Friend with pretty bad PTSD...what the hell should I do.

[RocketmanTan]

...I really only use this lounge for advice, don't I. I should post funny jokes or something from time to time. Also, I'd check this post (like I do with all the others) for cohesiveness and such, but I just really need help with this, so I'm sorry if I'm rambling... Oh well, on with the whinging.

Anywho, a close friend of mine only revealed very recently a...traumatizing past, to say the least. Her PTSD is very bad, and it's beyond depressing to see what she's going through. Needless to say she now confides in me a lot, and I love helping her, but with the way she is, I find that I'm often running into dead-ends.

When she does confide in me, I always offer up help and support, but, with her "wrecked" emotional state, she often lapses into bouts of self-deprecation and insisting that she doesn't deserve my help or anyone else's. I've had more benign cases of this myself when my depression acts up on me, but being on the other side for once, I'm just not sure of what to do or where to go from there.

Usually, I just try to keep her focused on something happy, almost like I'm doing what Guido did in Life is Beautiful, but it's really like I'm playing a frikking balance game between rainbows and ponies and her panic attacks and self-harm.

Ugh, I'm just juggling so many other things right now, and she's really worrying me. I care about her a lot, and she's really one of my closest friends, but I just hate seeing her like this. It's been keeping me away from my own work, my sleep, and the papercraft designing (not sure if I can even get this week's thing out in time), and I'm just really at a loss as to where I should go. If anyone can offer any kind of help, I would really appreciate it.

 

[Zathros]

PTSD is not a joke. It is caused by a chemical imbalance due to a traumatic injury and must be treated by a Psychiatrist. Not a Psychologist, a Psychiatrist. It is akin to a Pin Ball machine having it's relays gone tilt. They have to be reset. Proper therapy, and within a week, your friend will be well on a road back to recovery. If left untreated, it could lead to suicide, or some other manifestation of violence. Help her get help, right away! The event that set it off does not have to be major either. Everyone is different. People with this condition are far often unfairly judged, and not helped.

 

[Patron_zero]

Lived with PTSD most of my adult life and can say it's far from pleasant. One thing I found helps me is having a focus to center on, that's the best place for anyone having similar issues can start-adopt.

PTSD is a many-faced dragon that can pop-up with little-no notice so there's no simple one-sized-fits-most treatment or therapy, best one can hope for is discover and identify their personal 'triggers' and learn to manage contact with such. By manage I don't infer avoidance as that just complicates matters and promotes personal isolation, neither being a good long term plan.

One thing being positive is your friend having you to care-be concerned enough to seek support outside your immediate resources, applause and kudos for that selfless action.

 

[rsebree]

I agree with Zathros your friend needs professional care. Be there and help her all you can but keep in mind you are not a Dr.

 

[pengbuzz]

I agree as well; PTSD is not something to take lightly, and it is not something that the untrained can treat. It requires professional help. I have personal experience in this one, as my dad suffered from PTSD. It didn't take a whole lot to set him off, and even after 60 years (he was a WWII vet, Pacific Theater of Operations), the memories and trauma were fresh in his mind!

But PTSD isn't just the result of war; any traumatic event can result in it, and it the effects can be devastating. Supporting your friend is good, but she really needs to be under a doctor's care and quickly.

 

[gongolo]

I agree as well; PTSD is not something to take lightly, and it is not something that the untrained can treat. It requires professional help. I have personal experience in this one, as my dad suffered from PTSD. It didn't take a whole lot to set him off, and even after 60 years (he was a WWII vet, Pacific Theater of Operations), the memories and trauma were fresh in his mind!

But PTSD isn't just the result of war; any traumatic event can result in it, and it the effects can be devastating. Supporting your friend is good, but she really needs to be under a doctor's care and quickly.

I agree. Some time I ago, I read an article on Time magazine about PTSD and how it's faced (I must say without success) by US military: numbers and statistic are impressive. Considering the entity of her disease, the fact that she's not improving and that you're suffering for her as well, I recommend you to convince her to ask a doctor. Luckily, she's got a real friend to count on and I think she knows it. My only advice is to not behave with her differently from the way you were used to; I've got a friend with cancer (she's 29), and what I understood even before she told me is to act with her as with a person who is sick, of course, but also -and mainly- still alive. I hope you got what I mean.
I wish you the best.

 

[Zathros]

This is a very old thread guys, please look at the dates and stay with active, two week old threads, Thanks!

 

[Zathros]

Sounds good to me. I was starting to double guess myself on this one. Maybe we should say that if you or someone you now, has an issue, feel feel to post it here. Not necessarily thinking you have to answer the first post, feel free to address a new issue. OF course, realizing that ANYONE in a acute situation must be taken to the medical authorities, or the medical authorities should be informed. Talking about these issues is one thing, but if you think someone is going to hurt themselves, then call for help, pick up the phone and dial 911, you don't want this on your hands and never feel like your are alone. There are people trained to take care of this, and they are there for you and those you care for.. It is not a joking matter.

I am glad you have done this EKuth, we do care here.