A Mind Frozen in Time - Jeremy P. Crosby PTSD book excerpt
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A Mind Frozen in Time - PTSD recovery guide

Paperback, $21.95
ISBN: 978-159858-593-3
272 pages

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Table of Contents
  
Excerpt
Acknowledgements
Start Here (A Brief Introduction)
Background
Why Outline Form?
How to Use This Book
Philosophy of “Getting Better”

Section I:  PTSD - The Beginning

Chapter 1 PTSD?  How’d I Catch That?
Chapter 2   What’s It Like if You Have PTSD?
Chapter 3 What You Need to Know Up Front
Chapter 4 How Does PTSD Affect a Person’s Life?
Chapter 5 Why Coping Skills
Chapter 6 Deep Breathing
Chapter 7 Taking a “Time Out!”
Chapter 8 Triggers
Chapter 9 Anniversaries and Holidays
Chapter 10 Understanding the Big Picture of PTSD

Section II:   A PTSD Recovery Plan

Chapter 11 Warnings About PTSD Recovery
Chapter 12 How to Get Better:  Part I
Chapter 13 How to Get Better:  Part II
Chapter 14 How to Get Better:  Part III
Chapter 15 Talking with Your Medication Provider

Section III:   Basic PTSD Education

Chapter 16 The PTSD Re-experiencing Symptoms
Chapter 17 Substance Abuse and Workaholism
Chapter 18 Emotional Numbing
Chapter 19 PTSD and Sleep
Chapter 20 Isolation
Chapter 21 Safety and Risk
Chapter 22 Concentration and Memory Problems
Chapter 23 Fatigue
Chapter 24 PTSD and Life Development
Chapter 25 PTSD and Medications

Section IV:   PTSD - Anger Management

Chapter 26 Intro to Anger
Chapter 27 Anger:  Responding vs. Reacting
Chapter 28 How Anger Works
Chapter 29 Anger and Self-Talk
Chapter 30 Anger and Our Decisions
Chapter 31 Anger:  Fueling vs. Self-Control
Chapter 32 Anger:  Aggression vs. Assertiveness
Chapter 33 Letting Go of Anger:  Approaches to Life
Chapter 34 Masked Anger
Chapter 35 Explosive! Anger
Chapter 36 Chronic Anger
Chapter 37 Destructive Behaviors
Chapter 38 The Costs of Anger

Section V:   PTSD - Stress Management

Chapter 39 What Is Stress?
Chapter 40 Stress Management Techniques
Chapter 41 More Stress Management Techniques
Chapter 42 Self-Care:  Listening to Your Body
Chapter 43 Self Care:  Nutrition, Rest, and Healthy Habits
Chapter 44 Perception and Stress Management
Chapter 45 Personality and Stress Management
Chapter 46 Panic Attacks
Chapter 47 Regulating Emotions
Chapter 48 Humor and Stress Management

Section VI:   Advanced PTSD Issues

Chapter 49 Trust:  Part I
Chapter 50 Trust:  Part II
Chapter 51 Control
Chapter 52 Guilt
Chapter 53 Grudges and Resentments: Part I
Chapter 54 Grudges and Resentments: Part II (Forgiveness and Healing)
Chapter 55 PTSD Mindsets Part I:  Extremes of Thinking
Chapter 56 PTSD Mindsets Part II: PTSD Thought Patterns
Chapter 57 PTSD Mindsets Part III:  Thought Retraining
Chapter 58 Depression:  Part I
Chapter 59 Depression:  Part II
Chapter 60 Depression:  Part III
Chapter 61 Anxiety and Our Thinking
Chapter 62 Understanding Your Anxiety
Chapter 63 Victim Thinking
Chapter 64 Worry
Chapter 65 Identity
Chapter 66 Grieving and Loss:  Part I
Chapter 67 Grieving and Loss:  Part II
Chapter 68 PTSD and Aging
Chapter 69 Adapting to Retirement

Section VII:   Healthy Outcomes

Chapter 70   What is “Better?”
Chapter 71   What is “Normal?”
Chapter 72   Living Again

Endnotes

Bibliography

Appendices

Appendix A Understanding the Technical Terms
Appendix B Coping Skills Review
Appendix C Emergency Preparedness
Appendix D Recommended Group Rules and Guidelines

 

 

  

Chapter 2 – What’s It Like if You Have PTSD?

I. If You Do Have PTSD, What Is It Like?

A. Many people describe feeling unsafe and confused.

B. Anger is very common; some have feelings of hurt and disbelief about what happened.

C. It is common to ask “Am I crazy?”

D. A very important point:

1. PTSD is NOT the same as being crazy.
2. Many of the symptoms may “feel crazy”, confusing, or bewildering.2
3. Even though many individuals with PTSD question their own sanity, PTSD symptoms are the result of real events that really did happen.  

II. Patients Descriptions of Themselves Before Trauma

A. Before the Trauma, I Was:

1. Happy-go-lucky; trusting (naïve), sociable, enjoyed friends, easy-going
2. Carefree, confident, future-oriented, independent

B. Interests Before the Trauma:

1. Sports, dating, cars, motorcycles, hobbies, social activities
2. Mechanics, music, writing, hunting, fishing, spending time with friends

III. Patients’ Descriptions of Themselves After Trauma

A. After the Trauma, I Was:

1. Disconnected from self and others, didn’t trust, wandered around
2. Felt lost, didn’t have positive feelings, had nothing in common with past friends
3. Emotionally detached, didn’t fit in anymore, didn’t care about the future
4. Lost enthusiasm, became a workaholic, personality became very serious
5. People didn’t understand me, detached from the world, more and more fatigued
6. Lived in 2 worlds: (1) public appearance, and (2) private misery (behind the mask)
7. Became physically aggressive, lost ambitions, couldn’t stick with anything
8. Nervous, depressed, felt unworthy, fragile, felt rejected by others
9. Always considered worst case scenarios, always had contingency plans

IV. Before and After Treatment PTSD

A. Before Treatment

1. Barely surviving (looking for a way to die)
2. Always pessimistic
3. Future looked unclear and bleak
4. Denial of PTSD symptoms and the impact on my life;
“I don’t have a problem, but all those other people out there are really screwed up”
5. Hide PTSD; feel shame; tell no one
6. Battling alone; (just barely hanging on)
7. Uninformed; why me?  (total confusion)
8. Wondered if I might be crazy
9. Poor physical health
10. Not thinking (just reacting to everything)
11. Inner turmoil (always in confusion and conflict)

B. After Treatment

1. Looking for a way to live again
2. Hopeful
3. Future becomes more clear
4. Admission of symptoms; dedication to getting better
5. Acknowledge PTSD and use positive coping skills regularly
6. Tell my story in a safe way to people who understand
7. Coping each day; using healthy support systems; starting to live again
8. Well informed about PTSD and its impact
9. Have answers and increased understanding
10. Know that PTSD came from real experiences and you are not “crazy”
11. Improved health (taking care of yourself now)
12. Thinking (not always reacting); living in a thoughtful, intelligent way

 
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