, triggers which can be caused by a sight, a smell, something as simple to us as rain or wind, flashbacks&#8230; where to them they are actually reliving the event that took place, the nightmares&#8230; these can also cause them to be physically active in their sleep or talking/screaming out loud, anxiety, not wanting to be in crowds, some have difficulty with driving and staying focused, memory issues&#8230; and much more. Then as PTSD changes it&#8217;s what I call stage, they might cry a lot, feel depressed, and the worst complaint from spouses I hear is the lack of emotion, the numbness PTSD brings.

PTSD can be caused by many things trauma related&#8230; military, multiple deployments, a car accident, a natural disaster, a rape or attack, a surgery or hospital stay, child abuse, many things can be the cause all based around a trauma that was life threatening to yourself or even a loved or close one. Some people will develop it, some people won&#8217;t.

Secondary PTSD, Your own PTSD/symptoms, and Caregiver stress are very real, PTSD can effect others&#8230;

With all of this I&#8217;m sure you have said some time or another &#8220;I feel like I&#8217;m going crazy! How do I deal with this? I just want to run away! I&#8217;m so overwhelmed! I just want my husband/wife back!&#8221;

Guess what! There are ways of coping with all of this! I won&#8217;t lie, PTSD is not easy, life and fairy tale stories are not handed to you on a silver platter by any means, and you can&#8217;t just wave a magic wand and PTSD is gone&#8230; it&#8217;s not that easy and PTSD seems to be for life. BUT there is still life, there can still be family, there can still be a marriage in many cases. You have to find the coping skills, make sure treatment for the one suffering with PTSD is found, and work together instead of fighting with PTSD!

So, self-help&#8230;

* BREATHE!

Actually I&#8217;m being serious Breathing is a great way of coping. There are breathing skills you can learn which help when you feel your own anxiety starting or it&#8217;s one of those rough days. Learn and practice the same coping skills your loved one has been taught&#8230; and if they haven&#8217;t been taught, teach them! They help!

* Take time for yourself.

You don&#8217;t have time? You take care of your spouse and chase little ones around all day oh and to add in there work? Humm&#8230; let&#8217;s see, if you have time for all of that then you have 5, 10, or 15 minutes to break from that to take those few minutes for yourself. Taking just a few minutes out of the day to just focus on nothing, to just get outside by yourself, or do something you enjoy&#8230; will help! And if you don&#8217;t then I have a serious question for you&#8230;

If you don&#8217;t take time to take care of yourself, then how are you going to continue to function to take care of everything and everyone else?

I already know the answer, you won&#8217;t be able to! The weight of everything will be on your shoulders, you will find yourself becoming frustrated, short tempered, and sometimes even angry. You will start viewing life as it is not fair. And eventually secondary PTSD will grab a hold of you.

Take that time, it really is needed!

* Start a hobby.

* Exercise and make sure you eat right!

Even if it is something as simple as walking around the yard. Anything will help. And there are going to be days where you don&#8217;t want to cook, that&#8217;s okay! When you do cook, make extra to freeze for another day. Do simple dinners such as salads where each person can add their own toppings and such. But make sure you eat! If you don&#8217;t, you won&#8217;t have the energy to make it through the day and stay strong.

* Find a support group, talk to friends (if you have any left at this point&#8230; hard fact of PTSD is people seem to walk away when they don&#8217;t understand), go see a therapist yourself, anything that will help you to have someone to talk to. It&#8217;s not healthy keeping things bottled up inside, and when you do, that bottle is going to flow over sooner or later. (I do also have a closed support group on fb for loved ones of PTSD)

* Take time to talk with your partner.

Not argue, just talk. Communication is a huge key to maintaining balance in a relationship when PTSD is involved. When you know how each other is feeling or viewing things you can have a better understanding which leads to working on things and having a better relationship.

* Do something that makes YOU feel better!

