Sunday, August 14, 2022

Thinking of Suicide? Read This First

Suicidal thoughts are an unbelievably normal part of PTSD. Normal doesn't mean that they are pleasant; it just means that we can expect this with PTSD - and we need to talk about it because it is the norm and not the exception. 

Listen, I am not trying to read you. I’ve experienced this myself and I’ve literally heard this a thousand times with clients. 

But if you’re feeling this way right now, put everything away and read this: Suicide: the Forever Decision by Paul G. Quinnett, PhD. It’s available for free in PDF and there are several places to download the PDF for free. Dr. Quinnett was brilliant, and I highly recommend it. It saved my life.

You are important - your life is important. If you are looking for a sign, here it is: please reach out.

Also, let's remember our friends at the Veterans Crisis Line. They are there to help and they care. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 or text 838255. You can also call 911 or go straight to the emergency room. 

Bottom line is that once we're better, we can reach out to get the help we need. 

We want to hear from you and value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSDThe Soldier's Workbook

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Thursday, August 11, 2022

The 11th: Buddy Check Day

 

The 11th day of each month is Buddy Check Day reminding us to check in with other veterans. By getting in touch with others, we can enjoy camaraderie, check on each other’s well-being, and maybe even connect another veteran with a service they can use.


Buddy Check can be as simple as picking up the phone, talking, texting, or visiting.


Buddy Check Day is a great opportunity for veterans to connect with each other, and for other community members to reach out and connect with veterans.


It promotes camaraderie and connectedness. It also serves as an opportunity to educate folks on issues that are relevant to veterans across Texas and to educate folks on the services that are available to veterans.


We value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSDThe Soldier's Workbook

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Friday, August 5, 2022

What is the DSM?

Fact: there is one only one way to get an official PTSD diagnosis, and that’s with a licensed clinician who knows their DSM-5. There is an updated version called the DSM-5-TR - the "TR" stands for "text revision."

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Version Five, is a big purple book that should be on your therapist’s bookshelf with the title DSM-5 or DSM-5 on the spine. The version five came out in 2013, and this is important for you to know in case you got a diagnosis before 2013 - the clinical definition of PTSD changed significantly from version four to version five. 

The DSM-5 is the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of all mental disorders. It contains descriptions, symptoms, and criteria for diagnosis. I am stomping my foot for a reason: if I had a nickel for every client I’ve seen who said their base psych didn’t diagnose them with PTSD because they did not score high enough on a “test,” I’d have three or four bucks. There is no “PTSD test;” you have to have a no-kidding come-to-Jesus sit-down with a mental health professional. It takes time and effort. You have to choose to be radically authentic with the clinician, and the clinician has to know their DSM-V. Hence, there are a lot of misdiagnoses out there. 

Bottom line is that we all deserve to get our lives back, so find a clinician who understands your diagnosis.

What worked for you to get a proper diagnosis? We value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSDThe Soldier's Workbook

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD