Sometimes I become too stressed while performing everyday activities; such as crossing the street or purchasing products at the grocery store.

I cope with this well. I use breathing exercises sometimes; like three deep breaths in through my nose and exhale semi-slowly through either my nose or mouth. This slows my thoughts and eases my anxiety to a manageable level. Another skill, is not letting myself become cold, either while outside or indoors. Being cold causes me to become anxious and I try to avoid it. In extreme cold, like negative temperatures, up to the teen temperatures fahrenheight, I will use earplugs to stop frigid air from entering my aural canal (ears). This helps enormously.

I always remove my hat prior to entering a store, and try to make eye contact and conversation, (if the moment is opportune and we share a common topic), with the clerks.

Overall, I try to pamper myself with comfort, whenever possible. I am unashamed to do this. My safety and the safety of others is at risk if I am too stressed and become triggered by past traumas. I protect myself against this event every day. It is second nature, to do this now. At first, I needed lots of help and TLC. I am more independant now. Still, the lessons I learned while being nearly 100% dependant, stay with me and assist me in keeeping my stress level to a low boil, as to not overflow.

I hope everyone on psych central is okay.

Peace... Brook.

[Open Eyes]

(((brookwest))),

Thank you for sharing how you have been learning how to better control some of the crippling symptoms of PTSD. I can relate to the cold and being careful to keep warm and how cold can lead to struggling with a "ptsd cycle" that is not easy to get out of.

"Overall, I try to pamper myself with comfort, whenever possible. I am unashamed to do this. " quote brookwest

This is an important statement brookwest. This is not something you should "ever" be ashamed of. Developing the ability to "self care and comfort" is crucial to healing with PTSD. In many of my posts I constantly try to encourage everyone who is struggling to develope a strong part of themselves that steps up to always be there to "self sooth and self comfort". It is the pathway to finally "healing" that is "crucial".

What you are discribing here is that you are "slowly" making attempts to "engage" life again, verses "isolating". As you are doing that, you have a part of yourself that is paying attention to slowly "self soothing" at the same time. What you are really doing brookwest is you are slowly rebuilding your capacity to cope again, and yes, it is a lot of work, baby steps, but the way you are slowly going to make progress in helping your brain get back to gaining more balance again.

I had a conversation with my therapist this week and I asked him if people heal from PTSD or just learn to cope with it. His reply was that it is about "healing" because of how our brains have the plasticity to heal. It does take time because the brain does take time to develope new connections and gain strength again, however, as you say by taking babysteps, being patient, his patients do improve and get to a point where they can feel much more "balanced" again.

As far as "triggers" are concerned, it is important to understand that you can "decrease" the power of experiencing a debilitating reaction to a trigger. By becoming aware of what triggers you, and why and getting validated and comforted through discussing the triggers, you can slowly begin to take away their impact. The reaction is merely a ripple that you can control verses having to be alarmed or feel threatened.

You are doing well, keep working at it slowly, and you are right to not be "ashamed", but instead continue to "heal".

((((Hugs))))

Open Eyes

[AngelWolf3]

I am glad you shared the ways you pamper yourself and what you do to try to lessen the effect of things on you! (I have been wearing earplugs in the groceries, just because they FREAK me out and the less noise, the better...)

I think it's great that you do the eye contact thing with people. Something for me to work on as well! (so it's good to hear some positive results from reaching out like that)

[Crew]

Thank you for sharing that ((Brookwest))) WEll Said!

It's so nice to know I'm not alone...... thank you for sharing that

Crew

[Pixie12]

I never thought about the things you wrote about, but you're so right! They contribute to stress! We need to care for ourselves because no one else will.
Pixie

[Hellion]

I try and keep control over my stress level as well, it can be tiring in itself and kind of sucks because a lot of times I have to limit my activities so I don't get too overwhelmed with things...I've even skipped concerts I planned to go to because of it. But obviously too much stress makes the symptoms worse and that isn't good for me or anyone else. I also try and do breathing excercises, but I usually don't remember every day but I've tried it to calm myself which helps a bit.

As for eye contact that is only for people I know, but I've been that way ever since I can remember. Eye contact with people I don't know tends to be painfully uncomfortable and very distracting because instead of hearing what they say I am focused on trying to keep eye contact and not show my discomfort. Also I can't talk to people I don't know unless they talk to me first...I have tried but that was even before the PTSD as well.