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Letters of Recovery / Guidelines for Recovery Letters

« on: October 13, 2014, 07:58:46 PM »

Guidelines for Writing a Recovery Letter

Write a letter which will help you in one way or another to move forward in your recovery. The letter can be to the perpetrator(s) of your abuse or neglect, to your Inner Child who would so much like to come out of the dark place s/he is hiding, your Inner Critic who is crowding your head and heart with negative messages, or anyone who has touched your life in some fashion. You can write more than one letter. Remember to stay within the board guidelines:

•   Keep it confidential - remember this is the internet so don’t include information that will allow anyone to recognize your identity (i.e.,   replace real names with initials or pseudonyms)
•   Be honest and real. Don't sugar-coat it or exaggerate it what you have to say. Try to tell it like it really is/was and how you felt/feel about it.
•   Angering is important but don't dehumanize or resort to degrading put-downs or insults if your letter is to the perpetrator of your abuse or neglect. 

For Those Who Read These Letters of Recovery

Treat each letter with the utmost dignity and respect. This is a sacred place where some very important things are "said" for the first time. There are many tears and years of pain bound within the lines of these letters so we ask that is you respond you:

•   Listen for and validate the original poster's feelings
•   Don't critique the letter or tell the poster what they should have said
•   Don't use this forum for debate or discussion. Use the other forums for that
•   Report any concerns or abuses of this forum to a moderator

467

Checking Out / Quite Busy mid-Oct to end-Dec

« on: October 13, 2014, 06:33:27 PM »

Just wanted to let everyone know that work is about to get quite busy for me and that I will not be posting as much.  I will check in daily though to take care of any admin and answer any PMs.

468

General Discussion / Ego States

« on: October 12, 2014, 02:28:55 AM »

I was just reading an article about EMDR and CPTSD and found the following about ego states:

Introduction to Ego State Therapy

Ego state theory was developed initially by Paul Federn (1932, 1943) and extended by John Watkins and Helen Watkins (1995), Richard Erskine (1997), Eric Berne (1963), and Richard Schwartz (1997). It posits the existence of an internal family variously termed parts, ego or self states, or selves, or conceived of as neural or memory networks.

The ego state system can be thought of as a segmentation of the personality into self states or parts at points along the dissociation continuum that comes about due to normal differentiation, introjection, or trauma. Ego states may be described as an organized system of behaviors and experiences that have varying boundaries. The states may be organized to enhance adaptability in coping with events or problems. Some ego states are delineated by time dimensions: a five-year-old, teenager, or infant, for example. Others are delineated by function, trait, or role, for example self-hater, nurturer, critic, executive, bratty kid, daredevil, curious, nature lover, parent, grandparent, and so on.

Ego states may have normative imaginal or creative functions, such as daydreaming. However, ego states formed in childhood may function maladaptively in present life situations. They seek to protect their existence and roles, even if those are counterproductive. This is similar to organizational maintenance theory: no corporation willingly goes out of business. Ego states can conflict with each other, leading to intrapsychic conflict. Finally, they have the capacity to change, combine, grow, and adapt.- [/i]

I must say I really like the last line!!

469

Research / EMDR and the Treatment of Complex PTSD: A Review

« on: October 12, 2014, 02:13:01 AM »

Korn, D. (2009). EMDR and the Treatment of Complex PTSD: A Review, Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 3 (4). Available: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/springer/emdr/2009/00000003/00000004/art00006?crawler=true&mimetype=application/pdf

Abstract:

The diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) covers a wide range of conditions, ranging from patients suffering from a one-time traumatic accident to those who have been exposed to chronic traumatization and repeated assaults beginning at an early age. While EMDR and other trauma treatments have been proven efficacious in the treatment of simpler cases of PTSD, the effectiveness of treatments for more complex cases has been less widely studied. This article examines the body of literature on the treatment of complex PTSD and chronically traumatized populations, with a focus on EMDR treatment and research. Despite a still limited number of randomized controlled studies of any treatment for complex PTSD, trauma treatment experts have come to a general consensus that work with survivors of childhood abuse and other forms of chronic traumatization should be phase-oriented, multimodal, and titrated. A phase-oriented EMDR model for working with these patients is presented, highlighting the role of resource development and installation (RDI) and other strategies that address the needs of patients with compromised affect tolerance and self-regulation. EMDR treatment goals, procedures, and adaptations for each of the various treatment phases (stabilization, trauma processing, reconnection/development of self-identity) are reviewed. Finally, reflections on the strengths and unique advantages of EMDR in treating complex PTSD are offered along with suggestions for future investigations.

470

Research / A Developmental Approach to Complex PTSD

« on: October 12, 2014, 01:47:41 AM »

Cloitre, M., Stolbach, B., Herman, J., van der Kolk, B., Pynoos, R., Wang, J. & Petkova, E. (2009) "A Developmental Approach to Complex PTSD: Childhood and Adult Cumulative Trauma as Predictors of Symptom Complexity,"  Journal of Traumatic Stress, Vol. 22 (5). Available: http://www.mentalhealthconnection.org/pdfs/ptsd-predictors.pdf.

Abstract:

Exposure to multiple traumas, particularly in childhood, has been proposed to result in a complex of symptoms that includes posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as a constrained, but variable group of symptoms that highlight self-regulatory disturbances. The relationship between accumulated exposure to different types of traumatic events and total number of different types of symptoms (symptom complexity) was assessed in an adult clinical sample (N = 582) and a child clinical sample (N = 152). Childhood cumulative trauma but not adulthood trauma predicted increasing symptom complexity in adults. Cumulative trauma predicted increasing symptom complexity in the child sample. Results suggest that Complex PTSD symptoms occur in both adult and child samples in a principled, rule-governed way and that childhood experiences significantly influenced adult symptoms.

471

General Discussion / Info about Treatment

« on: October 12, 2014, 01:42:30 AM »

Cloitre, M., Courtois, C., Charuvastra, A., Carapezza, R., Stolbach, B. & Green, B. (2011). Treatment of Complex PTSD: Results of the ISTSS expert clinician survey on best practices. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 24 (6),

Cloitre, M., Courtois, C., Ford, J. Green, B., Alexander, P., Briere, J., Herman, J. Lanius, R., Pearlman, L., Stolbach, B., Spinazzola, J. & van der Hart, O. (2012). ISTSS Expert Consensus Treatment Guidelines for Complex PTSD in Adults. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 24 (6),

Cloitre, M., Courtois, C., Ford, J. Green, B., Alexander, P., Briere, J., Herman, J. Lanius, R., Pearlman, L., Stolbach, B., Spinazzola, J. & van der Hart, O. (2012). ISTSS Expert Consensus Treatment Guidelines for Complex PTSD in Adults. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Kezelman, C. & Stavropoulos, P. (2012). Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery, Australia: Blue Knot Foundation

472

Questions/Suggestions/Comments / How to Use the "Quote" Function

« on: October 08, 2014, 09:55:05 PM »

See three ways to insert quotes in posts from our sister site OOTF - http://outofthefog.net/forum/index.php?topic=3153.0

473

Questions/Suggestions/Comments / Forgotten or Lost Password?

« on: October 05, 2014, 05:48:58 PM »

If you forget/misplace your password, please don't just create a new account - there is no way to link the two and it just leaves people wondering what happened to the "former you."  Instead:

Go to login screen as usual, type in whatever password you think it was; click enter.

Login in box appears again:  click on "forgot your password" link.  Prompts are fairly clear and easy to follow from this point.

Authentication reminder appears: You can enter either username or email address.

You then have two options:  Either "email me new password" or "let me set new password by answering my secret question."  (Reminder:  You might want to consider setting the secret question on your profile if you have not already done so!)

474

Discussion About Psychoactive Substances / WARNING - Forum Includes Threads about Psychoactive Substances

« on: September 30, 2014, 01:51:29 PM »

NOTICE -  OOTS does not endorse the use of any illegal psychoactive substances.

WARNING - For any members reading/posting to this board, please note that discussion of psychoactive substances is involved, some of which are legal in certain countries and illegal in others. There are ongoing clinical trials medicinal or therapeutic use of substances such as MDMA, psilocybin, cannabis and several other substances being conducted around the world (e.g., http://www.maps.org/). It is important to understand that for safety and legal reasons, the trials are conducted under strict government and medical supervision.  Pure ingredients are used whereas street drugs more often than.

