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An Introduction by
Michael J. Cain Presented to:
USSOCOM Care Coalition Recovery Program – Mentor Training Session
6-7 Nov, 2009
[email protected] ©2009 Michael J. Cain
Fatigue ● Nausea ● Chest pain ● Twitches, ticks ● Insomnia ● Nightmares ● Breathing problems ● Irritability ● Nervousness Muscle tremors ● Grinding teeth ● Constantly cold ● Uncontrollable shaking ● Profuse sweating ● Pounding heart ● Forgetfulness ● Never hungry ● Headaches/migraines ● Weight gain or loss ● Chronic pain
Pacing ● Restless ● Emotional Outbursts ● Social Phobia ● Suspicious Paranoia ● Inability to rest ● Inability to sleep ● Loss of interest in hobbies ● Increased alcohol/drug use ● Suicidal thoughts ● Cover-up/lying ● Compulsive ● Poor judgment ● Arrive late to gatherings (so no one can come up behind you) ● No trust in others ● Poor time management ● Continuous mission mode ● Driving erratically ● Obsessive ● Financial issues unstable ● Communication problems No organization ● No follow through ● Barricading yourself so no one can enter your comfort zone ● Fighting
Anxiety ● Panic ● Guilt ● Fear ● Confusion ● Denial ● Irritability ● Depression ● Intense anger ● Agitation ● Withdrawal ● Poor self-esteem ● Hyper-vigilance ● Feeling of being alone ● Feeling accused ● Difficulty concentrating ● Nightmares ● Flashbacks ● Phobias about unfamiliar people ● Survivor guilt ● Feeling a need to have pain to remember those fallen ● Apprehension
Medical and mental health professionals do not know why some people have PTSD reactions to traumatic situations and other people don’t. We do know that it does NOT say anything about the strength or character of the person suffering. Again, there is no relationship between how strong a person is and these symptoms; many people who are brave or strong end up with PTSD symptoms after going through a traumatic experience. -Blue Star Mothers of America
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) defines a trauma as:
The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were present:
• The person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others
• The person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
Journaling is a telling of events on paper, with the goal of being able to “look” at them
Journaling is a written expression of emotions Journaling is a tool that can help to reveal
valuable insights about yourself
Select a tool Bound book Loose leaf binder or spiral bound notebook (to
facilitate removal) Computer software
Find a private place to write where you won’t be interrupted
Choose a time that isn’t going to conflict with everyone around you, so they can leave you alone.
Just write, don’t worry about language, grammar or style
Don’t try to justify or explain your thoughts, just get them on paper
Don’t be afraid to go off on a tangent Focus on thoughts and feelings
Use all your senses—describe colors, sounds, odors, tastes, textures
Consider what may have changed in your life since the experience –or in the world around you
Write about what you have learned. Ask yourself: What in your life is more
important now than before? What is less important? What caused the changes?
Regularly Daily or weekly is not as important as
consistency Time of day should be what fit’s best into your
schedule and lifestyle; there is no “best” time There is no “bad” time either, write when you
feel the need, even if it’s outside your regular schedule
After PT – you’ll be clear headed with loads of endorphins flowing
After a road trip – Use the travel time to let your mind wander, then take time when you arrive to make notes in your journal
A journal will not judge you Journaling helps organize your thoughts to help you
understand not only how a thing happened, but why Expressing emotions, even on paper, helps with the
processing of memories Seeing the narrative description of an event can make
everything more clear Journal writing allows you to face up to difficult topics,
without the uncertainty and frustration associated with talking about it in the presence of others
This is private – only you should make the decision to share your work
Don’t expect immediate results – this is a process – positive results will follow as your comfort level increases
Remind yourself that you control the process If you feel compelled to share what you write, that
will affect how you write and perhaps reduce the effectiveness
If you’ve written something that you’re concerned about, don’t be afraid to destroy it and come back to it later – you’re not destroying the memory, just the written record of it Going beyond your comfort level can be harmful
and counter-productive This isn’t about making other people feel
better, it’s about making you feel better
Writing about a stressful event helps you to break down memories to component parts thereby enabling you to make better sense of them and making them more manageable
Writing allows you to gain control and understanding
Besides serving as a stress-coping mechanism, writing produces many physiological benefits. Research shows that it improves memory and sleep, and even speeds healing after surgery
If there is something that you’d like to tell a loved one, or a friend, but can’t because of risk of embarrassment or some other concern, express it on paper - then consider whether to share what you’ve written by: Handing it to them Reading it to them Talking about it with your journal as a guide
Write for yourself; there’s no need to share what you’ve written with anyone
Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are not important
Writing is beneficial, but it is not a substitute for action – work on a plan
And finally, bear in mind that this may be uncomfortable, even painful at times, but writing about your thoughts and feelings keeps you in control. Become a master of your thoughts, not a slave to them.
The people who love you may not understand what you’ve been through, but they do care about you – they want to help you – you can help them understand how they can do that by getting a better grip on it yourself