Dealing with PTSD
Discussion
Like so many things related to mental health, there is no "one size fits everyone" approach. Whilst it is good you have a diagnosis, and that in itself can be a relief. (It certainly was when I was diagnosed with it)
I was very fortunate in that the company I worked for at the time, had an online health advisory team and a few "sessions" (talks over the phone) sorted me out. Others I know with it still need counseling.
Different approaches work for different people, so my only real advice is if you feel one sort of therapy isn't working try something else.
I will throw this in as an example.
A paramedic friend of mine was stabbed when he attended a drug addict one day, the therapist he saw told him to not look at the knife but to treat it as a bunch of flowers being presented to him (simplification of the actual therapy). It worked, the only problem is now he tenses up when somebody comes near him carrying flowers. (He is not even conscious he does it, but I have seen it when I have been with him)
I was very fortunate in that the company I worked for at the time, had an online health advisory team and a few "sessions" (talks over the phone) sorted me out. Others I know with it still need counseling.
Different approaches work for different people, so my only real advice is if you feel one sort of therapy isn't working try something else.
I will throw this in as an example.
A paramedic friend of mine was stabbed when he attended a drug addict one day, the therapist he saw told him to not look at the knife but to treat it as a bunch of flowers being presented to him (simplification of the actual therapy). It worked, the only problem is now he tenses up when somebody comes near him carrying flowers. (He is not even conscious he does it, but I have seen it when I have been with him)
Definitely a counsellor and one who is used to dealing with trauma. My wife had PTSD and is now a qualified counsellor.
If you can afford it, I would steer you away from your GP to a private counsellor. Mental health on the NHS is poor. They will probably push CBT or similar. CBT is ok for general anxiety and the like but for PTSD you need someone to help you deal with the trauma.
If you currently in work check with HR if they have an Employee Assistance Programme as that will often give you 10 counselling sessions for free. Might not be enough but it's a start.
If you can afford it, I would steer you away from your GP to a private counsellor. Mental health on the NHS is poor. They will probably push CBT or similar. CBT is ok for general anxiety and the like but for PTSD you need someone to help you deal with the trauma.
If you currently in work check with HR if they have an Employee Assistance Programme as that will often give you 10 counselling sessions for free. Might not be enough but it's a start.
Mark300zx said:
Just been diagnosed and looking for resources to deal with it and get moving into recovery asap?
Well done on taking steps in a positive direction.https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/local-...
For current serving and veterans, doesn't have to be an outcome of armed forces service.
https://combatstress.org.uk/contact-us
Useful website for information on charities, treatments and pathways.
https://www.ptsduk.org/treatment-help/diagnosed-wi...
sparkyhx said:
cPTSD (drip fed trauma over extended period of time) or PTSD (one off event) (simplistic definition)
cPTSD can be trickier and needs more care finding the right counsellor/psychotherapist (the two are not necessarilly the same)
Thanks for all the support, cPTSD is the diagnosis plus 26 years in the fire service, no military service!cPTSD can be trickier and needs more care finding the right counsellor/psychotherapist (the two are not necessarilly the same)
Mark300zx said:
sparkyhx said:
cPTSD (drip fed trauma over extended period of time) or PTSD (one off event) (simplistic definition)
cPTSD can be trickier and needs more care finding the right counsellor/psychotherapist (the two are not necessarilly the same)
Thanks for all the support, cPTSD is the diagnosis plus 26 years in the fire service, no military service!cPTSD can be trickier and needs more care finding the right counsellor/psychotherapist (the two are not necessarilly the same)
https://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/how-we-can-...
Evanivitch said:
Thanks did that, their help is somewhat limited!Drumroll said:
Like so many things related to mental health, there is no "one size fits everyone" approach. Whilst it is good you have a diagnosis, and that in itself can be a relief. (It certainly was when I was diagnosed with it)
I was very fortunate in that the company I worked for at the time, had an online health advisory team and a few "sessions" (talks over the phone) sorted me out. Others I know with it still need counseling.
Different approaches work for different people, so my only real advice is if you feel one sort of therapy isn't working try something else.
I will throw this in as an example.
A paramedic friend of mine was stabbed when he attended a drug addict one day, the therapist he saw told him to not look at the knife but to treat it as a bunch of flowers being presented to him (simplification of the actual therapy). It worked, the only problem is now he tenses up when somebody comes near him carrying flowers. (He is not even conscious he does it, but I have seen it when I have been with him)
Bit odd replacing a knife with flowers. A knife is a knife.I was very fortunate in that the company I worked for at the time, had an online health advisory team and a few "sessions" (talks over the phone) sorted me out. Others I know with it still need counseling.