Anything! I buy myself flowers once a month lol. I love the smell of them in the house, I smile when I walk through the room and see them, and I got them for myself&#8230; for me! You don&#8217;t have to wait to be given flowers, you also don&#8217;t have to dwell on it if someone else doesn&#8217;t get them for you, get them for yourself! I also have a goldfish pond, it gets me outside, it&#8217;s relaxing, and it&#8217;s a me thing. I am also a retired dog trainer, so I take time to work Alex, my dog, which I have also trained to work PTSD symptoms. Pets are know for reducing stress&#8230; let them!

* Keep a schedule for yourself.

Schedules are extremely hard with PTSD, but something simple like I will take a shower in the morning or before bed. When you have a full plate it&#8217;s easy to forget to do the simple things for yourself. Make sure you maintain those.

* Take time with your children/grand-children if you have them!

PTSD will take up a lot of your time. You still have to maintain the balance of family. Even if it&#8217;s taking time to watch a tv show with them or do a craft, bake something. On bad days, just walking in the room with them every now and then to say hey I love you and just wanted to check in on you (if they are old enough that they don&#8217;t need supervision of course). Take time to talk with them. And educate them on their age level about PTSD&#8230; it&#8217;s helps them understand better what the parent with PTSD is going through and helps you maintain the parent child balance.

* TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!!

Whatever or however is comfortable for you, but just make sure you do it!

To say the least this is a short list of the many things you can come up with to do for yourself. But do something! You have to take care of yourself, finding ways to cope is a huge part of that. Many spouses of PTSD do have secondary PTSD, their own PTSD, or caregiver stress and in many cases it&#8217;s because they became overwhelmed before they even knew what was happening. Learn as much as you can as soon as you can, and know that each day is going to be different, each day is also a new day. Remember to smile! I know that&#8217;s a very hard thing to do, but you will be shocked how someone with PTSD will pick up on it and it might just make both of your day better. Hang in there and always know you are NEVER alone!

~Bec
&#8220;A Spouse&#8217;s Story&#8230;PTSD&#8220;


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## N.E.wguy

her site.

 I feel we all know someone affected thru this.. Regardless of if you have it. My brother is putting our guys on copters in coffins in Afghanistan this is real! People need to wake up to this. I hid most of mine for almost 20yrs. ~NE

hxxp://aspousesstoryptsd.com/

Welcome to "A Spouse's Story...PTSD"

This is a place for ALL people, all nations, who have, are living with, know someone with PTSD, or would like to educate themselves on the subject for the benefit of others.

Let me say "Hello" you can call me Bec, Becky, or Rebecca, lol...any are just fine. I am the spouse of a United States Disabled Veteran with PTSD and several other disabilities, not visible...my dear husband Craig. Just to set it straight, Craig is onboard with this.

*PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE NOT DOCTORS or in the medical field, we are a family that lives every day with PTSD. If you have an emergency please contact your local emergency hotline.
*
This site includes important information about and concerning PTSD and at times other mental illnesses, contact information for support groups, hotlines and crisis phones numbers, online links and other resources, service dog information, ways to cope with PTSD...tips and tricks that work for us, information regarding children and PTSD, my journal page also known as a blog, and much more!

Having a place with real life information is one of the hardest parts of learning about PTSD as the one who suffers from it or as a spouse/loved one. I don't want others to be left out. You are NOT alone!

You can also follow us on FaceBook. You will find that our FaceBook page is the down to earth us and everyday life in general living with PTSD, some serious, some just fun, and a reminder that everyday life still exists. However, I have chosen for this web site to be a little more on the serious side. *PTSD is no joke, it's real, and it effects people's lives in many ways that a person not having it would not understand unless educated on it. So, that is a big part of why I am here.
*
Welcome to the "family"!

