PTSD and trauma anniversaries

Hi, I get traumatic voices, I'm not sure if there is a way out ?

I get you @Bow

I have some shit anniversaries coming up too. And the summer period is already filled with some smaller ones.

I've been avoiding thinking about it. Making myself busy and distracted with other things. Anything so I don't have to think.

It's not a great strategy, but I'm going to keep using it until it stops working. For now avoiding the whole thing is how I'm trying to get through this year.

I know it won't work for a lot of people. I actually don't understand how it's still working for me too.

I don't really know how to help sorry. Anniversaries are not a strong point with me. I usually crumble so bad in January.

@Bow that's really tricky to manage.

I've found distractions can be helpful and also trying not to manage alone. Reaching out when things start feeling too much so that you aren't sitting alone with everything has been really helpful for me.

Have you had therapy to talk about the trauma and learn ways to cope? Although I think it's still going to have an impact regardless as it's not just things you can get over.

Always here for a chat, you are not alone in this.

Hi @j2mhall thanks for responding. Not sure what traumatic voices are?

I don’t really think there is a way out….

Hey @The-red-centaur im sorry that the summer time is a hard time for you also. That sucks.

im trying to avoid it too. Like I’m thinking of skipping therapy this week. And even next week. If I’m not there then I don’t have to think or talk about it. My psychologist knows it’s coming up.

but avoiding it… it doesn’t really stop the flashbacks and the nightmares. They still happen

Hey @Former-Member

@distractions and keeping myself busy is a tool that I pretty much use all the time.

I started some exposure therapy with my old psychologist a couple of years ago. I really trusted her. And we got maybe 1/3 of the way through it and then my psychologist changed positions. My new psychologist knows about this trauma anniversary, pretty sure everyone on my support team knows. As much as I want support and need to feel held and supported at the moment, quite often i tend to end up withdrawing and isolating myself.

I also often find myself getting frustrated with myself cause it continues to have such a huge impact on me each year. Like just slap myself across the face and get over it already.

@Bow I understand completely how you are feeling. I'm not really able to type alot right now. But you aren't alone in this. Please keep reaching out for support here and to your support team, you deserve to be helped while you are going through this.

I know how easy it is to beat yourself up over things but you deserve to show yourself some self compassion. You are important and you matter. ❤️

@Bow it's hard. I'm sorry you have to got through it.

Compassion is important, and most importantly towards ourselves. I do find that difficult around this time of year. I'm trying not to scold myself for getting triggered.

I'm like, it happened x years ago, how does this still upset you? But trauma doesn't have a time frame, it can follow us around and get us when we don't want it to, or least expect it.

@Bow @The-red-centaur Summer period is also where I struggle the most. I never know from one year to the next how I’m going to feel, some years are harder than others,

by now I’ve learnt to take me wherever they want me to go. Some years I want company, other years I want to be left alone. Tears, sadness, feel numb, yell and scream. Some years I just sleep as much as possible. Keeping busy I find helps. Anything to get through the day