Different approaches work for different people, so my only real advice is if you feel one sort of therapy isn't working try something else.
I will throw this in as an example.
A paramedic friend of mine was stabbed when he attended a drug addict one day, the therapist he saw told him to not look at the knife but to treat it as a bunch of flowers being presented to him (simplification of the actual therapy). It worked, the only problem is now he tenses up when somebody comes near him carrying flowers. (He is not even conscious he does it, but I have seen it when I have been with him)
It’s a trauma to be processed and accepted, painfully... not masked.
I’m not an expert on these matters but I was told this was a bad thing to do because it’s just another method to suppress or minimise the trauma rather than properly deal with it and accept it.
Agree with Scabutz. Avoid the GP. They’re about as much use as a chocolate fire guard right now.
And the NHS generally isn’t good with mental health, hence the crisis in mental health.
Edited by Mr Whippy on Sunday 11th July 08:58
Mr Whippy said:
Drumroll said:
Like so many things related to mental health, there is no "one size fits everyone" approach. Whilst it is good you have a diagnosis, and that in itself can be a relief. (It certainly was when I was diagnosed with it)
I was very fortunate in that the company I worked for at the time, had an online health advisory team and a few "sessions" (talks over the phone) sorted me out. Others I know with it still need counseling.
Different approaches work for different people, so my only real advice is if you feel one sort of therapy isn't working try something else.
I will throw this in as an example.
A paramedic friend of mine was stabbed when he attended a drug addict one day, the therapist he saw told him to not look at the knife but to treat it as a bunch of flowers being presented to him (simplification of the actual therapy). It worked, the only problem is now he tenses up when somebody comes near him carrying flowers. (He is not even conscious he does it, but I have seen it when I have been with him)
Bit odd replacing a knife with flowers. A knife is a knife.I was very fortunate in that the company I worked for at the time, had an online health advisory team and a few "sessions" (talks over the phone) sorted me out. Others I know with it still need counseling.
Different approaches work for different people, so my only real advice is if you feel one sort of therapy isn't working try something else.
I will throw this in as an example.
A paramedic friend of mine was stabbed when he attended a drug addict one day, the therapist he saw told him to not look at the knife but to treat it as a bunch of flowers being presented to him (simplification of the actual therapy). It worked, the only problem is now he tenses up when somebody comes near him carrying flowers. (He is not even conscious he does it, but I have seen it when I have been with him)
It’s a trauma to be processed and accepted, painfully... not masked.
I’m not an expert on these matters but I was told this was a bad thing to do because it’s just another method to suppress or minimise the trauma rather than properly deal with it and accept it.
Agree with Scabutz. Avoid the GP. They’re about as much use as a chocolate fire guard right now.
And the NHS generally isn’t good with mental health, hence the crisis in mental health.
Edited by Mr Whippy on Sunday 11th July 08:58
Where do you live? my wife might know someone.
dxg said:
Someone I know found EMDR very useful. I saw the improvement (fewer episodes), but it took a belief in the technique, time, and - critically - a counsellor trained in it.
thats a good suggestion specifically geared to cPTSD - its fecking witchcraft though.............but it does work. :-) My wife has started using it, very interesting and mysterious technique .Edited by sparkyhx on Sunday 11th July 17:06
Edited by sparkyhx on Sunday 11th July 17:07
My Wife has a PhD in Pyschology with a specific focus on PTSD and Acquired Brain Injury
Certainly EMDR works- yes it seems like witchcraft, but it isn't when the principles are explained- its just surprising!
If there is any way of claiming from insurance then private counsellors managed by a proper rehab company can make a significant difference.
Really well done for looking for help- its no different than having a broken leg- just more delicate to repair!
Certainly EMDR works- yes it seems like witchcraft, but it isn't when the principles are explained- its just surprising!
If there is any way of claiming from insurance then private counsellors managed by a proper rehab company can make a significant difference.
Really well done for looking for help- its no different than having a broken leg- just more delicate to repair!
Mark300zx said:
Just been diagnosed and looking for resources to deal with it and get moving into recovery asap?
Sorry for the delayed reply, just had a message alerting me to the thread, so I’ll try and stick some thoughts down, but give me a few minutes and I’ll get something together.Ok, first off, you at least now have a diagnosis and asking for help really is the hardest bit. It sounds clichéd, but it's true, especially for blokes and even more so for those of us in certain male orientated professions like the military, the police or the fire service...
You are going to be ok.
Secondly, there's nothing wrong with you. There is, obviously, because you've got PTSD, but I'm going to throw this out there and suggest that if you're in the fire service, you will have seen some unpleasant stuff and personally been in some risky situations during your career. Theres a guy called John Sutherland, who was a former seniorish police officer in the Metropolitan Police and he was medically retired because of mental health issues. He did come up recently with a very useful statistic, that human beings will likely develop issues after being exposed to between four and six episodes of trauma. Emergency services workers will probably see several hundred such incidents during their career, so you're not mad, your brain is having an entirely normal reaction to abnormal situations. Most human beings aren't really designed to deal with repeated trauma, so I'm very sorry to say, you're not special...
(Obviously people can develop PTSD or other issues after a single exposure).
You are going to be ok.
I suspect you will have a long wait to get seen by anyone in the NHS for any MH issues, so it may mean you have to rely on some help from the FBU, any fire service charities or support agencies that may be available to you. I know a lot of people have said the NHS are rubbish at helping, but my experience was the complete opposite (with the caveat of when I eventually got seen). I was lucky enough to be treated by a specialist NHS trauma support service and they were nothing short of fantastic. I had a combination of medication and EMDR (Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing). You will have to push to get help though. I know it's often not in our nature to ask for help in the first place, or to push for stuff, but you have GOT to be selfish. You need to become "that patient", so it is easier for them to deal with/treat you, rather than keep fobbing you off because you're polite/a nice guy/don't want to be "that patient"... It is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.
You are going to be ok.
Medication really can have some weird stigma about it. I used to be really against taking tablets for MH issues. But, look at it this way, if you had a headache, which is possibly caused by physiological issues and/or chemical reactions in your body, you'd have no problem taking an aspirin, a paracetamol or some ibuprofen. At the moment, your brain chemistry is a bit out of whack, so medication may help to level things out a bit. Meds aren't a miracle cure, they don't work for everyone and they're not instant. You may have to try different meds or combinations and different doses, to find out what works for you. They won't fix you but they will hopefully smooth off a few of the the rough edges and even things out a bit, which means you're going to be a bit better off with any other treatments you do get. They will help you feel a bit more "normal", which means you are better able to deal with day to day life and any treatment you do get.
You are going to be ok.
One of the immediate short term things you can do is have a look at your diet, sleep and exercise. If you're using booze and/or drugs, try not to. If you are drinking heavily, don't stop completely straight away, because that can be potentially very harmful. If you are drinking too much, you may need to speak to a GP or an alcohol counsellor to try and get your drinking back under control. I had to take medication (basically librium) when I stopped drinking, because stopping completely without medical advice can actually be dangerous. As in, can potentially kill you dangerous.
You are going to be ok.
Try to eat decent food with plenty of fruit and veg and consider a vitamin D supplement. Even better, get outside in the daylight and that will boost your vitamin D. It doesn't matter if it's cloudy, just being outside will help and ideally it needs to be at least 30 minutes a day, but the longer, the better. Exercise may also help, but you don't need to go mad, you can combine a decent walk with being outside. There is tons of data linking being in nature with improved mental health/mood, so get out there and hug some trees.
You are going to be ok.
EMDR is one treatment and there are lots of EMDR methods, from flashing lights, tones, vibrating pods you hold in your hands, tapping, watching a pen or fingertip. There isn't just one option, you may have to try several to find what works for you. That said, it is like witchcraft! I was utterly sceptical when I started EMDR but now I'm a bit of an evangelist about it. It's not entirely understood why or how it works, or wasn't when I had it, but there were several peer-reviewed clinical studies where they'd found it was at least as effective as medication alone for treating PTSD. I can't recommend it enough. It will be extremely hard work and completely draining, physically and mentally, but it really should help you get better. It will probably be about the hardest thing you have ever done or experienced in your entire life, in part because you will have to relive some stuff so that your brain can properly process the trauma.
You are going to be ok.
There is a charity called the Pilgrim Bandits, who were set up to initially help military and ex-military with both physical and mental health issues. There is now an offshoot called the Curtis Palmer Programme, which is reasonably new, but which does the same for emergency services workers. Get in touch with them to see how they can help. I know a few people who have used them and they are highly recommended. https://www.pilgrimbandits.org
You are going to be ok.
