DavidRivettMusic.com

PTSD is a debillitating condition which can follow exposure to trauma and /or long periods of intense stress. Characterised by intense flashbacks, nightmares, and confusion caused by the traumatic memories. It is only since the Vietnam war that western mental health service providers have recognised it as a real problem. It was dissmissed during the first world war as 'Soldiers Heart' and during the second world war as "Bomb Happy'. Treatment was withdrawal from active service for a week or two, now considered to be woefully inadequate time for any degree of recovery.

Recovery is possible though often slow. There are support groups in most cities. Medication to reduce anxiety can be offered by the medical profession.

To recover the sufferer needs to be able to take control of the experience. How is this possible? One important tool is meditation. See my page on meditation

Through regula meditaion it is possible to learn to let go of thoughts/memories which are not in the present time. They have been restimulated by ongoing anxiety or cues in the environment of the sufferer. A car back fire, an aeroplane overhead, people shouting. all these things can restimulte traumatic memories. Trauma causes us to go into fight or flight mode. analytical thinking is put aside and we just react with large amounts of adrenalin to save ourselves from the perceived threat. Real at the time the experience becomes lodged very strongly in our brain's neurons and is restimulated by anything that seems similar. trouble is the car back fire is not a threat but our brain doesn't know that and reacts as if the original trauma was happening. In fact the memory is so strong it seems as though it is actually happeneing again.

The attempt to repress these memories with alcohol and drugs can lead to greater problems of addictions. Some people begin to 'hear voices' in their heads. If you are a voice hearer there are support organisations around who help people understand the meaning of the voices. These organisations connect through the  Hearing Voices Network.

 

Here is a link to a video I have placed on You Tube of a song I wrote and dedicated to my father who was a veteran of the D Day invasion of 6th June 1944. To view the video click on the link below.