~Bec


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## N.E.wguy

More reasons to just smoke mmj


*Antipsychotic Medication and Weight Gain*

Why does taking *Seroquel*, or other antipsychotic drugs for biplolar disorder and schizophrenia, make patients pack on the pounds and gain weight.
 Mar 25, 2013


    Why Does Seroquel Lead to Weight Gain? Seroquel® (quetiapine fumarate), and other atypical antipsychotic medications, such as Zyprexa® (olanzapine), Risperdal® (*risperidone*), Clozaril® (clozapine), drugs commonly prescribed for the management of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, often have the unwanted side effect of weight gain as well as an increased risk of diabetes. Does this mean patients are forced to choose between their mental and physical health?Why Do Atypical Antipsychotics Lead to Weight Gain?


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## lovbnstoned

oes help but the government won't admit it,,  I know i'm a vet wit PTSD,,
just got tired of takin some many pills for this n more for that ,,, just dropped the program n use MJ.  now I have better control.  just have to  take control ,, of sound n smell,, those too trigger PTSD

lovbnstoned   :icon_smile: 
ol stoner :tokie:


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## N.E.wguy

Mental Health Stigma: Prejudice and Discrimination

Stigma.

It&#8217;s an ugly, six letter word that can single-handedly dictate how your life will turn out. Mental health stigma can mean the difference between getting that dream job, or remaining unemployed. Between getting that coveted boyfriend or girlfriend, or remaining single. It can also mean the difference between remaining in hiding or coming out of the mental health closet.


Even though stigma has the ability to take control of one&#8217;s life, it is ultimately what we do with it that matters. If you have been diagnosed with a major mental illness, you may believe that you have to face the rest of your life shrouded in a veil of secrecy. I make that assumption because for nearly fifteen years, I felt the exact same way.
The Definition of Mental Health Stigma

Everyone who has dealt first-hand with the stigma around mental illness likely has a working definition in their mind, but the people at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health sum it up quite nicely.

    &#8220;Stigma refers to negative attitudes (prejudice) and negative behavior (discrimination) towards people with substance use and mental health problems.&#8221;

Mental health stigma knows no bounds and is constantly on the move. It can catch you in the workplace or in the classroom. It can interfere with making friends and can even interfere with keeping friends. But since stigma has to begin with a negative attitude or prejudice, if we can lessen the prejudice, we should in theory be able to lessen the discrimination.

People fear what they don&#8217;t understand. And let&#8217;s face it, mental health has only recently begun to even be an acceptable topic of conversation. Unfortunately, for many, it is still a topic that sends shivers down spines but it doesn&#8217;t have to stay that way. By simply talking about it, we normalize it. I have a feeling that, eventually, people will start to understand.

I never told any friends, coworkers or even romantic partners that I had been hospitalized against my will for over four months for drug-induced psychosis. I never told them that I was once again hospitalized for several months for major depression. Why? Because of stigma.
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Stigma

But just how much of that mental health stigma was created in my own mind? Because now, I&#8217;m open and honest about my history and life couldn&#8217;t be better.

It feels great not having to create convoluted stories to mask the several years of my life spent in psychiatric chaos. I no longer have to fill my resume with white lies to cover the times spent in the psychiatric hospital.

Everyone is different and everyone should come out about their own mental health issues at the right time for them and, preferably, with proper support.

But for me, the time is now and my only regret is that I didn&#8217;t do it sooner.


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## lovbnstoned

apprecte all the info

lovbnstoned   :icon_smile: 
ol stoner :tokie:


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## N.E.wguy

Through the Looking Glass: Social Anxiety and Self-Absorption
By LAURA L. SMITH, PH.D.

Mirror mirror on the wall, why is everyone always looking at me? Some people believe that others are always looking at them and judging them quite harshly. Its like there are mirrors everywhere and they all reflect imperfections.

