[SillySelf]

**Trigger for PTSD, Anxiety**

I started seeing a therapist 2 weeks ago for anxiety and PTSD symptoms flaring back up. The only thing is, she is a student therapist working on her Masters degree. She is all I can afford right now, seeing her at her training clinic. Anyways, Last July 3rd, My PTSD symptoms flared up as that is an anniversary date of a very tragic event. I have like NO coping skills and I had to get through it somehow, so I stayed drunk all day because the anxiety and flashbacks were just way to much for me.

Anyways, last Tuesday I saw my therapist and she asked me how my week was and I told her all about July 3rd and she asked me how I coped, I said, "Well, I stayed drunk all day." Her reaction was, "Well, at least you got through it." WHAT THE HECK ?!?!?!?! Is that all?? Just a smile and a nod ????? What does she suggest? I keep on drinking? COME ON !!!

I just don't know what to do. My meds (Zoloft) are just not holding me over anymore and I am a total wreck. Therapy is not helping right now and I did not find her particularly useful in helping me cope last Tuesday.

I see my medical doctor today to see what he can do for my anxiety as he is the one that has me on the Zoloft. The last time I saw him and I was a wreck, all he did was increase my Zoloft. No anxiety meds to get me by until the Zoloft could work. I am just up in arms over here and do not know how to cope or what to do. Any suggestions? Thanks !!

PTSD Coping
ptsd.about.com/od/.../PostTraumatic_Stress_Disorder_SelfHelp.htm - CachedPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder Coping. Coping skills, relaxation exercises, and other strategies for managing anxiety and stress associated with PTSD. ...

Active Coping skills for PTSD
www.ptsdsupport.net/ptsd_coping_skills.html - CachedBecause PTSD symptoms seldom disappear completely, it is usually a continuing challenge for survivors of trauma to cope with PTSD symptoms and the problems ...

Posttraumatic stress disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posttraumatic_stress_disorder - CachedJump to Medication and self-medication issues and risks with PTSD‎: They can be especially addictive when PTSD is present, and this is especially true ...
Classification - Causes - Diagnosis - Public policy response

PTSD and Problems with Alcohol Use - National Center for PTSD
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/...lcohol-use.asp - CachedJun 15, 2010 – By the same token, people with drinking problems often have PTSD. ... Using too much alcohol makes it harder to cope with stress and your ...

Meantime,try to refrain from caffeine,breathe deeply,expend some energy...walking or something moderate,try to at least cut back on drinking as much as you'd like to...find an outlet for your mental energy....and communicate with others,don't isolate.

I'm sorry you had to go through such a triggering anniversay alone. I'm so glad you felt able to post here.

It sounds like your therapy is only just getting off the ground. Have you and T agreed some goals for your therapy? I don't know what kind of therapy she practises, but it sounds like it would be helpful to work on making sure you have some helpful coping skills before getting into any triggering trauma processing.

If you want to work on strengthening your coping skills, I have found the DBT skills very helpful indeed, especially the distress tolerance and emotional regulation skills. You can read about them here:
http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/

I hope things start to improve for you and that therapy will be helpful to you

Your relationship with T is very new. There needs to be room for both of you to really get to know each other. That takes time to build.

I am so sorry the anniversary date was so difficult. I know what T said sounded crazy. It sounded like she agreed with drinking. I'm not sure that's the case. I think she meant (I'm assuming) even though it wasn't a positive coping skill, it IS still a coping skill that at least got you through that day.

After only 2 weeks of knowing each other, I'm not sure it would have been wise of her to throw anything else out there. You barely know each other. Suggestions are difficult in that phase of treatment and may even be wreckless. I think she is just reflecting that as much as it sucked, and as 'bad' as drinking and getting drunk is, you DID take care of YOUR needs, period. She wasn't judging it as good or bad at that moment. But highlighting your survival skills.

Continue to talk with you doctor about symptoms to see about if they will add an anti-anxiety medication. How long have you been on the Zoloft? It sounds like they just recently upped it? These things (meds, therapy) take a lot of time. It's painful. Life keeps happening while we continue to try to nurse these wounds. But you are on a path to healing. The road is rough and bumpy, but you will get through. Continue to be patient with you.

[SillySelf]

Originally Posted by stormyangels

Your relationship with T is very new. There needs to be room for both of you to really get to know each other. That takes time to build.

I am so sorry the anniversary date was so difficult. I know what T said sounded crazy. It sounded like she agreed with drinking. I'm not sure that's the case. I think she meant (I'm assuming) even though it wasn't a positive coping skill, it IS still a coping skill that at least got you through that day.

