[sonjaward809]

How do you stop the unwanted thoughts of your trauma from popping up? I just got diagnosed with chronic ptsd and haven't been able to start therapy for it yet. I will soon though, I already have an appointment set up. It's irritating me that the thoughts even pop up because everything happened when I was a child and I'm now 24. I thought it would just go away, but it doesn't. I'm always on alert and grind my teeth ALL day long, or I'll catch myself tensing up even though I'm alone. The nightmare have eased up thankfully, but I still have very vivid dreams of other things. Also, I haven't been able to find any info on chronic ptsd .. is it the same as complex pstd? Everytime I try to look up anything that's what comes up. I had repeated trauma when I was a child in different forms. Seeing a lot of violence and being sexually abused by 3 different people when I was young is what has caused the ptsd. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the diagnosis and what it means for my future. I'm worried it will never go away, like my Bipolar, and I'll have the unwanted thoughts forever. I avoid places and people that remind me of the things that happened to me, I even isolate myself to my room quite a bit because I don't like nor trust being around people. I barely can be around most of my family without feeling uncomfortable. Will this ever get any better?

[Skeezyks]

I can't speak to your question regarding chronic versus complex PTSD. As for stopping unwanted thoughts... I have to say that I don't believe there is any way to stop unwanted thoughts from popping up. And I've never read, or heard, of anything either. In fact, everything I've read suggests that trying to do so is the surest way of making certain they'll keep coming.

There is a practice that is referred to as compassionate abiding, whereby one allows thoughts to arise, accepts them, & then allows them to fade at their own pace. Here's a link to a mental-health-oriented description of the practice:

https://mindsetdoc.wordpress.com/201...e-abiding-101/

The other thing I sometimes do though, in an effort to cease ruminating on particular thoughts, is to chant mantras. If you're not familiar with mantras, there are lots of them from various spiritual disciplines on YouTube.

I wish you well...

[MoxieDoxie]

I have had EMDR done on several trauma memories about 3 years ago. I am 50 and just had to deal with an horrific trauma memory looping in my head yesterday. I had to practice what I call literal mindfulness. Where I say under my breathe exactly what I am doing. "I am walking to my car...walking...walking. I am pressing the unlock key. I am opening the door. I am sliding into my seat. I am closing the door." You get the idea. Every time that memory starts replaying in my head I start doing the mindfulness again. It helps until I get a distraction that demands my full attention like going to my next clients session.

[just2b]

yes the thoughts seem to never end...but grounding to the present helps a lot. remind yourself that your 24 now and everything happened a long time ago. that you older and notice things that make you feel and look older, hands are bigger, feet are bigger, you can drive, you have your own ......
it will never be a simple walk in the park to stop the thoughts but you can feel calm and its nit the end of your life ...stay strong !!