Unfortunately, getting sorted is going to take time and it is going to be rough. Really rough, at times. There will be days when you will feel that your duvet is made of lead, is filled with concrete and there is no way that you can even get out of bed. When you have these days, try not to beat yourself up about it. You have got to a low point and things may in fact feel worse before they start to feel better, but in time, they will get better. You might only have one good day out of seven, then you'll have two, then three and so on. There's no timescale, which can be difficult to deal with because it will occasionally (or often, to start with) feel like it's never-ending. It isn't, but it does feel like that. Even when you are "fixed", you will still have the odd off day, but then, everyone does. You will need to learn to accept those days, because they will happen occasionally. Accept they are just part of the process and part of life and try not to dwell on the crappy days.
You are going to be ok.
You will eventually come out of the other side of this and get better/fixed/cured or whatever else you want to call it. You will be a slightly different person on the other side, not better or worse, just different. You will probably find that your outlook on stuff changes and things you thought were important, really aren't, while stuff you thought didn't matter really does. It will change how you see yourself and how you see life, but that isn't a bad or a good thing, it's just how it tends to work itself out. I used to think any of my colleagues in the cops with stress or MH problems were soft and taking the piss when they went off sick. It took me getting PTSD to realise how real it was. Dealing with the physical symptoms, especially the hyper vigilance, was utterly draining, which is why even the simple stuff like diet and exercise can be such a huge part of recovery.
You are going to be ok.
I know I've said that a few times, but sometimes, we all need telling/reminding. It can be really hard to accept that when we are at the bottom of the hole, but stick with it and remember to be kind to yourself. If you have a close friend, a partner, a colleague you trust, talk to them. I was terrified people would think I was weak, but pretty much everyone I trusted really stepped up and helped me, even if that was just by listening. The tossers that I thought would be tossers about it were indeed tossers, so I didn't waste time or effort on them - then, or since. You will know who you can trust and who you can lean on. The people that matter will be there for you. They will actually want to help you, but never be forced into help. Sometimes, you will just need time and your own headspace to work things through. Again, the people that matter will get that when you need space.
You are going to be ok.
If you've any specific questions, feel free to pm me. If I think of any other pearls of wisdom, I'll stick up another post.
You. Are. Going. To. Be. OK.
You are going to be ok.
Secondly, there's nothing wrong with you. There is, obviously, because you've got PTSD, but I'm going to throw this out there and suggest that if you're in the fire service, you will have seen some unpleasant stuff and personally been in some risky situations during your career. Theres a guy called John Sutherland, who was a former seniorish police officer in the Metropolitan Police and he was medically retired because of mental health issues. He did come up recently with a very useful statistic, that human beings will likely develop issues after being exposed to between four and six episodes of trauma. Emergency services workers will probably see several hundred such incidents during their career, so you're not mad, your brain is having an entirely normal reaction to abnormal situations. Most human beings aren't really designed to deal with repeated trauma, so I'm very sorry to say, you're not special...
(Obviously people can develop PTSD or other issues after a single exposure).You are going to be ok.
I suspect you will have a long wait to get seen by anyone in the NHS for any MH issues, so it may mean you have to rely on some help from the FBU, any fire service charities or support agencies that may be available to you. I know a lot of people have said the NHS are rubbish at helping, but my experience was the complete opposite (with the caveat of when I eventually got seen). I was lucky enough to be treated by a specialist NHS trauma support service and they were nothing short of fantastic. I had a combination of medication and EMDR (Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing). You will have to push to get help though. I know it's often not in our nature to ask for help in the first place, or to push for stuff, but you have GOT to be selfish. You need to become "that patient", so it is easier for them to deal with/treat you, rather than keep fobbing you off because you're polite/a nice guy/don't want to be "that patient"... It is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.
You are going to be ok.
Medication really can have some weird stigma about it. I used to be really against taking tablets for MH issues. But, look at it this way, if you had a headache, which is possibly caused by physiological issues and/or chemical reactions in your body, you'd have no problem taking an aspirin, a paracetamol or some ibuprofen. At the moment, your brain chemistry is a bit out of whack, so medication may help to level things out a bit. Meds aren't a miracle cure, they don't work for everyone and they're not instant. You may have to try different meds or combinations and different doses, to find out what works for you. They won't fix you but they will hopefully smooth off a few of the the rough edges and even things out a bit, which means you're going to be a bit better off with any other treatments you do get. They will help you feel a bit more "normal", which means you are better able to deal with day to day life and any treatment you do get.