After only 2 weeks of knowing each other, I'm not sure it would have been wise of her to throw anything else out there. You barely know each other. Suggestions are difficult in that phase of treatment and may even be wreckless. I think she is just reflecting that as much as it sucked, and as 'bad' as drinking and getting drunk is, you DID take care of YOUR needs, period. She wasn't judging it as good or bad at that moment. But highlighting your survival skills.

Continue to talk with you doctor about symptoms to see about if they will add an anti-anxiety medication. How long have you been on the Zoloft? It sounds like they just recently upped it? These things (meds, therapy) take a lot of time. It's painful. Life keeps happening while we continue to try to nurse these wounds. But you are on a path to healing. The road is rough and bumpy, but you will get through. Continue to be patient with you.

I just got back from the doctor. He gave me Ativan to help me through crisis, panic moments. THANK GOD !!! RELIEF !!!! Now I am acting silly and laughing. Go Figure !! All I can think of right now are hysterical things that happened in my past and I keep on a laughing LOL!!! Better than freaking out I suppose. He only gave me them on an as needed basis, 40 for the month. That is fine. So long as I have something to get through terrible moments.

Thank you for the advice on therapy. Now that I have calmed down and am in laughing mode I can process it and see where you are coming from. Our therapy relationship is very new and she is still in school. Might be time to cut her some slack and give her another try. For now, I will just giggle away over here. Oh, as far as the Zoloft, I have only been on it for a couple months, but a few weeks ago stoped cold turkey for 4 days because I was being stubborn, but I am have been back on it for a little over 3 weeks again.

Thanks for helping Stormy. You have such a great way of putting things and helping out. I am off to go giggle myself silly now

[SillySelf]

Originally Posted by Improving

I'm sorry you had to go through such a triggering anniversay alone. I'm so glad you felt able to post here.

It sounds like your therapy is only just getting off the ground. Have you and T agreed some goals for your therapy? I don't know what kind of therapy she practises, but it sounds like it would be helpful to work on making sure you have some helpful coping skills before getting into any triggering trauma processing.

If you want to work on strengthening your coping skills, I have found the DBT skills very helpful indeed, especially the distress tolerance and emotional regulation skills. You can read about them here:
http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/

I hope things start to improve for you and that therapy will be helpful to you

Thanks for the DBT self-help site. I am going to read into it. Hey, if my therapist turns out to be a dud, at least I can learn it on my own. Thank you for that !! As an update, I just got back from my doctor and he gave me Ativan for short term relief when I am going through bad anxiety or panic. I tried one and now I am laughing myself silly over here LOL!!! RELIEF !!!! I will give my therapist another try. I told her one of my goals was to learn coping mechanisms. She is new and our relationship is new, so I will have to cut her some slack and give her some more tries. I like her as a person and trust that she means well, it was just her statement through me threw a loop. We'll see. Thanks again

[SillySelf]

Originally Posted by wolfsong

PTSD Coping
ptsd.about.com/od/.../PostTraumatic_Stress_Disorder_SelfHelp.htm - CachedPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder Coping. Coping skills, relaxation exercises, and other strategies for managing anxiety and stress associated with PTSD. ...

Active Coping skills for PTSD
www.ptsdsupport.net/ptsd_coping_skills.html - CachedBecause PTSD symptoms seldom disappear completely, it is usually a continuing challenge for survivors of trauma to cope with PTSD symptoms and the problems ...

Posttraumatic stress disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posttraumatic_stress_disorder - CachedJump to Medication and self-medication issues and risks with PTSD‎: They can be especially addictive when PTSD is present, and this is especially true ...
Classification - Causes - Diagnosis - Public policy response

PTSD and Problems with Alcohol Use - National Center for PTSD
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/...lcohol-use.asp - CachedJun 15, 2010 – By the same token, people with drinking problems often have PTSD. ... Using too much alcohol makes it harder to cope with stress and your ...

Meantime,try to refrain from caffeine,breathe deeply,expend some energy...walking or something moderate,try to at least cut back on drinking as much as you'd like to...find an outlet for your mental energy....and communicate with others,don't isolate.

Wow ! Thank you so much for all of the links !! That was very helpful. As far as the drinking, I usually only drink 1 or 2 drinks a night just to take the edge off, but July 3rd I went all out because I was losing my mind. Normally though it is only 1-2 drinks per night. It was my only coping mechanism and i reserved that only for night time. My doctor just gave me Ativan for when things get bad, so maybe I can cut down on the alcohol a bit. Thanks for your help

That doesn't sound like excessive drinking to me.Yes,for those who can take ativan it is very useful.