[Jet]

I want to thank everyone who recognizes my posts with your thanks. I think its important to share anything that may help each of us—even if its relaying the fact that you even have PTSD. I've mentioned before that PTSD for me is Post Traumatic Shock Disorder. That's not official; I was diagnosed with stress disorder but it does come from a severe shock to my system.

The nature and degree of my condition was severe and so to overcome this is an ever greater challenge. It involves memories, excessive fear, and reliving much of the ordeal daily for me. A lot has left my system and each day I'm on a more even keel. One of the things that I did for myself is everything I could to lead a normal existence daily even being as consumed with shock and neuro-physiological damage.

There were hundreds of days that I lived hour to hour—even minute to minute totally comnsumed in shock. Once I commited to face my ordeal, I began to "normalize" my daily life. Healthy eating, sleep, taking care of small things until they became larger things. Keeping my home clean, my things washed—eventually exercising, and I picked up old hobbies, or things I had always enjoyed before things happened. And there were many times that these were a struggle to do.

The most important thing I did was to stay out of isolation. People have been very good to me, talking many hours and keeping me company on the phone many a night. I will never forget them for the endless hours they kept with me without complaint. You really find out who your friends are.

I made my environment comfortable and as "safe feeling" as possible. I can't stress how important it is to do everything to "normalize" your surroundings
and nurture yourself.

For me, meds didn't work. They help with anxiety but I could never "medicate it away" as my doctor tried to do. I lost out and my life spiraled out of control—even losing jobs—because I was so medicated.

Relieving my PTSD is about letting out pent up fear and shock and garbage that I have internalized for so many years. I'm going give myself a lot of credit here because I could have easily turned to alcohol and drugs—even suicide.

So...
stay strong and connected, normalize and be really good to yourselves. I hope everyone is doing okay.