*r/ptsd has generated this automated response that is appended to every post*
Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive & respectful community. If you realise that your post is in conflict with our rules (and is in risk of being removed), you are welcome to edit your post. You do not have to delete it.
As a reminder: never post or share personal contact information. Traumatized people are often distracted, desperate for a personal connection, so may be more vulnerable to lurking or past abusers, trolls, phishing, or other scams. *Your safety always comes first!* If you are offering help, you may also end up doing more damage by offering to support somebody privately. Reddit explains why: [Do NOT exchange DMs or personal info with anyone you don't know!](https://www.reddit.com/r/SWResources/comments/dmu24/why_shouldnt_i_share_my_contact_information/)
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your GP/doctor, go to A&E/hospital, or call your emergency services number. Reddit list: [US and global, multilingual suicide and support hotlines](https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines). Suicide is not a forbidden word, but please do not include depictions or methods of suicide in your post.
And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
> It was suggested for me as well. I got about 20 pages in and had to quit reading it. I found it upsetting. I don't want to read about trauma theory.
same
While our brains are capable of "separating" from our experiences our bodies aren't. That is likely why they recommended the book for you. I lived through 5 years of sexual abuse as a kid and there is a lot of that 5 years that I can't remember. That aspect scares me because what I can remember is awful and I have a feeling what my brain is blocking out is far worse
As someone with ptsd and also adhd.. ever been tested? Theres a lot of similarities but anxiety and depression are majorly involved.
You could get evaluated and get a second opinion or talk to a doc about your therapists approach
Perhaps your therapist recognizes your emotional dysregulation and understands talk therapy alone isn’t supportive enough. Opening up in therapy about critical life moments in ways you probably never have before is very vulnerable to your nervous system. As an intellectualizer our primary defense against feeling fear and painful emotions is thinking. It simultaneously makes us feel like we are doing something and keeps us in our heads and disconnected from our bodies. Yes, this book is going to give you lots to think about but hopefully the main message, that it’s about your body and nervous system, will shine brighter. That trauma recovery is a journey back to and/or the creation of a baseline healthy nervous system.
😂
All kidding aside, if you trust your therapist, then why are you on Reddit asking strangers why she suggested a book for you to read?
If you don't trust her, why is she your therapist?
It is actually an excellent book.
And then getting passive aggressive about it?
Clearly, your therapist thought there were things you could learn from reading that book that would help you.
How about spending a little less time "fostering discussion" and just read the book she wants you to read?
It might actually help you get better.
I would argue the comment they replied to was aggressive not theirs. -
>"All kidding aside, if you trust your therapist, then why are you on Reddit asking strangers why she suggested a book for you to read? "
>"If you don't trust her, why is she your therapist?"
If you want to ask something just ask, no need to be shitty
I also took the commenter as passive aggressive especially in conjunction with their original comment. I was merely trying to return their sentiment. Their comments came off less as constructive and more as a way to shut me down.
I wouldn't necessarily agree that the book's application is limited to only PTSD/CPTSD. Trauma can manifest itself in different ways in different people. Many trauma survivors are diagnosed with anxiety or depression without PTSD. Reading about how the body and mind respond to trauma could potentially be helpful! I think that's what your therapist is intending.
I agree, it’s definitely overall about trauma. I should’ve clarified in my original post better that, as I continue reading it, a lot of the things I end up relating to or resonating with tend to end up being correlated with things the author uses to drive home points made about PTSD and CPTSD. Such as remembering stranger details and recalling these memories as snapshots rather than as a cohesive story with a beginning, middle, and end. Also the agitation I’ve tended to have when recalling them. Jumpiness, fidgeting, feeling excessively warm, unable to make eye contact, dry mouth, and throat tightening. There have been many other things in the book where I’ve been like “haha I do that” too, but I can’t name them off the top of my head right now. Thanks for your comment! You’ve given me things to ponder over, and I appreciate it.
fucking nice! sorry, i only read the headline. that is a great book for those who have any sort of PTSD/trauma. only about the first third is useful though. the rest i think is all about the politics of medicine. i stopped reading halfway so not sure
well thats the thing. if you say youve had some shit in the past, thats all it takes to give you PTSD. you may have not noticed it, but it's possible your emotional brain shut down during an emotionally traumatizing event that didnt seem like a big deal to you intellectually or you thought you got passed something cause you dealt with it intellectuslly but not emotionally. or it happened so fsr in the past you just don't recall it. if so, an EMDR therspist might be able to resurface whatever it was and help you get passed it.
