Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
Please Share My Stuff! You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
@WisdomalaCarte “Your current safe boundaries
were once unknown frontiers.” ~ Anonymous
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@LillyAnn “You cannot save people. You can only love them.” ~ Anaïs Nin
@Tamavista “It is in retrospect that we realize the brevity of life. Knowing this, take a moment each day to live in the present.” ~ Kitamori
@Carlolight “The way you look at things is the most powerful force in shaping your life. In a vital sense, perception is reality.” ~ John O’Donohue
@WisdomalaCarte “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” ~ A Course in Miracles
@HealthyPlace “To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.”
@800273TALK “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John Wooden
Linked Tweets
@SafetyStar What’s Your Excuse [to not discuss child sexual abuse with your children]? “My Body Belongs to Me” (video about the book)
[SEO: This short but essential book provides a bridge by which parents can talk with their young children about a subject most parents would prefer having a root canal instead. If your children don't clearly understand about good touch/bad touch, they are vulnerable.]
@drludygreen Stunning article by actor Patrick Stewart on domestic violence.
[SEO: "As a child I witnessed [my father's] repeated violence against my mother, and the terror and misery he caused was such that, if I felt I could have succeeded, I would have killed him. If my mother had attempted it, I would have held him down. For those who struggle to comprehend these feelings in a child, imagine living in an environment of emotional unpredictability, danger and humiliation week after week, year after year, from the age of seven. My childish instinct was to protect my mother, but the man hurting her was my father, whom I respected, admired and feared.”]
@ssanquist Dr. Deb: January is Stalking Awareness Month (via @Deborahserani)
[SEO: Information regarding research, statistics, and what to do if you are being stalked. Protect yourself, and be your own best advocate.]
@goodthingz 10 Life-Changing Facts About Anger (via @aflourishinglif)
[SEO: Good, useful considerations and strategies for looking at anger and its role in your life differently. Constructively. Perhaps even beneficially. Lots to think on if anger is an issue for you.]
@HealthyPlace In Recovering From Mental Illness, Patience is a Virtue
[SEO: It took 38+ years for me to fully understand the role of mental illness in my life, and then I wanted it done and over with yesterday. (Actually, I still do.) This post discusses why patience must be a factor in your mental wellness plan. "Work to understand that being patient, learning how to be patient, aids in your recovery."]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
Please Share My Stuff! You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
@Mindful_Living “May we all recognize in this New Year
that the moments of our lives are rare and precious.
Open to them, Bask in them, We are alive.”
Happy New Year! While I was recharging my batteries in December, there were many wonderful blog posts and mental health resources tweeted. This week we’re looking at the best of December 2011, and this last week.
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@CarePathways “Empowerment is not fearlessness. Empowerment is recognizing the internal ability, even the skill, to experience all of our feelings.”
@Tamavista “Compassion is the antitoxin of the soul: where there is compassion even the most poisonous impulses remain relatively harmless.” ~ Hoffer
@HealthyPlace “Every time you don’t follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness.” ~ Shakti Gawain
@PemaQuotes “Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others.” ~ Pema Chödrön
@PsychDigest “We all have an “inner critic,” a voice in our head that tells us everything that’s wrong. Practice recognizing and tuning out this voice.”
@lizstrauss “My life keeps circling round to lessons I’ve met before. It’s my life to figure out what applies now.”
Linked Tweets
Suicide Prevention Resources
@safeagain Suicide Prevention: Spotting the Signs and Helping a Suicidal Person
[SEO: Excellent resource. If you have suicidal tendencies, this is the page to give to your loved ones and friends who know you best. Do this now, even if you're not currently feeling suicidal.]
@HealthyPlace How Do You Prevent Suicide? The 4th most read blog post ever on our site.
[SEO: Another excellent mental health site with numerous resources and pointers about suicide prevention, including dealing with stigma. Healthy Place also covers individual disorders extensively, including hosted blogs by patients.]
Child Abuse Prevention
@DrAthenaStaik Child Sexual Abuse: Ten Ways To Protect Your Kids (via @PsychoBest)
[SEO: What many child abuse survivors have known their entire lives (and have often not been believed): "People are beginning to understand and talk about how sex offenders can be a friend or a family member. The Penn State and Syracuse scandals have broken our denial about how famous, powerful, and revered people cannot possibly be offenders." Awareness is only the first step. Read this.]
@SafetyStar 10 Reasons not to discuss Child Sex Abuse in 2012
[SEO: Especially aimed at parents, here are ten of the most commonly used excuses to not discuss child sexual abuse with your child. Each of the ten also includes information as to why you must not give in to that excuse.]
The Rest of the Best
@serialinsomniac The 2011 TWIM Awards — The Results! « This Week in Mentalists
[SEO: "TWIM is a weekly digest of selected writings from blogs across the Madosphere, our affectionate name for the mental health blogosphere. ... A group of volunteer authors take it in turns to write the digests, which enables a wide base of mental health blogs to be reviewed." The Twim Awards are nominated and voted upon by its readers, and cover numerous categories. Some of these winning blogs were unknown to me, which is one reason why I like TWIM. Check them all out!]
@DIDwife The fight goes on (via @TheBloggess)
[SEO: I was unfamiliar with The Bloggess till I read this remarkable post about fighting through and living on with depression. She captures the struggles exceedingly well, and obviously struck some major chords with people. I can't remember the last post I read about depression that had 2330+ comments, especially one just published six days ago.]
