What helped you in beating CPTSD?

Hi

I haven't beaten it, but ....

Firstly, as some as said, therapists can re-traumatise you if they invalidate you or have no clue about C-PTSD. So select very carefully who you divulge your story to.

I self-diagnosed myself with C-PTSD as I meet the criteria. Over the years from speaking to people and being my own 'psychologist', I have come up with some strategies that work for me:

- positive self-talk highlighting my strengths/attributes
- developed an awareness of my inner child and nurture a healthy relationship with him (reduces the emptiness within that I felt in the past)
- mindfulness when physiological and/or psychological symptoms severe - desist from using CBT here as by now the symptoms are overwhelming and intense and self-talk doesn't work (at least for me). Instead focus on sitting with the painful/uncomfortable feelings (don't resist them!) and keep up deep breathing
- spend time meditating and deep breathing when high anxiety
- visit the forest and go for a walk, I find being around trees/animals distracts me and can bring me back to balance
- ring a friend that validates and accepts you
- eat healthy - fruit & vegetables included in diet
- EMDR try with a T
- journaling about what is happening in my day and also used for reflecting on life
- Lately, with my T's suggestion I placed a chair about two metres in front of me and pretend the abuser is sitting in that chair. I get the inner child at a particular age to say what he wants to say to that abuser, the effect their abuse had on me and how it made me feel. I really try to get into the core emotion when doing this. I find this very therapeutic and is helping me to 'hopefully' get over the trauma
- regular exercise I find reduces agitation and high anxiety
- read many books about psychology and in particular related to childhood trauma, dysfunctional families, narcissistic parents and childhood abandonment.

A final note: I've seen several psychiatrists in the past and I found my mental health actually got worse over time. My personal experience with them is that they maintained my 'brokenness' with medication and did very little in terms of giving me strategies to overcome my mental health issues. Nowadays I focus on seeing therapists that are into healing me and helping me work through the traumas/symptoms so that 'hopefully' oneday I can be whole. My own experiences are that psychiatrists manage my symptoms but lack therapies that promote healing from trauma.

I hope this gives you some ideas to consider.

PH