As someone who suffers from ptsd, I can understand how memories can be crippling.
I think there are two things that help me.
The first is to allow myself to face the memories. Write them down in full detail. Say them aloud to someone you trust. Completely submerge yourself in those memories. The most important part of this process (imo) is to give yourself permission to feel however you feel about them. Cry. Scream. However you feel, just let all of those emotions pour out of you. This is an exhausting process but it also provides you with a great deal of relief.
The second thing is to do everything in your power to assure that those memories do not consume you. Doing the first thing helps a lot with this. What I do next is try to keep myself so busy that I don’t have any time to dwell on the past. For me, free time is a curse. Try to make new memories. Great ones. Do things that make you happy. A lot of them. Just keep going. Don’t stop for a second to doubt yourself. Fill every single day as packed as you can with things that you love to do.
Sometimes...the second part becomes overwhelming. You get exhausted. You feel like you need a break. The bad memories start creeping in even over all the noise you’re making in the present. That’s when I start back with the first step again.
I don’t know if this is good advice, but it’s what works for me.
I think there are two things that help me.
The first is to allow myself to face the memories. Write them down in full detail. Say them aloud to someone you trust. Completely submerge yourself in those memories. The most important part of this process (imo) is to give yourself permission to feel however you feel about them. Cry. Scream. However you feel, just let all of those emotions pour out of you. This is an exhausting process but it also provides you with a great deal of relief.
The second thing is to do everything in your power to assure that those memories do not consume you. Doing the first thing helps a lot with this. What I do next is try to keep myself so busy that I don’t have any time to dwell on the past. For me, free time is a curse. Try to make new memories. Great ones. Do things that make you happy. A lot of them. Just keep going. Don’t stop for a second to doubt yourself. Fill every single day as packed as you can with things that you love to do.
Sometimes...the second part becomes overwhelming. You get exhausted. You feel like you need a break. The bad memories start creeping in even over all the noise you’re making in the present. That’s when I start back with the first step again.
I don’t know if this is good advice, but it’s what works for me.
