Sirius is partly correct, in that the old maxim of Rolls Royce chauffeurs was "brake hard when you're going hard". Its all about Kinetic energy. He is correct in that cars are steerable and can stop quicker than trains do. I think it takes 3 miles to stop an ocean liner is there is a man overboard.

Anyone that is involved in a death whether blameless or not, is going to be affected by it to some degree.

Indeed. Seeing someone die, or be seriously injured, right in front of your eyes, no matter whether or not you had any control over the situation, is traumatic all by itself. Twice in my life I have come across traffic accidents involving people I knew, shortly after they happened. In both cases I was one of the first on the scene, and in both cases all survived, but with serious injuries. In my daily travels I often pass the intersection where one of those incidents happened. Sometimes, out of the corner of my eye, even after 45 years, I see that little green Fiat Spyder impaled on the traffic light stancion. And I wonder if I could have done anything to prevent it, knowing full well that the answer is NO.

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

But we are concentrating a bit here on PTSD caused by incidents within the emergency services. PTSD can be caused by many traumas in private life as well.[/quote]

Quite true. I have seen a guy get hit by a car and watched him cartwheel thru the air while off duty. Ive seen a 3 year old girl get thrown out the back of a vans back window because she wasn't strapped in a car seat while the caregiver ran a red light, While off duty.
So Id say the average citizen gets to see some of the mayhem that happens.

Plus lets not forget domestic abuse. For the spouse and the kids who have to witness it. That's a hell I would not want to go through.

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[/quote]

Old James

And then there is my case.
Chased my brother by phone and car to try to help him some 38 years ago.
I still, I guess, have no solace for that.
He jumped off of a bridge moments before I got there, and hit the railroad tracks below.
And then the authorities took me to the morgue to do the 'positive identification' bit.

PTSD....I suppose I have it. And unrecoverably so. You cannot take those images of that day out of my mind, ever. Not until the day that the Lord above pulls the plug on my earthly existence.

And then, I hope to see and hold him again.
That is one of things that sustains me.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

And then there is my case.
Chased my brother by phone and car to try to help him some 38 years ago.
I still, I guess, have no solace for that.
He jumped off of a bridge moments before I got there, and hit the railroad tracks below.
And then the authorities took me to the morgue to do the 'positive identification' bit.

PTSD....I suppose I have it. And unrecoverably so. You cannot take those images of that day out of my mind, ever. Not until the day that the Lord above pulls the plug on my earthly existence.

And then, I hope to see and hold him again.
That is one of things that sustains me.

You do have PTSD. Is there a cure for it? I don't think so. I thinks its just accepting that you have to deal with it.
And yes those images will never go away. The bad part is they never fade either.

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[/quote]

Old James

You do have PTSD. Is there a cure for it? I don't think so. I thinks its just accepting that you have to deal with it.
And yes those images will never go away. The bad part is they never fade either.

No, they never have.
I just tuck them away in a place I try not to go to very often.
I do not dwell on those times and images. I just bring them up when the conversation turns to a point where I think it is relevant to bring it up again.
It really only comes up now every few years or so, I do not think of my brother's suicide often. There is no point in doing so, no satisfaction or relief.
I suspect that I'll have enough time to deal with it and discuss it with him when my Lord takes me home.
No need to dwell on it whilst I am here and it is in the past.

And I really did stop short of reposting all of the gory details of that day....
So, I guess I thought it not appropriate, because none of you really wants to hear that anyway.....so I guess, maybe I am making progress. Such as others may like to define.
Meow.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

I'm not sure there is "cure" as such for PTSD but I'm not a doctor. What I do understand is that with professional counselling, the effects of it can be minimised such that it doesn't take over and become a large proportion of peoples lives.

PTSD

PTSD 2

CBT

And I think that is professional bull.
There is no professional that can tell me what I already know.
And my confessing what I have here on the Seti forums has been all the therapy I need and having to be 'sitting on the couch' would burn my butt more than anything else.

I absolutely HATE professional analysts and anybody that thinks they are able to get inside my head by any means.
They are simply people that are trying to make a living capitalizing on other people's woes. Fakes. Farcists.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Like many things to do with the human brain and its processes there are many "cures". While one may work well for one person it could well be counter productive for another. Thus each of the various therapies has its role, but it is most definitely not a "one size fits all" - otherwise there wouldn't be so many!
I suppose the culture and environment during the formative years, along with the nature of the "trigger", its environment, culture etc all play a part in how well an individual responds to a particular therapy.
Looking from the outside it appears to me that many of these therapies assist in developing coping mechanisms.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Like many things to do with the human brain and its processes there are many "cures". While one may work well for one person it could well be counter productive for another. Thus each of the various therapies has its role, but it is most definitely not a "one size fits all" - otherwise there wouldn't be so many!
I suppose the culture and environment during the formative years, along with the nature of the "trigger", its environment, culture etc all play a part in how well an individual responds to a particular therapy.
Looking from the outside it appears to me that many of these therapies assist in developing coping mechanisms.

