mindfulness

[lightbeneaththeearth]

i am brand new here and so it might be premature to post on this topic. But there are some steps I've taken that have helped me to get here to where I can seek out support and post on this forum. One is reading books by Albert Ellis and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Especially the core preciple of self acceptance. It is different from self esteem in that you don't have to worry about if you are good or bad. Accept that you have a capacity for enjoyment then think of what your are thinking or telling yourself that is keeping you from enjoying your life. Then you dispute those thoughts repeatedly until you learn to catch them sooner and sooner and root them out. Mindfulness is another thing that has helped me. I've realized that there is a state of mind where at least for a few moments and sometimes more I can just enjoy the simple fact of being awake and wherever I am, If i remember and catch myself I can remember and insert that feeling into times when I am having flashbacks and kind of step out of it and start thinking and choosing. You know, I have a long way to go with it, but it's given me some hope where before I felt helpless.

[Jdog]

Hello!

I am so glad that you shared some of the things that are working for you, because the self acceptance and mindfulness are things that we all coukd use to be reminded of frequently.  Remembering that we don't have to be perfect, that we do have the capacity for joy in this very moment is so helpful.

I truly believe that those of us who struggle to overcome flashbacks and get tangled up in traps from the past can learn to experience the beauty of each moment, perhaps even more than those who have never had Cptsd.

Welcome to our forum, and thanks once again for your thoughts.