People have social anxiety when this feeling becomes overwhelming and interferes with daily life. Symptoms of social anxiety include fears of:

public speaking
going to parties
meeting new people
speaking up to authority figures
eating in pubic
Anxiety in those with social phobia usually includes physical symptoms such as sweating, rapid heart rate, upset stomach, flushed face, and shakiness. The prominent emotions are fear and dread. The difference between shyness and social phobia is one of degreethose with social anxiety have a very, very bad case of shyness that leads to severe limitations in life.

People with social phobia believe that they will certainly be humiliated, embarrassed, or shown to be inadequate. Its no wonder that those with social anxiety tend to withdraw from others. And the more they withdraw, the more anxiety wins.

Social phobia can be successfully treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Elsewhere in this blog we have written about exposure which is the B in CBT. Exposure involves coming face to face with fear, usually done in a planned, systematic way. The cognitive part of treatment involves looking at the way thoughts influence feelings, helping clients identify unhelpful thoughts, and replacing them with more adaptive thoughts.

Self-absorption is a common theme of the thoughts of those with social anxiety. Self-absorption involves paying excessive attention to oneself. Its like a camera is constantly turned on to you and the picture it transmits is too bright and quite unflattering. Common thoughts related to this theme include:

        Everyone is looking at me
        I might go crazy
        Im not capable of handling this
        I must look foolish
        I cant stand to be in public
        I know Ill sound stupid
So how does one address the self-absorption underlying such socially anxious thinking? Realize that the rest of the world does not focus on you nearly as much as you think. Typically people walk around more focused on their own concerns than on judging you or others.

Start noticing how often you see other people doing exactly what you worry so much about. For example, listen to two people talking at a gathering. Inevitably, youll hear a few unintelligible phrases, social gaffes, boring, or grammatically incorrect statements. So what? Do you evaluate others as harshly as you do yourself? Probably not.

If your social anxiety interferes with your life, makes you miserable, or keeps you from doing what you want to do, there are treatments that work. Please seek help and be kind to yourself.


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## N.E.wguy

lovbnstoned said:
			
		

> apprecte all the info
> 
> lovbnstoned   :icon_smile:
> ol stoner :tokie:


ty man have not been on here since the KK stuff but figured the post was worty gl to all

BTW he warned me for posting in here... pretty much told me to stop spammming soooo i left


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## 7greeneyes

How in the heck we're you spamming?!? This thread's very much akin to my sticky in Coffee Table. "How Has Cannabis Helped You", and is more then merits it's own thread. And once again. good on you for posting all this info regarding PTSD.

Does that mean I'm spamming too...lol?


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## YYZ Skinhead

7greeneyes said:
			
		

> How in the heck we're you spamming?!? This thread's very much akin to my sticky in Coffee Table. "How Has Cannabis Helped You", and is more then merits it's own thread. And once again. good on you for posting all this info regarding PTSD.
> 
> Does that mean I'm spamming too...lol?



:yeahthat:  N.E.wguy, I haven't seen you post anything that would qualify as spam.  :confused2:  Even PTSD patients who don't use medicinal bud will benefit from these articles.  I've had PTSD for at least 35 years and there is info in the articles of which I wasn't aware but that I would consider essential.  Good work and green mojo for all the hardcore research.


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## N.E.wguy

*Post Traumatic Stress Disorder May Be Treated With Herbs*
hmmp://atlantablackstar.com/2013/09/17/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-may-treatable-using-herbs/
September 17, 2013 | Posted by G. Thorpe 
Tagged With: Post traumatic stress disorder, Post traumatic stress disorder cures, Post traumatic stress disorder treatment, PTSD




