Meandering Michele’s Mind: What does it mean to heal PTSD?
Monday, January 4th, 2010 • Uncategorized •
At the beginning of a new year of healing it’s good to get clarity on PTSD jargon. We all use a lot of terms in a sort of universal way. We say, ”I hope ….” and ”When I heal…” and “I believe…”
We know what those terms mean universally, but how are we applying them individually? In the discussions that ensue during the year, are we really all talking about the same thing?
For example, in my own PTSD experience, ‘healing’ meant one thing and one thing only: a life completely free (in every way, shape or form) of post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Since I’ve become more and more connected with other survivors, however, I’m realizing we don’t all share the same perspective. For some, healing means learning to cope with symptoms. For others, it means becoming functional despite PTSD symptoms.
In thinking about the upcoming year and the conversations I look forward to having with all of you I’m wondering what your definition of recovery is.
How do you define ‘healing’ as it applies to PTSD?
(Photo acknowledgement on Flickr.)
Tags: healing, post-traumatic stress, ptsd, symptoms
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To be able to go to a crowded movie theater, sit in the middle and not break out in a cold sweat, not feel like I have to get away.
To be able to show affection and not worry about what will be expected of me. Feel like going to a party and really have fun. Not have that knot in my stomach. I want to enjoy the great life I should be having.
Wayne,
Awareness and acceptance of what you don’t want is the first step to making a change!
Turning the awareness of what you don’t want to what it is you do want and focusing on that is the second. So, check in with what I heard you say that you do want and see how it FEELS to read it:
What I heard you say healing means, to you, is:
TO be able to go to a crowded movie theater, sit in the middle and feel calm, comfortable and safe right where you am.
To be able to show affection and know nothing more is expected of you other than just being affectionate in the moment. It is completely enough.
To get get ready for a party and feel totally comfortable in my body, listen to good music on the way there and feel warm and comfortable feelings in my stomach.
To enjoy the great life you have in this moment, with people who understand you and understand emotions and humanity, knowing you learning to understand yourself and create a safe, comfortable place of understanding and acceptance of youreself, within your body…and the world.
Is THAT what you were saying you were wanting/having healed would be like?
That probably sums it up. I have been this way for so many years (1980) that its hard to imagine what it would be like to feel happy and free of PTSD. I am trying though. These messages I have been reading are not like any I have encountered in all my years of Therapy. Maybe because it is driven by those who know how the beginning is, how it feels to make progress and what its like to feel the cure. At 62 I it may be more difficult but I am going to give it all I have.
Healing means being free to, wanting to, and making time to care for myself in all of the ways I need and that feel good, not because I have to, but because I am affirming myself, my worth, my presence, my being. It means loving myself more than anyone else ever has and in the ways I always wished someone would.
Healing means being “normal” again! Like Wayne said, going to a movie – sitting there and enjoying myself without feeling like “I need to get out of here now!” or a resturant or a museium or and especially any doctors office or shrink/therapist! Also having friends over and visiting friends or getting back to working again and not feeling guility that I am not bringing in any money, I’m a financial drain on my family.
Also being able to have my son and his girlfriend over for dinner. Such a little thing but so hard. And SLEEPING like a normal person – no panic in the night, or up listening to my brain do it’s thing when all I want to do is sleep and turn it all off. And laughing and just making a decision Oh I want to do that today and just doing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am making progress thank God, but I’ll be 61 in a few months and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life like this.
To me healing means to be able to be in and of the world and to be ok; to not expect or be dependent on others and circumstance to accommodate my issues and make me feel ok. To be free to create and live the life of my choosing without limits.