[CRPS Warrior]

I need help with my PTSD. I don't understand how to deal. The flashbacks and nightmares seem completely uncontrolable. I have a hard time staying "here". I don't know what to do...

[lowinmood]

get support, it's really difficult to go this on your own, you could start off with a trip to your doctor. I tried to cope with flashbacks on my own, and it got worse and ended up being admitted on a pscy ward and ended up being a breakdown, catch it before it gets worse.

[CRPS Warrior]

I just got out of a psych ward. I am now in IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) and all anyone wants to talk about is my bipolar...

[Open Eyes]

It sounds to me like you are not getting help by the right professionals who understand trauma recovery and PTSD. Many professionals actually confuse the symptoms of PTSD for bipolar. There is a huge difference between hyper-aware and hyper-vigilance and anxiety attacks from a manic bipolar episode.

With PTSD there are times where an individual is experiencing a trigger or hypervigilane episode, then falls into a more tired depressive episode, this is NOT bipolar.

[ChipperMonkey]

Please find a trauma specialist. It can make a world of difference!

[CRPS Warrior]

How would I go about finding one??

Google "Find A Therapist" and many options will come up ... Enter your zip code in a few of the sites and several names will pop up.

Read carefully the credentials of all the therapists that pop up and make sure they specialize in PTSD, C-PTSD and Trauma & Recovery.

Then set up a few appointments until you find one you're comfortable working with.

It's imperative to have a therapist that specializes in one (or more) of these specific areas because therapists that aren't specialized in treating trauma can mess us up even more!

[Open Eyes]

I agree with Pfrog, you might find one online, see if you can find one that specializes in PTSD though, it really is a specialty. Having a therapist that understands how to do trauma work is very important as ChipperMonkey says, it makes a world of difference.

I have now worked with two therapists who do trauma therapy, both of them have told me that psychiatrists and psychologists notoriously mistake PTSD symptoms for bipolar and other issues, none of which help a patient understand "why" they are struggling. Once a patient slowly learns how to understand PTSD and the symptoms, the patient learns how to not feed into it which makes it worse, but instead figures out why and how to slow down and be patient until a PTSD cycle passes from them being triggered.

In reading your about me I can see that your personal boundaries have been badly invaded, NOT YOUR FAULT. You most likely get triggered by anyone that makes you feel threatened, anyone that says or does anything like individuals who have hurt you in the past. It's important to understand that a lot of PTSD symptoms are actually normal reactions to being traumatized in some way. You need to talk these traumas out grieve your loss of safety and learn new ways to better self protect. If a person is diagnosed with bipolar or anything else when they are not really challenged with other issues, it leaves that individual feeling like they are somehow challenged with something they can't control, that is not helpful if someone is struggling with PTSD resulting from a trauma or several traumas where they lost control in some way or were a victim.

[Open Eyes]

Here is a good link for you to read, it includes symptoms of not only PTSD but Complex PTSD.

Complex post traumatic stress disorder (complex ptsd, pdsd, shell shock, nervous shock, combat fatigue), symptoms and the difference between mental illness and psychiatric injury explained

In this link is a nice chart that explains the difference between Mental Illness and Psychiatric Injury. People who come across this have found it so helpful because it puts their challenge into the perspective they have struggled to articulate. There is also a chart that shows the difference between Paranoia and Hypervigilance and that too is important because from your past, you suffered abuse both physically and psychologically, therefore you have psychiatric injuries you deserve to get help with, to understand better, and mourn with the right therapist who KNOWS how to help you do just that.

Notice there are other links in the beginning that you can click on as well that can be very helpful.

[CRPS Warrior]

Thanks so much. I'll look at the links...