Inline with unhelpful thinking styles, this thread expands some other viewpoints in regard to how a sufferer of PTSD may dramatise their thinking patterns to increase their anxiety levels. A little different spin opposed to the above mentioned thread, and more counselling orientated.

• Dichotomous Thinking - everything is seen in black and white terms, for example, I am either in control of whats happening to me or I am not.
• Over Generalization - expecting a uniform response from a category of people because of the misdeed of a member, for example, all men are rapists.
• Mental Filter - seizing on a negative fragment of the situation and dwelling on it, for example, I could have been killed in that encounter.
• Automatic Discounting - brushing aside the positive aspects of what was achieved in a trauma, for example, I was only doing my duty in saving the child.
• Jumping to Conclusions - assuming that it is known what others think, for example, they all think I should be better by now; it was six weeks ago after all.
• Magnification and Minimisation - magnification of shortcomings and minimisation of strengths, for example, since the trauma, I'm so irritable with the family and just about manage to keep going to work.
• Emotional Reasoning - focusing on emotional state to draw conclusions about oneself, for example, since it happened, I'm frightened of my own shadow, I guess I'm just a wimp.
• Should Statements - inappropriate use of moral imperatives "shoulds", "musts", "haves" and "oughts", for example, It's ridiculous that since the attack I now have to take my daughter with me shopping. I should be able to go by myself.
• Labelling and Mislabelling - for example, I used to think of myself as a strong person. I could handle anything, but since it happened I'm just weak.
• Personalisation - assuming that because something went wrong it must be your fault, for example, I keep going over my handling of the situation. I must have made a mistake somewhere for the child to have died.

Source: Counselling for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (third edition)

THE 12 STEPS OF INSANITY

1. We admitted we were powerless over nothing. We could manage our lives perfectly and we could manage those of anyone else that would allow it.

2. Came to believe that there was no power greater than ourselves, and the rest of the world was insane.

3. Made a decision to have our loved ones and friends turn their wills and their lives over to our care.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of everyone we knew.

5. Admitted to the whole world at large the exact nature of their wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to make others straighten up and do right.

7. Demanded others to either "shape up or ship out".

8. Made a list of anyone who had ever harmed us and became willing to go to any lengths to get even with them all.

9. Got direct revenge on such people whenever possible except when to do so would cost us our own lives, or at the very least, a jail sentence.

10. Continued to take inventory of others, and when they were wrong promptly and repeatedly told them about it.

11. Sought through nagging to improve our relations with others as we couldn't understand them at all, asking only that they knuckle under and do things our way.

12. Having had a complete physical, emotional and spiritual breakdown as a result of these steps, we tried to blame it on others and to get sympathy and pity in all our affairs.