PTSD

@presherw

I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling with PTSD. It sounds like you've been through a lot, and it's hard to talk about; it's normal to feel depressed and shut down when you've dealt with very difficult experiences like that. I'm not sure exactly what your triggers are, but there's not necessarily one magical way to deal with triggers; you would have figured it out by now if there was a magical cure!

Some people can deal with triggers by taking a moment to sit down and then immerse yourself in thinking about the experience and writing down or telling someone verbally that you trust the deep, painful details of what you saw, what you felt, and experienced. This might seem counterintuitive at first, and in the moment, it will feel painful, exhausting, and haunting, but afterward, it can be very relieving for some people and make you feel more at peace with what happened.

Other people take on relaxing hobbies, like meditation, yoga, painting, and journaling, or they jog or walk outside to soothe their soul and make you feel less set off when triggers do come up.

If triggers do come up in the moment, focusing on something like counting numbers, clouds, objects, etc. or breathing deeply in and out and focusing on your breath can really help.

You can also try reminding yourself of things in the present to help ground yourself and note objects or people in your surroundings that remind you that you're not in the past, reassuring yourself you're safe repeatedly (by repeating the phrase in your head or quietly out of loud) and that you don't have to worry. This might sound silly, but it could be worth trying, and if it doesn't help, it doesn't help, and there are other things that you could possibly do. More information could be found through verified psychiatrists or mental health professionals on Youtube or online articles, but I hope what I said helps and am truly wishing you the best!