PTSD and Dissociation

 

Dissociation is a 50-cent word that means "disconnection," and PTSD can definitely make us feel disconnected from ourselves. Many times when we dissociate we don't realize we are doing it, and it is often brought to our attention by others who see us "in a trance" or "somewhere else."  

This disconnection can look different to everyone. Here's some common examples:

• An "out of body experience" as if we are watching ourselves from the outside
• Like we are on "autopilot" 
• Intense emotions that feel like they come out of "nowhere" 
• Feeling sad or anxious “for no reason"
• Inability to remember what we did for a period of time
• Feeling emotionally or physically numb
• Being told by others that we look like we go into a "trance" or "somewhere else"
• Disconnection from physical surroundings
• Feeling like the world does not feel "real" (or feeling like we are in a dream or in a movie)
• Unintentional dissociation while doing another task, like driving or working
• Not recognizing ourselves in the mirror
• Confusion

Dissociation is generally linked back to trauma. It’s our brain's way of trying to cope through avoidance, and is an expected symptom of PTSD.  

So let's talk about how to cope with dissociative episodes. This means that we will be working to reduce "spacing out" and help ourselves be more mindful in general. We will focus on being in the present moment.  

Mindfulness Tools 

Controlled Breathing. My favorite tool is called "box breathing" and here is a 2-minute video to help. For this, we will breathe in, hold the breath, breathe out, and hold the breath again. The Navy Seals reportedly do this, and you can, too - here is an article to show you how.

Mindfulness Task. Every one of us probably has one task at work or home that we do mindlessly, like washing the dishes or preparing something. For this task, be intentional and notice how your body feels and take your time to pay close attention to physical sensations throughout your body. While doing this simple task mindfully...

Use Your Five Senses. Name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell and 1 thing you taste. You can do this during your mindfulness task. This video is helpful to get started.

Journal. Try to recall your day in detail and make a point to notice any dissociations that may have occurred during the day. Then try to remember any thoughts or emotions you experienced before, during, or after the dissociative episode. Perhaps you experienced a trigger before the episode or you recognized you were dissociating while you were doing it. Learning to recognize these episodes is the first step

Remember, the goal is not to clear your mind or stop thinking, but it is to become more aware of our thoughts and feelings rather than getting lost in them. There is no such thing as a "drive through breakthrough" so be easy on yourself during this process. It's about progress, not perfection.

*****

“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 PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

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

Veterans Day weekend Buddy Check

 

Team, this weekend is going to be hard. It's Veterans Day weekend and our Facebook feeds will be full of pictures and tributes to those we've lost to combat and to suicide. And it is hard. I'm not here to force-feed you some rah-rah message about how life can change; I'm here to stand with you - because this weekend consistently sucks every single year and we need each other right now. 

Please do your buddy checks this weekend, and nag the shit out of the people you love. Make sure they are okay! Having people who care for us and believe in us can can make all the difference in our ability to cope with and recover from difficult events.

I've never met a combat Vet who lost more buddies to war than they did to suicide, and that's not okay. Rather than doing 22 push-ups, I encourage you to pick up the phone and call someone to check in. 

If you learn that your battle buddy is in trouble, here's how to get help: call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 or send a text to 838255. You can text the crisis line while you are on the phone. Ask you buddy where they are located, who is with them, and whether or not they have a weapon. Pass this info on to the crisis line; they will send emergency services. 

I know that no one wants to piss off their buddy, but no one wants another dead buddy either - so choose your battles. The single most loving thing anyone ever did for me personally was stage an all-out intervention; it saved my life. 

Please consider sharing this info. Thanks, Team - stay safe out there.

TL;DR: call your battle buddy, and if they need it, get them help!

AND YOU - if you're in this head space, talk to someone now - like right now. Call your buddy, call the crisis line, do whatever it takes to hang on until this feeling passes because the world would not be better off without you.

*****

“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 PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

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

Strategic Resilience for Mental Health

 

A person's mental and emotional well-being is essential for a healthy life. When individuals struggle with mental illness or substance abuse, it profoundly affects all aspects of their lives and the people they care about.

When discussing mental health, another term often arises: resilience. We discussed this concept last week when we dispelled the myth that those with PTSD are "not resilient."

Resilience is not an innate quality; it is developed through facing challenges and overcoming adversity throughout one's lifetime. However, being resilient does not mean that a person is immune to difficulties or distress in their life. It means that they have the ability to adapt in the face of trauma, tragedy, and threats.

Remember that word, adapt. It’s a verb, an action word. It means we have to do something.

To promote resilience, we have to develop protective factors like exercise, a healthy diet, a healthy sleep schedule, good communication, and most important of them all, a healthy support network. 

We may not always be able to sleep eight hours, stick to a healthy diet, or maintain a good schedule at the gym. Life happens when we make our best plans, so those can’t be the only strategies we turn to. 

Resilience is active, right? So we need to move to the next item on our list. A healthy support network.

When we’re struggling and in need of help, we have to communicate our needs. And that’s where having a healthy support network comes in. There’s not enough sleeping or eating right in the world that is going to fortify a person against the effects of trauma. To borrow a phrase, “it takes a village.” 

When there are people ready and willing to step in and help (peers, partners, friends, and/or family), you are better able to cope with difficult situations. Social support has been shown to reduce our level of stress during troubling situations. And knowing someone “has your back” creates the opening to do the hardest thing possible. It allows you to be open and ask for help when you need it.

Remember, resilience isn’t “toughing it out through the worst situations”. It’s having a strategy and support system in place...and using it when you need it.

*****

“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 PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

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