GFW PTSD Home  | Site Map  | Site Search   
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

search this site the web site search by freefind Search FAQ pages (use FAQ in your search string)

PTSD Symptoms: Anxiety. Q: Dear Frank, One of our support pals reports that she has constant intrusive thoughts of danger and tragedy and she wants to know how to deal with them. They occur daily and seem to be a normal part of her life and as she says (a rotten part of life). A: Dear Joyce, There is an important difference between "thoughts of danger and tragedy" and memories of actual events. Both are part of PTSD. I'm going to assume that this support pal has PTSD as a result of one or more major traumatic events. (There are people who have not experienced major trauma, but, through no fault of their own, over-react to stimuli with debilitating anxiety. They panic easily, they worry constantly, and they focus on threats and losses. These people often need counseling and medication to adjust their body's alarm system, and control their overactive adrenal glands. They have conditions known as GAD -generalized anxiety disorder or Panic Disorder or both.) When PTSD includes intense intrusive recollections or flashbacks, the brain's memory system is altered. "Hot" memories come spontaneously, intruding on normal life, causing a sense that the event is happening now and is not just a bad scene from the past. Therapists work with these intrusive memories, coaching a PTSD client on ways to start and stop the flashback. I use "The Counting Method" for just this purpose, and the GFW website explains it. Usually, flashbacks and severe "hot" memories diminish with time. But our support pal may need help from a trained trauma therapist, using a technique to confront and control traumatic memories. When PTSD includes anxiety in general (it almost always does) one is expected to have intrusive thoughts of danger. This could be because the feeling of danger is there and the thoughts follow the feeling, or it could be because one lives in a family or an environment that is filled with real reasons for fear. A professional trauma worker knows that security comes first: you make sure that steps are taken to minimize danger. Then coaching is used to improve survival skills. But often, a self-defeating pattern of pessimism, low esteem, and inadequate coping with reality (including poor choices about trustworthy friends) must be discussed and changed. The pen-pals deal with this situation in a supportive, constructive email environment. Once in a while, professional assistance is needed, too. And if the therapist is not quite up to the task, the task becomes searching for a new therapist. I won't discuss medication here, but meds may be part of the remedy. Once the anxiety pathways are calmed, it may be possible to reduce or eliminate medication, and face life's ups and downs with improved confidence. Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.

top

Article Index: Addiction | Adoption | Auto Accidents | Chaplains, Police, EMT | Childhood & Adult Sexual Victimization | Compassion Fatigue Culture, Race, and Ethnicity | Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault | Grief | Journalists, Survivors, and the Media Male Sexual Abuse & Domestic Violence | Partners & Families | PTSD Treatment & Recovery | PTSD and Health PTSD and Workplace Issues | Recovery & Self Help | Resiliency | School Disasters Spirituality & Trauma | Survivor Guilt | Trauma Responses in the Aftermath of Disasters | Veterans & Their Families

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Home Page | Site Map | Articles | Webcasts | Order Form | DVDs on PTSD and Trauma | Q&A with Dr. Ochberg
PTSD Etiquette: Finding The Right Words | Meditations | Support Pals Humor Grab Bag
Support Pals Share Inspirational Stories | Support Pals Share Favorite Healing Ideas | Support Pals Book Reviews
Support Pals Finding A Therapist | Support Pals Talk About Living With PTSD | Support Pals Favorite Books & Music
Support Pals Discuss: What PTSD Means To Me | Military Family Resources | Support Groups | Internet Links | Retreats & Respites
Conferences, Workshops and Seminars | PTSD & Trauma Bookstore | Poetry | Art | Music | Survivor Psalm | Memory Shouldn't Be...
Mission Statement | What People Are Saying | Support GFW | Frank Ochberg's Bio | Joyce Boaz's Bio | Board Members | Contact Us
Awards | Band of Angels | What's New | View Our PSAs | Site Search | Guestbook