You are going to be ok.
One of the immediate short term things you can do is have a look at your diet, sleep and exercise. If you're using booze and/or drugs, try not to. If you are drinking heavily, don't stop completely straight away, because that can be potentially very harmful. If you are drinking too much, you may need to speak to a GP or an alcohol counsellor to try and get your drinking back under control. I had to take medication (basically librium) when I stopped drinking, because stopping completely without medical advice can actually be dangerous. As in, can potentially kill you dangerous.
You are going to be ok.
Try to eat decent food with plenty of fruit and veg and consider a vitamin D supplement. Even better, get outside in the daylight and that will boost your vitamin D. It doesn't matter if it's cloudy, just being outside will help and ideally it needs to be at least 30 minutes a day, but the longer, the better. Exercise may also help, but you don't need to go mad, you can combine a decent walk with being outside. There is tons of data linking being in nature with improved mental health/mood, so get out there and hug some trees.
You are going to be ok.
EMDR is one treatment and there are lots of EMDR methods, from flashing lights, tones, vibrating pods you hold in your hands, tapping, watching a pen or fingertip. There isn't just one option, you may have to try several to find what works for you. That said, it is like witchcraft! I was utterly sceptical when I started EMDR but now I'm a bit of an evangelist about it. It's not entirely understood why or how it works, or wasn't when I had it, but there were several peer-reviewed clinical studies where they'd found it was at least as effective as medication alone for treating PTSD. I can't recommend it enough. It will be extremely hard work and completely draining, physically and mentally, but it really should help you get better. It will probably be about the hardest thing you have ever done or experienced in your entire life, in part because you will have to relive some stuff so that your brain can properly process the trauma.
You are going to be ok.
There is a charity called the Pilgrim Bandits, who were set up to initially help military and ex-military with both physical and mental health issues. There is now an offshoot called the Curtis Palmer Programme, which is reasonably new, but which does the same for emergency services workers. Get in touch with them to see how they can help. I know a few people who have used them and they are highly recommended. https://www.pilgrimbandits.org
You are going to be ok.
Unfortunately, getting sorted is going to take time and it is going to be rough. Really rough, at times. There will be days when you will feel that your duvet is made of lead, is filled with concrete and there is no way that you can even get out of bed. When you have these days, try not to beat yourself up about it. You have got to a low point and things may in fact feel worse before they start to feel better, but in time, they will get better. You might only have one good day out of seven, then you'll have two, then three and so on. There's no timescale, which can be difficult to deal with because it will occasionally (or often, to start with) feel like it's never-ending. It isn't, but it does feel like that. Even when you are "fixed", you will still have the odd off day, but then, everyone does. You will need to learn to accept those days, because they will happen occasionally. Accept they are just part of the process and part of life and try not to dwell on the crappy days.
You are going to be ok.
You will eventually come out of the other side of this and get better/fixed/cured or whatever else you want to call it. You will be a slightly different person on the other side, not better or worse, just different. You will probably find that your outlook on stuff changes and things you thought were important, really aren't, while stuff you thought didn't matter really does. It will change how you see yourself and how you see life, but that isn't a bad or a good thing, it's just how it tends to work itself out. I used to think any of my colleagues in the cops with stress or MH problems were soft and taking the piss when they went off sick. It took me getting PTSD to realise how real it was. Dealing with the physical symptoms, especially the hyper vigilance, was utterly draining, which is why even the simple stuff like diet and exercise can be such a huge part of recovery.
You are going to be ok.
I know I've said that a few times, but sometimes, we all need telling/reminding. It can be really hard to accept that when we are at the bottom of the hole, but stick with it and remember to be kind to yourself. If you have a close friend, a partner, a colleague you trust, talk to them. I was terrified people would think I was weak, but pretty much everyone I trusted really stepped up and helped me, even if that was just by listening. The tossers that I thought would be tossers about it were indeed tossers, so I didn't waste time or effort on them - then, or since. You will know who you can trust and who you can lean on. The people that matter will be there for you. They will actually want to help you, but never be forced into help. Sometimes, you will just need time and your own headspace to work things through. Again, the people that matter will get that when you need space.
You are going to be ok.
If you've any specific questions, feel free to pm me. If I think of any other pearls of wisdom, I'll stick up another post.
You. Are. Going. To. Be. OK.
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