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PTSD: Can’t Stop Purposely Triggering Myself

April 27, 2016 02:00

PTSD: Can’t Stop Purposely Triggering Myself

I was raped when I was nine years old. The abuse I suffered lasted for several months, but I have only a handful of memories, like brief flashes, and some of them are not even visual. I am so mad at myself for not being able to remember more, it makes me feel like maybe I’m making the whole thing up. I also hate that when I think of my abuse directly, I mostly feel numb. Replaying the memories in my head doesn’t upset me, I feel nothing at all. My problem is that I am obsessed with rape. I can’t stop compulsively seeking out movies and tv shows with rape in them. I don’t get pleasure from this, instead it’s like a form of self-harm. I get so hysterically upset from watching rape scenes, they give me what I call “emotional flashbacks” where I feel like it’s happening to me now, and I can feel all of the emotions that I felt during my own rape. I don’t know why I do this because it hurts me so much, and it takes hours to recover from. It’s like I need to trigger myself with these scenes and feel these things in order to prove to myself that my experiences were real, since my memories are so pathetic and easy to doubt. I usually feel so numb about my abuse, triggering myself like this is the only way I can make myself feel. I can’t stop, I think about rape all the time, it’s always in the back of my mind, and whenever I hear about a rape scene in a movie, I look it up right away, even though I know that doing so will hurt me. Why do I do this? What’s wrong with me? (age 24, from UK)

A:  I’m so sorry that you were sexually abused as a young child. As you know all too well, it can have devastating (and confusing) effects. I think that you are correct in thinking that you have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and I hope that you have sought professional counseling to help you deal with the effects of the abuse. I would suggest that you seek a therapist who specializes in treating trauma and who has training in EMDR, a technique that has been proven to be very effective in treating PTSD.

Your excessive focus on watching rape scenes is most likely a form of self-harm, like you suspect, but also just a self-created coping skill to help you feel. If you feel numb most of the time, it can sometimes take extreme measures to break through that protective shield. And the fact that you have some missing or vague memories of your trauma is quite normal, don’t force yourself to dwell on these missing pieces, but put your energy into healing and getting your life back. I have worked with many sexual abuse survivors and I can promise you that if you do the work, with the help of a trained therapist, it does get better.

All the best,

Dr. Holly Counts

Virtual Reality Therapy Controlled Study for War Veterans with PTSD. Preliminary Results.

April 27, 2016 02:00

Virtual Reality Therapy Controlled Study for War Veterans with PTSD. Preliminary Results.

http:--ebooks.iospress.nl-content-imagesRelated Articles

Virtual Reality Therapy Controlled Study for War Veterans with PTSD. Preliminary Results.

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2009;144:269-72

Authors: Gamito P, Oliveira J, Morais D, Oliveira S, Duarte N, Saraiva T, Pombal M, Rosa P

Abstract

More than 30 years after signing truces, there are still around 20,000 Portuguese war veterans that fill PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) diagnose criteria. Despite many of them attending therapy, the outcome is not cheerful. In this way, a research protocol was devised to investigate the opportunity of adopting virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to reduce PTSD symptomathology. This protocol consists on a controlled study (VRET vs. traditional psychotherapy vs. waiting list), where in the VRET condition patients will be graded by being exposed to a virtual reality jungle scenario. The activating episodes, that are comprised of three cues (ambush, mortar blasting and waiting for injured rescue), are repeated 3 times each session. The cues’ intensity and frequency increase from session to session. Patients are exposed to the VR world through a HMD (Head Mounted Display). This paper reports on the ongoing research where 4 VRET patients that filled CAPS DSM-IV PTSD criteria were assessed at pretreatment and at the middle of treatment (5th session). Results from IES and SCL-90R dimensions showed no statistical significant differences between assessments, with exception to obsession-compulsion dimension of SCL-90R (F(1;3)=21.235; p<.05), indicating a decrease in obsessive thoughts. However, through descriptive analysis, it was observed a reduction in all IES and SCL-90R dimensions, except for hostility and psychoticism of SCL-90R.

PMID: 19592779 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

What happened to harmonization of the PTSD diagnosis? The divergence of ICD11 and DSM5.

April 27, 2016 02:00

What happened to harmonization of the PTSD diagnosis? The divergence of ICD11 and DSM5.

Related Articles

What happened to harmonization of the PTSD diagnosis? The divergence of ICD11 and DSM5.

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2013 Sep;22(3):205-7

Authors: Bisson JI

Abstract

The development of ICD11 and DSM5 was seen as an opportunity to harmonize the two major classification systems for mental disorders. The proposed ICD11 and DSM5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD are markedly different. The implications of this remain to be seen, but have the potential to cause confusion to PTSD sufferers, clinicians, researchers and others impacted on by the condition.

PMID: 23601348 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Judge Sends War Vet with PTSD to Jail, Then Joins Him – LawNewz

April 27, 2016 01:55

Judge Sends War Vet with PTSD to Jail, Then Joins Him – LawNewz


Globalnews.ca

Judge Sends War Vet with PTSD to Jail, Then Joins Him
LawNewz
Though Serna left the Army, he suffered from PTSD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, sufferers face a wide range of problems: They experience flashbacks of traumatic events, have terrible dreams, may feel intense guilt, no longer …
Concerned about veteran with PTSD, judge orders him to jail and serves the time with himABA Journal
Judge shares cell to help decorated veteran with PTSD in N.C.Tribune-Review
N.C. judge spends night in jail to help former soldier with PTSDGlobalnews.ca
Above the Law –Chicago Tribune –Minnesota Public Radio News (blog)
all 34 news articles »

DEA gives approval to Colorado-funded study on marijuana and PTSD – Colorado Springs Gazette

April 27, 2016 01:55

DEA gives approval to Colorado-funded study on marijuana and PTSD – Colorado Springs Gazette


Military Times

DEA gives approval to Colorado-funded study on marijuana and PTSD
Colorado Springs Gazette
The go-ahead from the Drug Enforcement Administration is the first time that the agency has given permission to use raw marijuana in a placebo-controlled clinical trial on PTSD, according to the study’s supporters. Researchers in three states worked …
DEA approves PTSD marijuana studyMilitary Times
Will The DEA Legalize Marijuana Across America If PTSD Study Shows ‘Acceptable Medical Use’?The Inquisitr
DEA greenlights marijuana study to measure pot’s effect on PTSDWashington Times
Daily Caller
all 28 news articles »

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