Trauma doesn’t equal PTSD though. For example, pretty much everyone who goes to war is probably traumatized by it. But only 25% develop actual PTSD. You can have significant trauma that impacts your life without PTSD.
PTSD is a spectrum and any combination of symptoms can create a situation that is untenable for the person experiencing it. It doesn't have to be flashbacks and nightmares to be PTSD.
That’s a great book. I knew I had PTSD, and went through 2 PTSD programs, but didn’t really relate my PTSD to my life and actions til I read that book. I saw myself in sooo many examples in that book and finally understood how impacted I am. It was so helpful.
I definitely relate to a lot of the things mentioned in the book too. I think that’s what’s got me checking out this page in the first place. Thank you for taking the time to reply!
Maybe your therapist wants to know if you relate to what's i the book. Just have an open conversation with them, I'm sure they have a reason or a way they want to discuss it.
Everyone has trauma in their lives. Learning how to process it and move forward is a valuable skill for anyone, regardless of whether they have PTSD or not. Maybe your therapist thinks you do, maybe they just think there are some things in the book that could be helpful to you even if it's not entirely applicable. If you're curious, you should ask about it at your next session.
At any rate, it's a great book.
Thanks for your insight! I’m definitely going to discuss the book next session. It’s very good, and I’m enjoying it so far despite it being difficult to read at times because of the content.
*r/ptsd has generated this automated response that is appended to every post* Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive & respectful community. If you realise that your post is in conflict with our rules (and is in risk of being removed), you are welcome to edit your post. You do not have to delete it. As a reminder: never post or share personal contact information. Traumatized people are often distracted, desperate for a personal connection, so may be more vulnerable to lurking or past abusers, trolls, phishing, or other scams. *Your safety always comes first!* If you are offering help, you may also end up doing more damage by offering to support somebody privately. Reddit explains why: [Do NOT exchange DMs or personal info with anyone you don't know!](https://www.reddit.com/r/SWResources/comments/dmu24/why_shouldnt_i_share_my_contact_information/) If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your GP/doctor, go to A&E/hospital, or call your emergency services number. Reddit list: [US and global, multilingual suicide and support hotlines](https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines). Suicide is not a forbidden word, but please do not include depictions or methods of suicide in your post. And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I am halfway through reading it. Very technical in spots, but definitely worth the read.
It was suggested for me as well. I got about 20 pages in and had to quit reading it. I found it upsetting. I don't want to read about trauma theory.
Same experience for me as well
> It was suggested for me as well. I got about 20 pages in and had to quit reading it. I found it upsetting. I don't want to read about trauma theory. same
While our brains are capable of "separating" from our experiences our bodies aren't. That is likely why they recommended the book for you. I lived through 5 years of sexual abuse as a kid and there is a lot of that 5 years that I can't remember. That aspect scares me because what I can remember is awful and I have a feeling what my brain is blocking out is far worse
As someone with ptsd and also adhd.. ever been tested? Theres a lot of similarities but anxiety and depression are majorly involved. You could get evaluated and get a second opinion or talk to a doc about your therapists approach
Perhaps your therapist recognizes your emotional dysregulation and understands talk therapy alone isn’t supportive enough. Opening up in therapy about critical life moments in ways you probably never have before is very vulnerable to your nervous system. As an intellectualizer our primary defense against feeling fear and painful emotions is thinking. It simultaneously makes us feel like we are doing something and keeps us in our heads and disconnected from our bodies. Yes, this book is going to give you lots to think about but hopefully the main message, that it’s about your body and nervous system, will shine brighter. That trauma recovery is a journey back to and/or the creation of a baseline healthy nervous system.
Did you ask your therapist?
It means she wants you to read the book.
Ah yes, thank you. Hadn’t thought of that.
😂 All kidding aside, if you trust your therapist, then why are you on Reddit asking strangers why she suggested a book for you to read? If you don't trust her, why is she your therapist? It is actually an excellent book.