I have developed my own 'coping mechanisms' over the years.
One of which is copious consumption of alcohol.
Hey, works for me.......

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

But we are concentrating a bit here on PTSD caused by incidents within the emergency services. PTSD can be caused by many traumas in private life as well.

Quite true. I have seen a guy get hit by a car and watched him cartwheel thru the air while off duty. Ive seen a 3 year old girl get thrown out the back of a vans back window because she wasn't strapped in a car seat while the caregiver ran a red light, While off duty.
So Id say the average citizen gets to see some of the mayhem that happens.

Plus lets not forget domestic abuse. For the spouse and the kids who have to witness it. That's a hell I would not want to go through.

Roger wilco on that, been there, stopped that cold, amazing what a 12yr old that's nearly 5'11" can do...

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I'm not sure there is "cure" as such for PTSD but I'm not a doctor. What I do understand is that with professional counselling, the effects of it can be minimised such that it doesn't take over and become a large proportion of peoples lives.

PTSD

PTSD 2

CBT

And I think that is professional bull.
There is no professional that can tell me what I already know.
And my confessing what I have here on the Seti forums has been all the therapy I need and having to be 'sitting on the couch' would burn my butt more than anything else.

I absolutely HATE professional analysts and anybody that thinks they are able to get inside my head by any means.
They are simply people that are trying to make a living capitalizing on other people's woes. Fakes. Farcists.

Mark, your experience has been much different than mine, and some of my friends. There are professional counsellors out there who have been able to help us deal with our PTSD. Not cure it, but help us deal with it and move forward.

After my Mother died (of cancer, 5 months after my Father, who died from complications after a fall and hip-replacement surgery), I joined a grief support group run by the Hospice that helped care for my Mother. They didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about what was going on in my head, but they told me how their journey through the pain had gone, and what things I could try to manage it. And just knowing I as not alone on that path, that others had been there and done that, and come out the other side, helped a lot. That's why so many Combat Veterans prefer groups with fellow Combat Vets, and therapists who have also been there and done that, or at least have heard enough of the stories, and have enough empathy, to be able to relate to them (which is where I'm at).

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

In spite of my psychology education and degree, I have never sought professional help for dealing with my mother's illness, and part of this has to do with my shyness and my basic knowledge of therapy.

On the other hand, I have become estranged from a few friends because they don't understand what I am going through or my method of coping.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

If along the way you have lost a few friends then were they the friends you thought they were?

They are good friends to a point, but lacking in empathy because of their limited personal experiences with the sort of issues I have had, and fairly, this can be said for any of us.

strong minded individuals

Oh, and yes, in spite of my mother's frailness, she has a firm handshake as always. A very good friend of mine who visited us over New Year's commented specifically on it. :~)

---

The mind is a weird and mysterious place

There are those that clearly need to be helped, those that are willing to be helped, and sadly those that are not.

So far we have had those affected by this give their side, and those of us not affected give our thoughts upon trying to be supportive. What we really need is someone from the counselling side to get an overall balanced view.

I doubt that we would ever have that happen, But ones input would be nice to hear.
As Now im a lot older and supposedly wiser. I wish I had seeked out a support group after My second wife was killed in a car wreck. It would have saved me a lot of second guessing my emotions. And after talking with others who have suffered the death of a spouse. Emotions play a big part. They run the gamut. Nice to finally know that its normal.
And Don does bring up a great point. But with just one flaw. Yes its great talking with others who have been there and done that. The flaw part is, As just regular folks we don't know how to heal the hurt. That's where the Pro comes in.
But then Ive never been to one. Maybe I should have. It could have vastly sped the whole healing process up.

---

[/quote]

Old James

Sometimes it can be as simple as giving someone a ride to the Post Office or the Doctor or to the market or to fix a 2006 macbook, to find someone.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

In spite of my psychology education and degree, I have never sought professional help for dealing with my mother's illness, and part of this has to do with my shyness and my basic knowledge of therapy.

On the other hand, I have become estranged from a few friends because they don't understand what I am going through or my method of coping.