In this particular sub-forum posters may NOT encourage others to use any psychoactive substances. Rather, you may share your own experiences with them and/or discuss the research into substances which may/may not help with CPTSD. Posts which contravene this will be edited or removed.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Kizzie
Site Manager

475

Research / CPTSD vs Borderline Personality Disorder

« on: September 28, 2014, 04:09:42 PM »

"Complex PTSD, Affect Dysregulation, and Borderline Personality Disorder" by Ford & Courtois (2014) - newly published academic article which is quite a slog reading but the bottom line in their opinion is that PTSD, CPTSD abd BPD overlap, but are different and need to be better differentiated by clinicians and researchers:    

We review clinical and scientific findings regarding comorbidity, clinical phenomenology and neurobiology of BPD, PTSD, and cPTSD, and the role of traumatic victimization (in general and specific to primary caregivers), dissociation, and affect dysregulation. Findings suggest that BPD may involve heterogeneity related to psychological trauma that includes, but extends beyond, comorbidity with PTSD and potentially involves childhood victimization-related dissociation and affect dysregulation consistent with cPTSD. Although BPD and cPTSD overlap substantially, it is unwarranted to conceptualize cPTSD either as a replacement for BPD, or simply as a sub-type of BPD. We conclude with implications for clinical practice and scientific research based on a better differentiated view of cPTSD, BPD and PTSD.

Added: Helps if I give the link doesn't it?      http://www.bpded.com/content/1/1/9

476

Web Sites, Support Groups & Organizations / Research-based Recovery Info for Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse/Neglect

« on: September 28, 2014, 04:01:15 PM »

A site by an Australian man Russ Wilson who is (was?) a therapist and suffers from CPTSD himself. I haven't had time to go through all the material but there are lots of really great resources and most are based on research. See http://russwilson.coffeecup.com/index.html

477

Introductory Post / MOVED: worst depression since 2006.

« on: September 26, 2014, 03:15:52 AM »

This topic has been moved to Our Relationships with Others http://outofthefog.net/C-PTSD/forum/index.php?topic=160.0

478

Therapy / Information about EMDR for CPTSD

« on: September 24, 2014, 09:47:42 PM »

The EMDR Institute - comprehensive description of EMDR, how it works and list of research regarding its efficacy - http://www.emdr.com/faqs.html

Korn, D. (2009) "EMDR and the Treatment of Complex PTSD: A Review" - Available: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:7RqPLN-WsmUJ:www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/Korn_JEMDR_2009.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca

Huso, D. (2010),  "Treating Child Abuse Trauma With EMDR" Available: http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/032210p20.shtml

Forgash, C. (2002). "Treating Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with EMDR and Ego State Therapy" Available: http://www.advancededucationalproductions.com/publications-articles/treatingCPSD.htm

van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E. & Soloman, R. (2010). "Dissociation of the Personality in Complex Trauma-Related Disorders and EMDR: Theoretical Considerations." Available: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:9vYmQoAiOhsJ:https://www.myptsd.com/c/gallery/-pdf/1-78.pdf+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca.

Interview with Bessel van der Kolk: "Restoring the Body - Yoga, EMDR and Treating Trauma" Available: http://www.onbeing.org/program/restoring-the-body-bessel-van-der-kolk-on-yoga-emdr-and-treating-trauma/5801

479

Our Relationships with Others / Trigger Alerts

« on: September 17, 2014, 08:43:01 PM »

If something you post is particularly intense or on the darker side, please include a warning in the title "Possible Trigger." 

As per our guidelines we try to avoid being overly graphic in our descriptions about our experiences, but sometimes because of the trauma we've been through it is inevitable that we will venture into  territory that is or may be triggering.

Trigger alerts will help members avoid reading disturbing posts they may not be willing/able to hear about at their stage of recovery.   

480

Self-Help & Recovery / Trigger Alerts

« on: September 17, 2014, 08:41:16 PM »

If something you post is particularly intense or on the darker side, please include a warning in the title "Possible Trigger." 

As per our guidelines we try to avoid being overly graphic in our descriptions about our experiences, but sometimes because of the trauma we've been through it is inevitable that we will venture into  territory that is or may be triggering.

Trigger alerts will help members avoid reading disturbing posts they may not be willing/able to hear about at their stage of recovery.