Post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric condition that often arises after an individual witnesses or is involved in a life-threatening event such as a disaster, rape or violent assault. Children and adults experiencing PTSD can relive the terrifying experience through nightmares, flashbacks and behavioral disorders including insomnia, crying and depression.
They may feel estranged or detached from familiar surroundings, family members, friends and pets. In many cases PTSD can be so severe as to interfere profoundly with the sufferer&#8217;s daily life.
PTSD is not new, it is known by other names including battle fatigue, shell shock, survivor&#8217;s guilt, and traumatic neurosis.  The disorder is defined by a set of symptoms such as hypervigilance, becoming easily startled, anxiety, irritability, cognitive dysfunction, anger, mood changes, fearfulness, numbness, inability to experience joy or pleasure, loss of memory and avoiding areas associated with the trauma.
Natural remedies can help ease symptoms and support sufferers through the healing process to recovery.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies have been shown to have a profound effect on children and adults suffering from PTSD, according to Dr. Edward Shalts, former vice president of the National Center of Homeopathy.
The psychiatric diagnosis of PTSD requires that one or more of the above symptoms be present for more than one month after the traumatic event. For initial trauma treatment of shock, ailments from fright and grief, see a Natural News article here: hxx
p://www.naturalnews.com
Homeopathic remedies for PTSD
Stramonium is effective for nightmares and night terrors, especially when the child is afraid to be left alone in the dark. Helpful for anxiety disorders after experiencing violence, anguish, fear and sleeplessness.
Mancinella helps children especially &#8212; and battered women &#8212; or anyone who feels they are under the control of another person or some outside entity.
Gelsemium quells anticipatory fears that something bad will happen in the future. The child often feels weak, with heavy eyelids, occipital headache and may have diarrhea.
Staphysagria helps children and adults deal with nightmares after violence. People needing staphysagria feel powerless and unable to defend themselves. They are often perceived as being very sweet, but, they are unable to deal with grief or anger, suppressing it until they erupt in outbursts of rage.
Chamomilla brings a sense of calmness to children who have experienced severe trauma and then become hypervigilant and hypersensitive. They may complain of stomachaches and be overly sensitive to noise and music. Being gently rocked often brings relief.
Herbal remedies for PTSD
Certain herbs are known for their ability to relieve stress, anxiety and other feelings, which may be covered under the scope of PTSD symptoms.
Hops eases stress, nervousness and restlessness. It&#8217;s useful for the treatment of anxiety disorders, insomnia and pain. Hops are antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and have sedative properties, making it an excellent herb for muscle spasms.


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## 7greeneyes

url: h*MP*p://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/how-old-memories-fade-away-0918.html


*How old memories fade away
Discovery of a gene essential for memory extinction could lead to new PTSD treatments.​*

If you got beat up by a bully on your walk home from school every day, you would probably become very afraid of the spot where you usually met him. However, if the bully moved out of town, you would gradually cease to fear that area. 

Neuroscientists call this phenomenon &#8220;memory extinction&#8221;: Conditioned responses fade away as older memories are replaced with new experiences.

A new study from MIT reveals a gene that is critical to the process of memory extinction. Enhancing the activity of this gene, known as Tet1, might benefit people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by making it easier to replace fearful memories with more positive associations, says Li-Huei Tsai, director of MIT&#8217;s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. 

The Tet1 gene appears to control a small group of other genes necessary for memory extinction. &#8220;If there is a way to significantly boost the expression of these genes, then extinction learning is going to be much more active,&#8221; says Tsai, the Picower Professor of Neuroscience at MIT and senior author of a paper appearing in the Sept. 18 issue of the journal Neuron.

The paper&#8217;s lead authors are Andrii Rudenko, a postdoc at the Picower Institute, and Meelad Dawlaty, a postdoc at the Whitehead Institute.

*New and old memories*

Tsai&#8217;s team worked with researchers in MIT biology professor Rudolf Jaenisch&#8217;s lab at the Whitehead to study mice with the Tet1 gene knocked out. Tet1 and other Tet proteins help regulate the modifications of DNA that determine whether a particular gene will be expressed or not. Tet proteins are very abundant in the brain, which made scientists suspect they might be involved in learning and memory.

To their surprise, the researchers found that mice without Tet1 were perfectly able to form memories and learn new tasks. However, when the team began to study memory extinction, significant differences emerged. 

