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Hi Richard and welcome. Glad you found the site. CBT is one of the best therapies for anxiety and stress related disorders. I hope you stick around and post often. My first husband was a marine and experienced Vietnam.
I have been away from the forum for a few days and just read you post...I want to say Welcome Home and welcome to the program and support group..I also suffer with PTSD and the anxiety and agoraphobia that seems to be part of it for me...
My husband suffered with Ptsd, and later dementia, from his time in service during the Vietnam conflict. Three tours Marine Corp. reconnaissance..He and I went through it together. This program has helped me a great deal as it relates to these issues..I am sure it can help you to..I am go glad you found us and that you are here....
It is interesting the difference between physical fatigue and mental fatigue. When you have to bull through something physical there is always the option of rest or sleep after. But when you do it mentally there is no where to go. Sleep or rest seldom help because all they do is let your guard down. Now if you combine the two together it gets even worse.
Medication works by allowing your mind and body to rest. But unfortunately it doesn't cure anything. The thought being in your memory will come back. CBT on the other hand changes how you look at the thought. It doesn't really change it so much as make it unavailable.
(like hazardous waste you can contain it so it is harmless but not really get rid of it.) (not a good example because we know it can be changed to something else, nuclear waste would be more appropriate.) As you go through the program you will come across things like "triggers" and "core beliefs" and ways to deal with them. The reason there are no eureka moments that cure us instantly is because even with them (there will be some) it still takes time to recondition the mind to this new way of thinking. A bit like combat manoeuvres. If you do the same thing over and over you will do it automatically without thought when you have to. This is part of the exposure technique that you will do also. Unfortunately it also works for the negative. So the plan is to use all the resources here to bury all that negative thought with positive so deep that when you reach for it you can't find it.
But before you can do this you need relaxation and coping skills. These are your backup for when it gets tough. These are what let you coast through panic instead of having to bull through it. These are what you automatically use subconsciously when you need them. All of this is called "recovery" and it takes time. But since this is an acquired condition not a disease it is entirely possible to recover. I'm proof of that, so are some others here. Some have moved on and I can only presume that they have recovered to the point they are functional.
Here with you on this journey. To help in any way I can.
When a person of your courage, who served so we can have the safe society we have, maybe even to heal and live normal lives...I have to say I feel humbled.
Davit, I appreciate your words of wisdom and advice. I am proud to take this ride with you, thanks for being there and the support given thus far. I have to find a way to make it through this. My problem is, I grit it and make it through these level 10 panic attacks on an almost daily basis (combat mentality), i refuse to quit... but it is taking a toll on me, it is just getting real old. I think myself into these situations it seems and let my thoughts run away and create the panic all by myself. Anyway I am rambling, heres to tomorrow being a better day...again Davit Thank You
For lack of a better word to describe it agoraphobia in a lot of circles has been changed to a fear of not having control rather than a fear of open spaces because it seems that is more in line with what happens. The answer and this works for all agoraphobia situations is putting the control back with you. Eg. It is my decision to leave the house. It is my decision to drive. It is my decision to use this road. See this takes the power from the panic and puts it back with you. So thinking this way and using some simple things to distract you and keep your mind off panic will allow you to get through it. Once you do this a few times you will believe that it really is your decision and there is absolutely no reason to panic. It really does work, you just have to believe it does. I used to have a terror of stores. Not anymore. I now say, I'm going to the store, not I have to go to the store. Positive over negative.
Thanks again everyone, sometimes just having someone reply and a post to read helps...I just returned home after driving my boys to cub scouts and had a panic attack on the freeway, but I made it. It was a rough one, but I used some tools from the toolbox and made it. wish me luck, I have to take them again tomorrow. Thanks again Richard
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