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CW PTSD and symptoms
Hey nerds.
I wanted to just check in today with a brief thread on symptoms of PTSD. There are several studies about how live events can cause trauma and PTSD-symptoms in people watching them unfold.
(*many of these are based personal/workshop xp)
Hey nerds.
I wanted to just check in today with a brief thread on symptoms of PTSD. There are several studies about how live events can cause trauma and PTSD-symptoms in people watching them unfold.
(*many of these are based personal/workshop xp)
Physically, you may feel:
-Faint
-Rapid or disturbed heartbeat
-Loss of appetite
-Restlessness
-Nausea
-Pins and Needles
-Brain fog
-Insomnia or unable to get out of bed
-Lack of will to do much/lack of executive functions
-Activity repetition (you keep doing auto pilot tasks)
-Faint
-Rapid or disturbed heartbeat
-Loss of appetite
-Restlessness
-Nausea
-Pins and Needles
-Brain fog
-Insomnia or unable to get out of bed
-Lack of will to do much/lack of executive functions
-Activity repetition (you keep doing auto pilot tasks)
Emotionally:
-Easily angered or upset
-Nightmares
-Intrusive thoughts more frequently
-Fear or paranoia of events entering your personal sphere
-Flashbacks
-Numbness
-Obsessive planning alongside intrusive thoughts
-Unable to emotionally regulate
-Anxiety and panic attacks
-Easily angered or upset
-Nightmares
-Intrusive thoughts more frequently
-Fear or paranoia of events entering your personal sphere
-Flashbacks
-Numbness
-Obsessive planning alongside intrusive thoughts
-Unable to emotionally regulate
-Anxiety and panic attacks
So what do you do?
For one, reach out to someone you trust and tell them what is happening to you. Have a support there. At times like this, it may be joint support or group support.
Also, establish boundaries with yourself and a potential support group. You only take so much.
For one, reach out to someone you trust and tell them what is happening to you. Have a support there. At times like this, it may be joint support or group support.
Also, establish boundaries with yourself and a potential support group. You only take so much.
Limit social media. Not necessarily time, as I realize it is an outlet of communication for many, but LIMIT EXPOSURE. Now is not the time for exposure therapy.
Do contact a mental health line that is safe for you. Be aware of their protocols with police.
Do contact a mental health line that is safe for you. Be aware of their protocols with police.
If you need, melatonin can help kick your brain into pre-sleep mode. Please, do not force sleep with allergy meds and such. It can lead to adverse effects, especially with heart rate and panic attacks. Also, nightmares can be worse.
Eat WHATEVER you need to. Just eat. You need it
Eat WHATEVER you need to. Just eat. You need it
Container therapy can be helpful for some. I would write what is scaring me or taking up Brain Bandwidth on pieces of paper and put them in a jar, then close the lid. I will deal with those later.
Find things to laugh at. Take a hot shower. Block the social media bothering you.
Find things to laugh at. Take a hot shower. Block the social media bothering you.
And please know, this is fixable. The things filling you with terror and trauma are fixable. You aren't alone. A lot of us are trying to make things better.
Do what helps you be safe.
And if you can, tell your doctor or a trusted medical person. Impacts need to be heard.
Do what helps you be safe.
And if you can, tell your doctor or a trusted medical person. Impacts need to be heard.
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/self-care-for-ptsd/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722782/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722782/