To measure the mice&#8217;s ability to extinguish memories, the researchers conditioned the mice to fear a particular cage where they received a mild shock. Once the memory was formed, the researchers then put the mice in the cage but did not deliver the shock. After a while, mice with normal Tet1 levels lost their fear of the cage as new memories replaced the old ones. 

&#8220;What happens during memory extinction is not erasure of the original memory,&#8221; Tsai says. &#8220;The old trace of memory is telling the mice that this place is dangerous. But the new memory informs the mice that this place is actually safe. There are two choices of memory that are competing with each other.&#8221;

In normal mice, the new memory wins out. However, mice lacking Tet1 remain fearful. &#8220;They don&#8217;t relearn properly,&#8221; Rudenko says. &#8220;They&#8217;re kind of getting stuck and cannot extinguish the old memory.&#8221;

In another set of experiments involving spatial memory, the researchers found that mice lacking the Tet1 gene were able to learn to navigate a water maze, but were unable to extinguish the memory.

*Control of memory genes* 

The researchers found that Tet1 exerts its effects on memory by altering the levels of DNA methylation, a modification that controls access to genes. High methylation levels block the promoter regions of genes and prevent them from being turned on, while lower levels allow them to be expressed. 

Many proteins that methylate DNA have been identified, but Tet1 and other Tet proteins have the reverse effect, removing DNA methylation. The MIT team found that mice lacking Tet1 had much lower levels of hydroxymethylation &#8212; an intermediate step in the removal of methylation &#8212; in the hippocampus and the cortex, which are both key to learning and memory. 

These changes in demethylation were most dramatic in a group of about 200 genes, including a small subset of so-called &#8220;immediate early genes,&#8221; which are critical for memory formation. In mice without Tet1, the immediate early genes were very highly methylated, making it difficult for those genes to be turned on.

In the promoter region of an immediate early gene known as Npas4 &#8212; which Yingxi Li, the Frederick A. and Carole J. Middleton Career Development Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at MIT, recently showed regulates other immediate early genes &#8212; the researchers found methylation levels close to 60 percent, compared to 8 percent in normal mice.

&#8220;It&#8217;s a huge increase in methylation, and we think that is most likely to explain why Npas4 is so drastically downregulated in the Tet1 knockout mice,&#8221; Tsai says.

&#8220;By demonstrating some of the ways that regulatory genes are methylated in response to Tet1 knockout and behavioral experience, the authors have taken an important step in identifying potential pharmacological treatment targets for disorders such as PTSD and addiction,&#8221; says Matthew Lattal, an associate professor of behavioral neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University, who was not part of the research team.

*Keeping genes poised*

The researchers also discovered why the Tet1-deficient mice are still able to learn new things. During fear conditioning, methylation of the Npas4 gene goes down to around 20 percent, which appears to be low enough for the expression of Npas4 to turn on and help create new memories. The researchers suspect the fear stimulus is so strong that it activates other demethylation proteins &#8212; possibly Tet2 or Tet3 &#8212; that can compensate for the lack of Tet1.

During the memory-extinction training, however, the mice do not experience such a strong stimulus, so methylation levels remain high (around 40 percent) and Npas4 does not turn on.

The findings suggest that a threshold level of methylation is necessary for gene expression to take place, and that the job of Tet1 is to maintain low methylation, ensuring that the genes necessary for memory formation are poised and ready to turn on at the moment they are needed. 

The researchers are now looking for ways to increase Tet1 levels artificially and studying whether such a boost could enhance memory extinction. They are also studying the effects of eliminating two or all three of the Tet enzymes. 

&#8220;This will not only help us further delineate epigenetic regulation of memory formation and extinction, but will also unravel other potential functions of Tets and methylation in the brain beyond memory extinction,&#8221; Dawlaty says.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Simons Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.


