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Gift From Within - PTSD Questions & Answers with Frank Ochberg, M.D.

PTSD: Definition of PTSD How Common, Who Gets PTSD? Is PTSD a normal event? Does PTSD Affect The Brain? Duration Pregnancy Delayed Onset PTSD PTSD Tip Sheet for your Doctor Medications for PTSD Distinguishing PTSD from BPD Generalized Anxiety Disorder Can the Wounds of PTSD Heal? Complex/Chronic PTSD: CPTSD Explanation Long Term Prognosis & Complex PTSD PTSD vs. CPTSD Managing Past Intense Feelings Overcoming Complex PTSD PTSD Symptoms: Anger and Brain Injury Anger Flashbacks Loneliness Feelings Of Loss And Sense Of Self Anxiety Numbing Re-Traumatization Differences bet. Depression, Dysthemia, Major Depression Depression vs. Sadness and Grief Biological Depression Memory Loss Triggers and Body Sensations PTSD & Facial Tics Emotional & Physical Reactions Delayed Stress Response after Experiencing a Shock Can A False Memory Happen? Differences Between Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal Negativity & Pessismism after Trauma PTSD/PTSI Insomnia: Not Being Able To Sleep PTSD/PTSI & Psychosis Relationships: Peer Support Issues Explaining PTSD To Children False Memory Toxic Family Of Origin Protection From Unwanted Contact Preventing Intergenerational PTSD Numbing in Male Survivors of Domestic Violence How To Increase Social Support Caregivers/Partners with PTSD: Starting a Conversation about PTSD Both Partners with PTSD & its Complications Fiancé Doesn't Believe in Therapy Managing PTSD After Partner Pushes Too Hard Childhood Abuse: Emotional Abuse Childhood Trauma & Intrusive Images Revisiting The Scene Of Trauma And Abuse Gaslighting Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Can a Child be Born Depressed Childhood Survivors and Being a Parent Work Issues: Disability Letter for Attorney-Sample Low Stress Jobs Doctor's letter for Employer Sample Dealing with Co-Workers Job Searching with PTSD Recovery: Frank Ochberg's Color Wheel of Positive Emotion Triggers Rebuilding Self Esteem Life After Trauma Coping During The Holidays Substance Abuse Improving A Damaged Self-Concept Explaining PTSD is a Responsibility Grief & Loss from a Tragic Death The Trauma Bond & Forgiveness Sudden Panic, Anxiety & Flashbacks Stockholm Syndrome, Trauma Bond and Undue Influence Therapy: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Inadequate Therapy When to End Therapy Repeating Your Trauma Story PTSD Symptoms After The Therapy Hour Exposure Therapy Service/Therapy Dogs & PTSD ECT (Electro-Convulsive-Therapy) Bipolar & ECT Therapy: An Interview Telling Trauma Story to Therapist PTSD Client Expectations from Therapy Sessions Veterans & PTSD: PTSD A Disease Seasonal PTSD & Anniversary Reaction. Emotional Injury Therapy Sessions Active Listening for Moms and Friends Military Sexual Assault Professionals: Compassion Fatigue Consequences Of Emotional Numbing School Teachers And PTSD Using The Counting Method with Clients Helping Clients with PTSD Other Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder Social Phobia Dissociation Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Cutting & Self Harm Link between PTSD, BPD and Bi-Polar Somatization Disorder or Briquet's Syndrome Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Dealing with Psychopaths & Narcissists

PTSD Questions & Answers with Joyce Boaz & Dr. Frank Ochberg, M.D. Read "Survivor Psalm" by Frank Ochberg

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Dealing with Psychopaths & Narcissists Q: Dear Frank, People who have been through a traumatic event or series of events seem to be more vulnerable to people with narcissistic tendencies and even sociopaths. I've also heard from people over the years dealing with employers or fellow employees who are narcissists. How do we protect ourselves? Sometimes you just can't quit your job and your family. A: Dear Joyce, There certainly are toxic personalities out there and we can't get through life without several close encounters. Some of us are "raised by wolves." I don't mean to insult wolves, a reputable species. But the metaphor works for adults who look back on a wretched childhood, populated by hideous abusers and clueless bystanders who didn't have the sense or the morality to intervene. Exposure to prolonged abuse causes regular PTSD and complex PTSD. Complex PTSD may result in a distorted social instinct. You trust no one or you trust the wrong one. It takes a long time to change feelings and behaviors, to stop accommodating to the "wolf" and to stop seeing a wolf when the person is genuine and trustworthy. I'm working with several people right now who fit this pattern. We do talk about narcissism and psychopathy. We use various tools to keep the predators and the selfish exploiters at bay. Sometimes it takes a restraining order. I've written elsewhere about finding a good attorney who can help with civil matters: (http://giftfromwithin.org/html/findlaw.html). Sometimes it takes a resolution to NOT go home again, despite guilt-evoking phone calls from a sister or mother who won't admit that her boyfriend was a child molester (http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/FAQ-Relationships-Toxic-Family-of-Origin.html). But avoiding the narcissist or the psychopath who may be a boss or a co-worker is a special and difficult challenge. It certainly helps to know who they are, what they are, and how little they care about you. And then you need to learn how to keep your distance, physically and emotionally. If a psychopath is entrenched in a position of power in a workplace, and you lack the resources to have that person disciplined or removed, you may have to consider moving yourself. It is unfair and unjust. It may be financially devastating. But there may be no other way. My role as a therapist and an advocate, when I am the counselor for the person in danger, is to explore alternatives, to open doors to experts in other fields, to do my best to "rally the village." These are dangerous circumstances and it takes a village to dislodge a despot. There are good websites that describe narcissists and psychopaths.(http://house-of-mirrors.blogspot.com/2011/09/dangers-of-malignant-narcissism.html) My YouTube video on the psychopath gets more hits than anything else I have ever produced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hon3AzMO6vs I wonder why this one is so popular. Perhaps many people encounter the exploiter who has no conscience. Perhaps we have a fascination with this soul-less monster who masquerades as human. All I can say about dealing with the psychopath is to avoid him (or her). They do not have the capacity to care about you. But they become very skilled at lying, at charming, at pretending to have compassion. Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.

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