:cuckoo: My sentiments exactly many a time....I think that's the hardest thing for me at times.....Sometimes I don't know how I keep going.....Just do....maybe that's the Miracle of Life.....GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

My therapist has said this same quote many times. And it is so true.


Because there is more to life than just the pain. If all we saw was pain, then that would be all we knew and we wouldn't be here working and striving for something better. We'd have nothing to compare our worst points to. How can you work for something different if you know no different? Obviously all of us have been happy, have felt good about life and have felt good about ourselves in some way, shape or form in the past because we're fighting to get back there.

I read again and again here 'short term pain for long term gain'. When I was dealing with my traumas, I mean really pulling and digging, I felt horrible. I was in constant physical, mental and emotional pain. I felt like crawlig into a hole and staying there. I kept pushing and pushing because I trusted the ones that are here that had been where I was at that point who said, 'You can do it. It will hurt like hell, but you can do it.' I know I have a ways to go, but it's more along the lines of maintenance for what I have done and learned. A fine tuning for me and my family to learn to to live with PTSD. I know I have dealt with so much stuff and the worst part for me is over. I have proven to myself that it can be done.

There's a commercial for hair color in which the catch phrase is 'Because I'm worth it'. I don't know how many times when I was going through rough patches and wanted to just quit that I would tell myself to keep going 'because I was worth it'. Sounds corny, but it worked. Reminding myself that I was worth going through the pain and the hurt of dealing with my traumas. That's some powerful stuff. My family, my friends and people I care about all figured into the picture, but the biggest part was for me. Maybe it was self-love, maybe it was self-preservation, maybe it was wanting to get away from the pain and back to a better place. Maybe all three. I don't know. But I do know that I had to make the decision to fight for me.

Lisa

Lisa,

You as so right. When I really started my journey to healthiness(as I call it) there were days that I just didn't want to face another thing. Times when I just wanted to give it all up, because the pain of facing things was too great. My therapist pushed me harder then, and I would push back, which gave me the incentive to fight even harder to beat the BEAST of PTSD.....

He told me in the begining that the journey to recovery was worse than any job in real life I could take on. That there would be days that I would be so emotionally drained that just thinking would hurt. He was right.

He also told me that it would get better. Times in between my flashbacks would lessen, my depression would lift, triggers would and could be managed, and that my life would become easier.

He taught me coping skills, how to destress, sleep techniques, daily mantras to keep me on lifting my self esteem, exercises to work on setting boundaries, and how to work on my anger, and letting go of things that held me back from moving forward.

It can be done, and EVERYONE is capable of making it. Everyone is capable of beating :fight:the Beast of PTSD!!!!!!!

Hugs,

She cat

You are so optomistic, good for you, you will probably do well, just keep it up. I am not doing well so I will keep my self hate and loathing to myself for now.

No one should hate themselves for being a victim. I know how hard it is to overcome this too. Being a victim of my own family and a living hell, I do know how hard it can be.

Please don't hate yourself....You are a valuable person.(even if you don't think so) We are survivors, we are strong people that have climb through the hell to get where we are today. Don't ever give up on you, because if you do.....Then the creeps that did this to you win....THEY aren't worthy of the title of winner.. YOU ARE!!!!!!

Keep fighting........For YOU!!!!!

She Cat