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## N.E.wguy

Nice find 7G ty for the contribution to the thread 

just came from head doctor prescribe me benadryl cause i've taken every thing else and is in process of referring me to someone else. What is wrong with these people.


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## JustAnotherAntMarching

hxxp://www.sacbee.com/2013/10/12/5815728/maine-ptsd-sufferers-qualify-for.html


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## lovbnstoned

I've got PTSD,  i'm a veterN N I see a theraphyist since 72  ( nam vet )

lovbnstoned   :icon_smile:
olstoner :tokie:


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## N.E.wguy

ty guys for the respect and posts


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## lovbnstoned

respect is the answer

lovbnstoned
olstoner


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## N.E.wguy

met a new buddy was in Iraq has ptsd will have to get get him on here... fear exinction via cbd is my interest. the strain i have the unknown i kept seed because of the effect now most that try it say it does not get tehm high but for the new guy i met and me its the best ever... wish there was  local walkin have it tested store

e/ i also am currently trying to cross breed it and Satori


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## lovbnstoned

lot of people don't understand PTSD,,  my dad didn't till I went in a Stress Recovery Program  a couple time.  the second time, he came to see how I was doing , n the counseler, told him,  I was just in state of mind where I couldn't.


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## YYZ Skinhead

lovbnstoned said:
			
		

> lot of people don't understand PTSD,,  my dad didn't till I went in a Stress Recovery Program  a couple time.  the second time, he came to see how I was doing , n the counseler, told him,  I was just in state of mind where I couldn't.



I think that to "get" PTSD, you need to have it yourself or be close to somebody who has it.  That may be why so many of my friends are Veterans, particularly Vietnam Veterans but a lot of Gen X ones from Desert Storm and younger ones from the current war.

N.E.wguy, JAAM, lovbnstoned, come to the new version of the site.  We folks with PTSD need your input (and friendship).

http://614559.xobor.com/


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## lovbnstoned

i'm rated 100%  with PTSD,  it still mess my mind  at times,,  but the cannabis sure coms it down more the pills the VA hosp was giving me


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## lovbnstoned

what is the name of the new version ??  of PTSD that ur talkin about


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## N.E.wguy

up


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## N.E.wguy

First off BUMP. 

Second hope this thread interests the masses if for nothing else then information.

I wanted to post an update on a new book. 'Why Is Dad So Mad?' Veteran Writes Book to Explain His PTSD to His Daughter 

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/why-dad-so-mad-father-writes-book-explain-his-ptsd-n334271


I hope everyone who has been in this thread in the past is still around and doing well. 

I also hope new folks will be encouraged to post in regards to treatment, strains just general conversation even it it's off topic PTSD  to me to be a multiple symptom issue really and like me if you combine that with other mental disorders or physical or both then you can relate to some thing in this thread.


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## N.E.wguy

just want to post current to date 4/3/15 to log post views later and increases over time 

by N.E.wguy  Go to last post
151	3,949


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## N.E.wguy

N.E.wguy said:


> just want to post current to date 4/3/15 to log post views later and increases over time
> 
> by N.E.wguy  Go to last post
> 
> 4/3/15    151	3,949



Ptsd (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
Thread Rating: 48 votes, 5.00 average.N.E.wguy

4/16/15    152	4,113

Bump to keep info up top.. just wanted to update the posts since bumping the thread, this is useful to more people then just patients. 

Personally am still in the fight, going to start Nero Feed Back next week. Been rough lately even with this site, mj & counseling. My goal is to help others if I can, I know the info in this thread helped me. 

I have learned some new suppression techniques in treatment that are a eyes opener and very helpful. I will update these later in a personal post in detail after I feel comfortable enough explaining them to the world in the proper way. 


If anyone has high stress issues I AM NOT A DOCTOR but you can feel free to msg or post here and I will answer your questions as well as do my best to explain these copping skills I am referring to.

As always ty MP, the core community whether they are here or there are the reason this info is here.


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## N.E.wguy

up for awareness


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