Quote:
Originally Posted by hangingon
I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD last year.
While in session yesterday, my T was asking me stuff and I felt as if I drifted away, I could hear her but she sounded further away. When I was responding to her it seemed to take forever to get the words out, at least in my mind. I am not sure how much she noticed. At one point, I wanted to say I need you to stop, I just needed it quiet for a minute but I didn't know how to voice that to her, or how I would explain it after. My mind was having a hard time sorting through things and trying to get the words out.
It happened when I was at dinner with a friend last weekend. He was talking away and I had to go somewhere else in my mind, to focus on something else for a minute because it was too much. It was like I was overstimulated and I needed to block him out for a minute.
I was wondering if this is part of PTSD or something else because this doesn't really happen to me but I have been stressed a bit more lately.
Thanks
Hangingon
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That's sounds familiar to me. I have PTSD too. Especially in the beginning of T I found myself disassociating or kind of leaving the present moment.
If you share that with T then T can help train you to come back. It's important information. You have to learn how to feel safe before you can do this work.
Laying a foundation of trust and safety is essential.
I'm not sure exactly what happened to you in those two situations you mentioned, but the truth is you knew you felt overwhelmed, you knew you had to retreat to a safer place, and under the circumstances, I think you handled both situations as best you could.
You may have felt triggered by something in both situations.
I remember my T in the beginning explaining something about trauma bonding and it was so threatening to me I don't think I heard or understood much of what he said. Then he recommended a book to read on the topic, and every time I picked it up I wanted to hurl it across the room.
Be as gentle and patient with your process as you can be. A good T will not push you faster than you're ready to go. The T is supposed to follow your lead, in a way, and help you be more honest about the truth of what happens to you in the moment.
No shame, no blame, no way you should or shouldn't be or feel.