Self care

One of the challenges of CPTSD is the long time belief that I am not worth taking care of.  I work at reminding myself that I am worth taking care of myself.  Nurturing, tender, proper care is not self indulgence.  It is taking the time to take care of myself in a healthy way.  Self…

Learning From SEAL survival

I help out in the school library/tech center.  I am help supervise students that are using the computers during one class time.  When all is going well, I get bored.  Since there are shelves and shelves of library books, I do the most logical thing and see what’s on the shelf.  Surprised me when I…

Don’t have to sit on it

I love quotes and posters and a clever reminders. PTSD exists because something negative happened.  I fell on a cactus.  It was painful and difficult pulling out every hooked thorn.  Sometimes a person is pushed into a cactus patch.  No matter where they put their hand more pain occurs.  The struggle out is painful and…

I believe you

My world stopped then started unwinding when my counselor told me these words.  I was told I was lying from the time I was very small until I thought it was true.  However, my counselor changed all that.  He believed me.  He listened to me.  He reminded me I was worth rescuing.  I’m thankful I…

Emotional Abuse

During counseling, my therapist defined several different types of abuse.  He wanted me to understand what it is and what it wasn’t.  One of the most difficult forms of abuse to define and recognize is emotional abuse.  It leaves no mark that I can point to, “See you hurt me there.”  I was raised with…

Go for it

Hardest thing for people with PTSD is to believe that there is anything left to give.  I felt used up. Worn out. Burned out. Down and out.  The thought there is anything more to give is sometimes hard to believe.  The moment I stood up for myself and decided there was more to life than…

Feeling Stupid

One of the more unpleasant emotions is feeling stupid.  Ever thought of that as an emotion?  It has to do with how you feel and it often motivates a person to quit, give up, hide, or feel inferior.  PTSD arranges many opportunities to feel stupid.  One of the ‘glitches’ of PTSD is a gap in…