PTSD stages similar to stages of bereavement?

[AmZ]

My psychologist saw my daily logging (online) and contacted me to see if I was OK. She explained a lot to me and said that I show a lot of signs of having PTSD so it's something we have to work on.

I was wondering if there is any link between the stages someone goes through when grieving for a loved one and the beginning stages of someone releasing the thoughts and feelings and going over events that caused them PTSD for the first time?

They look very similar to me, at least what is happening to me:

The Stages of Grief and Bereavement:
First Stage- Denial and Isolation / Second Stage- Anger / Third Stage- Bargaining (The third stage is bargaining which can often occur either before or after a loss and usually involves bargaining with God. A person suffering may ask of God, “If I do this (or don’t do this) will you make the pain go away?”) / Fourth Stage- Depression / Fifth Stage- Acceptance

 

[Cat Dancer]

I'm not sure about stages, but there definitely is grieving I think when you're confronting painful issues from the past.

 

[Daniel E.]

One can find links in anything, but the metaphor seems limited for PTSD in general.

As Cat Dancer alludes to, the Kubler-Ross model has some flaws, and it wasn't originally intended for modeling grief but for coming to terms with one's own terminal illness.

Moreover:

CBT is helpful in altering distorted or unrealistic thinking and consequently is a primary component of effective treatment for anxiety disorders, depression, and other conditions involving negative affect stemming at least partially from negative cognitions/self-talk.

Grief, whether due to suicide or other loss, may be complicated by such negative cognitions (e.g., self-blame, guilt, etc., as mentioned in the article) but fundamentally it is an emotional and spiritual process where the primary goal is not altering perceptions or cognitions but acceptance of what has happened, coping with what has happened. I wouldn't expect CBT to have a major impact on grief per se.

http://forum.psychlinks.ca/grief-an...ed-grief-in-families-affected-by-suicide.html

 

[AmZ]

So how is PTSD treated?

I guess a lot of different therapies can be used?

I just need to stop having these days of totally avoiding all of my thoughts and then going and doing something like I did the other day to make me feel something. On these days, I can't even access the thoughts and memories, as hard as I try.

 

[Daniel E.]

Certainly, any self-harming behaviors would be addressed in therapy and alternative ways of coping would be discussed. For example, in DBT, treating self-harming behaviors and substance abuse would be seen as a higher priority than some other parts of the treatment in the beginning.

And regarding the PTSD anxiety itself, the primary therapy is usually CBT, including exposure therapy where one basically retells one's story until it loses its power.

 

[AmZ]

For example, in DBT, treating self-harming behaviors would be seen as a higher priority than some other parts of the treatment in the beginning.

Thanks for the reply and info.

Well, we certainly have gone more and more away from what we were starting with in the beginning which was just CBT and the OCD. Now, another one to add to the list. Well, PTSD and self harming.
The urges are still really strong with doing something again to myself.
I'm at work and actually just tried to do what I did the other day, but lets just say, it didn't quite work.
Now my chest is really tight and finding it hard to take in a proper breath. Like a weird deep down heart palpitation feeling.
Anyway, back to therapy tomorrow and no doubt, this is going to be the main thing we'll have to deal with.

And back to the psychiatrist tomorrow for another prescription and to see about moving or staying at 150mg of the Effexor... I really don't know what the answer that is.
Still on the Lorazepam though.