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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kate_the_journalist! on August 23, 2011, at 16:39:16
Hi guys
I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia about six years ago. I got well, went back to Uni and graduated. However I am also suffering now from PTSD. Apparently the years I was ill, including scary stays in hospital, were so traumatic that I now have flashbacks of the events. It's really, really hard. These attacks are terrifying and I seem to spend my whole life curled up under my duvet feeling sick, in order to avoid facing the world.
Has anyone else had treatment for PTSD following psychosis? Or just PTSD therapy for anything for that matter? I would love to hear from you about your experiences. People keep saying it will get better soon (it got much worse at the beginning of the therapy). They say it has to get worse before it gets better! I'm hoping, fingers crossed.
Anyway would love to hear some of your stories.
Lots of love, kate x
Posted by mellow on August 23, 2011, at 17:59:37
In reply to PTSD following Schizophrenia, posted by kate_the_journalist! on August 23, 2011, at 16:39:16
I had a psychosis and hospital stay when I was 23. I still feel like I damaged goods at times. I struggle with the idea of being medicated. I sometimes have a really hard time with getting "stuck" in a negative place in my head. I think about the bad parts of my past. No particular event though. I've had a couple of flashback type episodes, but I think they may have been related to psychedelic drug use back in college.
Anyways welcome to babble. Please stick around. There are a lot of cool people around here. Unfortunatley a lot of new people post once and never come back. Hang out!
mellow
Posted by Phillipa on August 23, 2011, at 18:59:47
In reply to Re: PTSD following Schizophrenia, posted by mellow on August 23, 2011, at 17:59:37
Yes Mellow is right please stick around. Phillipa
Posted by floatingbridge on August 24, 2011, at 1:56:34
In reply to PTSD following Schizophrenia, posted by kate_the_journalist! on August 23, 2011, at 16:39:16
Hi Kate. I think the experience of mental illness and hospitalizations can trigger PTSD. Once triggered, it seems the PTSD response can become activated more easily, too. Unfortunately.
I am just starting therapy for PTSD. We expect to do some EMDR. There are strategies for working with trauma so as not to 'retraumatize' the client. Going slow and both therapist and client applying the brakes in therapy rather than plunging too deep too quickly is a big factor.
Welcome. I look forward to more posts from you. And I am very willing to share whatever I might experience along the
way.
Posted by Christ_empowered on August 24, 2011, at 8:43:26
In reply to Re: PTSD following Schizophrenia » kate_the_journalist!, posted by floatingbridge on August 24, 2011, at 1:56:34
I'm in a similar situation. I've been hospitalized twice. After the first hospitalization, doctors said it was narcissism and went around my small, southern town talking about my confidential information.
The second hospital stay revealed significant brain damage and something my shrink called "transcendent intelligence," which I guess means being able to function despite having a fried brain. Awesome.
Anyway, I've found that it really isn't the kind of therapy you have that matters--its the relationship with your therapist/counselor. I had a great counselor before I moved back to my hometown, and even though we didn't specifically address my "trauma," the relationship itself proved to be helpful and therapeutic.
Do you still take medication for psychosis? Those medications can help with PTSD symptoms, too. I've just started Lamictal in addition to my Abilify, and this combination seems (so far; I'm only at 50mgs Lamictal daily at this point) to be helping with my anxiety and voices I hear.
Spirituality helps me, too. I don't know your spiritual/religious background, but mine is Christian. I found that forgiving those who had wronged me and focusing on the present and future helped tremendously.
Posted by Bob12 on August 24, 2011, at 15:37:41
In reply to Re: PTSD following Schizophrenia, posted by Christ_empowered on August 24, 2011, at 8:43:26
Kate,
Sorry I did not notice you posted to a new thread.
I also have PTSD from a hospitalization for psychosis and paranioa in 2001, 10 years ago.
I take zyprexa, and a small dose of ativan, and am basically waiting for a better med to come out.
I also was a journalist in university. I was doing ok until I was 26, and already had graduated college.
I hope you recover soon.
Bob12
Posted by creepy on August 28, 2011, at 20:31:01
In reply to PTSD following Schizophrenia, posted by kate_the_journalist! on August 23, 2011, at 16:39:16
I havent had treatment for psychosis, but I was institutionalized after some bad abuse at home. That gave me PTSD,on top of the trauma from the initial abuse.
I found that zoloft and topamax seem to work the best at preventing attacks so far. Therapy should be the best bet. Traditional talk therapy, EMDR, maybe DBT would be helpful?
Your doc should be very wary of letting you experience only as much of it as you can manage, and making sure you are in good shape at the end of each session.
This is the end of the thread.
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