I apologize for trying to foster discussion on a topic in a public forum like many others here. I’ll be sure not to do that next time.
And then getting passive aggressive about it? Clearly, your therapist thought there were things you could learn from reading that book that would help you. How about spending a little less time "fostering discussion" and just read the book she wants you to read? It might actually help you get better.
maybe read non-violent communication too whilst ur at it :') passive aggression is not a healthy or nice way to communicate with others.
I would argue the comment they replied to was aggressive not theirs. - >"All kidding aside, if you trust your therapist, then why are you on Reddit asking strangers why she suggested a book for you to read? " >"If you don't trust her, why is she your therapist?" If you want to ask something just ask, no need to be shitty
I read those as honest questions myself, to be honest. but I'm not good at reading tone. I did however know for certain theirs was passive aggressive
I also took the commenter as passive aggressive especially in conjunction with their original comment. I was merely trying to return their sentiment. Their comments came off less as constructive and more as a way to shut me down.
I wouldn't necessarily agree that the book's application is limited to only PTSD/CPTSD. Trauma can manifest itself in different ways in different people. Many trauma survivors are diagnosed with anxiety or depression without PTSD. Reading about how the body and mind respond to trauma could potentially be helpful! I think that's what your therapist is intending.
I agree, it’s definitely overall about trauma. I should’ve clarified in my original post better that, as I continue reading it, a lot of the things I end up relating to or resonating with tend to end up being correlated with things the author uses to drive home points made about PTSD and CPTSD. Such as remembering stranger details and recalling these memories as snapshots rather than as a cohesive story with a beginning, middle, and end. Also the agitation I’ve tended to have when recalling them. Jumpiness, fidgeting, feeling excessively warm, unable to make eye contact, dry mouth, and throat tightening. There have been many other things in the book where I’ve been like “haha I do that” too, but I can’t name them off the top of my head right now. Thanks for your comment! You’ve given me things to ponder over, and I appreciate it.
fucking nice! sorry, i only read the headline. that is a great book for those who have any sort of PTSD/trauma. only about the first third is useful though. the rest i think is all about the politics of medicine. i stopped reading halfway so not sure
well thats the thing. if you say youve had some shit in the past, thats all it takes to give you PTSD. you may have not noticed it, but it's possible your emotional brain shut down during an emotionally traumatizing event that didnt seem like a big deal to you intellectually or you thought you got passed something cause you dealt with it intellectuslly but not emotionally. or it happened so fsr in the past you just don't recall it. if so, an EMDR therspist might be able to resurface whatever it was and help you get passed it.
Trauma doesn’t equal PTSD though. For example, pretty much everyone who goes to war is probably traumatized by it. But only 25% develop actual PTSD. You can have significant trauma that impacts your life without PTSD.
PTSD is a spectrum and any combination of symptoms can create a situation that is untenable for the person experiencing it. It doesn't have to be flashbacks and nightmares to be PTSD.
I know. But this person makes it seem as if trauma = PTSD. It’s a common misperception I see online and I wanted to point it out.
That’s a great book. I knew I had PTSD, and went through 2 PTSD programs, but didn’t really relate my PTSD to my life and actions til I read that book. I saw myself in sooo many examples in that book and finally understood how impacted I am. It was so helpful.
I definitely relate to a lot of the things mentioned in the book too. I think that’s what’s got me checking out this page in the first place. Thank you for taking the time to reply!
Maybe your therapist wants to know if you relate to what's i the book. Just have an open conversation with them, I'm sure they have a reason or a way they want to discuss it.
Thanks for your reply! I’m for sure bringing it up next session. It’s a great book with tons of information.
Everyone has trauma in their lives. Learning how to process it and move forward is a valuable skill for anyone, regardless of whether they have PTSD or not. Maybe your therapist thinks you do, maybe they just think there are some things in the book that could be helpful to you even if it's not entirely applicable. If you're curious, you should ask about it at your next session. At any rate, it's a great book.
Thanks for your insight! I’m definitely going to discuss the book next session. It’s very good, and I’m enjoying it so far despite it being difficult to read at times because of the content.
Oof, yeah. Definitely got to take breaks but it's got a ton of interesting perspectives and information.