In life when we are in pain, we reach for those things that comfort us. Whether it is our mothers, our pills or our drink. We all have ways of dealing with pain. For those of use with PTSD, you may be tempted to use alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling anything to distract yourself from the pain you feel.
These things are all temporary, of course. Many of the things we reach for can lead to bigger problems Problems that can actually make our lives harder to deal with. Alcohol, drugs, sex, and gambling can all lead to serious addictions. Addiction can and does have its own set of issues. Both physiological and physical issues can make it hard to start the healing process.
Now I am not saying not to get your drink on. But I am saying not to over indulge in anything to excess while you are trying to focus on healing the old wounds. I have gone down that road, the road of addiction. I have used alcohol, drugs and sex as a means of forgetting the pain. I have drank til the world went black, I have snorted lines til my nose ran red with blood. And the pain never left, it was there in the morning.
This doesn't mean that these things are bad. We just can not let them cover up what we need to handle first. Alcohol can help, drugs can be useful. Alcohol has a way of loosening lips, it has a way of breaking down the walls we have put in place. The walls that guard all those dark secrets we hide for the safety of the ones we love.
There are several studies out there doing work on whether or not certain drugs can aid in the treatment of PTSD. Some are promising, and others, I think others are just an excuse for people to legally do drugs. I am not a fan of drugs, in general, they alter the chemicals in your brain and can damage to certain functions of your brain. My thinking is this: My brain is already messed up with the memories I live with, why make it harder to heal by altering the way my brain functions.
There are things in life we reach for while in the thralls of pain. Never let those things become the source of more pain. You have PTSD because at some time in your life control was taken from you and you experienced real fear. Real terror. Take back control, and start healing. Never lie to yourself and say that the sex, drugs, or alcohol is helping you cope.
Learn coping mechanisms, open up, and be more honest. With yourself and with others.
These things are all temporary, of course. Many of the things we reach for can lead to bigger problems Problems that can actually make our lives harder to deal with. Alcohol, drugs, sex, and gambling can all lead to serious addictions. Addiction can and does have its own set of issues. Both physiological and physical issues can make it hard to start the healing process.
Now I am not saying not to get your drink on. But I am saying not to over indulge in anything to excess while you are trying to focus on healing the old wounds. I have gone down that road, the road of addiction. I have used alcohol, drugs and sex as a means of forgetting the pain. I have drank til the world went black, I have snorted lines til my nose ran red with blood. And the pain never left, it was there in the morning.
This doesn't mean that these things are bad. We just can not let them cover up what we need to handle first. Alcohol can help, drugs can be useful. Alcohol has a way of loosening lips, it has a way of breaking down the walls we have put in place. The walls that guard all those dark secrets we hide for the safety of the ones we love.
There are several studies out there doing work on whether or not certain drugs can aid in the treatment of PTSD. Some are promising, and others, I think others are just an excuse for people to legally do drugs. I am not a fan of drugs, in general, they alter the chemicals in your brain and can damage to certain functions of your brain. My thinking is this: My brain is already messed up with the memories I live with, why make it harder to heal by altering the way my brain functions.
There are things in life we reach for while in the thralls of pain. Never let those things become the source of more pain. You have PTSD because at some time in your life control was taken from you and you experienced real fear. Real terror. Take back control, and start healing. Never lie to yourself and say that the sex, drugs, or alcohol is helping you cope.
Learn coping mechanisms, open up, and be more honest. With yourself and with others.
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