I can attest that it does help. My son has PTSD and while he was growing up his rages would get so bad that we had to call the police on him. I could only envision a life for him that was self destructive, and possibly turning to drug use as a emotional crutch.

We did find a counsellor that he was able to work with and he saw him on and off for years. He had been going out with a girl just as messed up as he was, and their relationship was not good. The counsellor helped him to see that. She did not have the support that he had from either a counsellor or her family. In fact it was only me and mum that she could talk to. Unfortunately when my son broke it off with her she became obsessive and I had to cut off contact with her to protect him. Last I herd she was addicted to crack and had become a prostitute. I still feel bad that I could not help her.

My son is now with an awesome girl who understands him and with all the help he has had he is a different person. More like the little boy I had before he was traumatised. He left home just before Christmas and is functioning very well. He is holding down a job and is happy, making plans for the future. I honestly never thought this would happen. It took a lot of work and a lot of support for him. I am so grateful to the counsellor that helped him and I honestly think my son would be dead or in jail if he had not had that help.

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Reality Internet Personality

Sometimes it can be as simple as giving someone a ride to the Post Office or the Doctor or to the market or to fix a 2006 macbook, to find someone.

From a Walking to A Now Riding, Go Fund Me Page.

I'm ACQUAINTED wif Dat!

Got Acquaintance?

Mega Yup to Da Yep Power.

---

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Some of what you people describe as PTSD sounds actually like Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) which is completely different than PTSD. Bipolar Disorder is inherent in you and would affect you growing up. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is a reaction to overwhelming trauma thrust upon you. Kids certainly can experience overwhelming trauma and have PTSD, such as being molested or having their family all die or whatever, but the trauma usually happens later so people don't usually grow up with it. The behaviors of both are much different. I hope you are not mixing up the two.
As an extra tidbit of info, did you know that people who were molested as children, and children of alcoholics both act the same way?

Some of what you people describe as PTSD sounds actually like Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) which is completely different than PTSD. Bipolar Disorder is inherent in you and would affect you growing up. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is a reaction to overwhelming trauma thrust upon you. Kids certainly can experience overwhelming trauma and have PTSD, such as being molested or having their family all die or whatever, but the trauma usually happens later so people don't usually grow up with it. The behaviors of both are much different. I hope you are not mixing up the two.
As an extra tidbit of info, did you know that people who were molested as children, and children of alcoholics both act the same way?

Most people here seem to know what triggered their trauma. So I don't know what you mean. Also, bi-polar disorder doesn't normally manifest until adulthood. You are also wrong about the effects of trauma on young people. They certainly do act it out, even if they (or those around them) don't know what the cause is.

This thread is not about judging people or 'correcting' them. It is about talking about their trauma. Try to be respectful of that.

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Reality Internet Personality

I can confirm that ES99 is correct when she says that Counselling made a world of difference for her son. I knew her for some years in the UK before she went to Canada and was around when it all started. Her son was lucky in that he had a mother and grandmother of above average intelligence, who were not only supportive but could see what needed to be done. And yes there were times when it was hard and the future looked bleak to say the least. It was a combination of strong family support and professional counselling that turned the corner into the result, we hear about today.
...

I appreciate your kind comments, Chris.

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Reality Internet Personality

Some of what you people describe as PTSD sounds actually like Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) which is completely different than PTSD. Bipolar Disorder is inherent in you and would affect you growing up. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is a reaction to overwhelming trauma thrust upon you. Kids certainly can experience overwhelming trauma and have PTSD, such as being molested or having their family all die or whatever, but the trauma usually happens later so people don't usually grow up with it. The behaviors of both are much different. I hope you are not mixing up the two.
As an extra tidbit of info, did you know that people who were molested as children, and children of alcoholics both act the same way?

I am not back, I am just visiting.
Mojo you could set health care and human understanding back generations
with your "Pop Corn" assessments of the condition and care for your fellow
man when they find themselves in crisis's. I am willing to bet that you have
never been truly stressed, or you were badly served by any who tried to help
you in the time of your greatest need at some point in your past. I could be wrong,
perhaps you are just some what ill-informed.
Please, don't tell me "all about it" I believe you could be doing very terrible
damage as it is with your latest exclamations. I would recommend a course of
study, or you could do what I did and volunteer at a crises center some time
in the future. Just try to conceder that some people in here are in pain, and they
should be able to rely on the rest of us to understand that.
Rant off!

edit:
Any time you speak you can hurt someone, try to think of that.....

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