@natasha_tracy Why is Family so Stressful for Mentally Ill?
[SEO: A discussion of various ways family, especially at holidays, can be so stressful. One aspect discussed that resonated strongly for me was about mental illness and pretending, and how a lot of it boils down to just waiting for it (whatever "it" is, good or bad) to be over.
"And this type of pretending, this type of acting, really is tiring for the soul. Most people have no idea what it is to orchestrate every blink to ensure that others don’t know how you really feel. But people with a mental illness know. They know what it is to hide their every thought from those around them. They know what it is to shoehorn into normal. They know what it is to pretend to care about tinsel and lights when all they really want to do is curl up in a ball and wait for it all to be over."]
@SarahEOlson2009 The Freedom of Boundaries
[SEO: This post focuses from a borderline personality point of view, but is an excellent summation of boundary issues for anyone who struggles with mental health issues.]
@OneLifeTherapy Where Do You Keep Your Un-Cried Tears? Learning To Live With Grief
[SEO: "If you sit for a moment, just you and your sorrow in some stillness, whereabouts in your body do you sense that sadness residing just now? And what might it be like not to feel under pressure to fix or placate or silence or hide it? But just to acknowledge it? Just to see it? Maybe even to accept it? How might you and your grief help one another through this loss?"
@PsychCentral 5 Things Therapy Won’t Cure
[SEO: Dr. John Grohol (Psych Central founder) discusses five major categories which therapy can't resolve or change, which are: Your Personality; Your Childhood; Half a Relationship; A Broken Heart; and Losing Someone. Meaning, for example, therapy can't literally change what happened in your childhood. What good therapy can do is help you to understand and work on aspects of these issues so that they no longer stop you from living your best life.]
@SarahEOlson2009 Borderline Personality Disorder: Erotic Transference
[SEO: This issue is not specific to borderline personality disorder. Transference in psychotherapy involves you working through troublesome relationships by transferring your feelings about that person to your therapist. Your therapist steps into that role, sometimes in such a subtle way you don't even know he or she's doing it. Sometimes it can involve actual role-playing.
Erotic transference refers to sexual feelings you have transferred to your therapist. Many therapists just don't want to go there, which I think says more about them than you. It can be hard enough to admit to those feelings without your therapist grimacing in discomfort. Those who do go there skillfully, and who uphold boundaries as mandated, can help you heal in life-changing ways, particularly if you come from an abuse background.]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
Please Share My Stuff! You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
Special Notice: Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors will be on hiatus throughout the month of December. I’ll be taking the time to regroup and recharge, and hopefully complete some projects that have been whispering in my ear for awhile. Thanks so much for your support year-round!
@NAMIMass 11/19 Sat.-13th Annual Internat’l Survivors of Suicide Day. A Day Healing for Bereavement After Suicide
[SEO: "Survivors of suicide loss gather at hundreds of simultaneous healing conferences around the world every year on International Survivors of Suicide Day to connect with others who have survived the tragedy of suicide loss, and express and understand the powerful emotions they experience. If you don't live near a participating city, or you find it difficult to attend in person, you can watch online and join in a live chat immediately following the program."]
Veterans’ Day
@drcherylarutt Check out this new mobile App “PTSD Coach” to help manage symptoms
[SEO: "Together with professional medical treatment, PTSD Coach provides you dependable resources you can trust. If you have, or think you might have PTSD, this app is for you. Family and friends can also learn from this app. PTSD Coach was created by the VA's National Center for PTSD and the DoD's National Center for Telehealth and Technology." Now available on Android, and a free download from iTunes. (By the way, it's not just for veterans.) Look for PTSD Family Coach coming soon.)]
"The result was a total of 2,000 submissions and over 10,000 pages of diaries, poems, emails, letters, fiction and autobiographies from which a final compilation was chosen and edited as a book by Andrew Carroll. The goal of the final manuscript was to be as faithful as possible to the heart and soul of the writings – 'no matter how jarring or upsetting they be.'" (Warning: The poem included in the post is quite graphic, in a necessary way.)]
@HealingPTSD U.S. Losing the Battle Against Military Suicides
[SEO: "While the report credits the military and the VA for taking a number of steps to stem suicides, it also finds fault with myriad policies and calls for improvements in mental health screening and treatment. It raps the 'prevailing wisdom' in the military that suicides are not linked directly to deployments to war." ...
"The report also finds flaws in the mental-health screening process following deployment, in which troops are asked to fill out a health-assessment form that asks questions about their physical and psychological status. A 2008 study found that when Army soldiers completed an anonymous survey, their reported rates of depression, PTSD, suicidal thoughts and interest in receiving care were two to four times higher than the responses on the official forms. The CNAS researchers said that many returning troops lie -- and are encouraged to lie -- for fear that if they admit to mental health problems, they will not be allowed to go home."]
@HealingPTSD An important read by a recent veteran, a Marine captain: “On War and Redemption”
[SEO: "When I returned from Afghanistan this past spring, a civilian friend asked, 'Is it good to be back?' It was the first time someone had asked, and I answered honestly. But I won’t do that again. We weren’t ready for that conversation. Instead, when people ask, I make it easy for everyone by responding, 'It’s fine.' That’s a lie, though. It’s not fine."]
@heykim Veterans Day: 8 Online Ways to Thank Our Troops (via Mashable)
[SEO: "Today, Veterans Day, we honor those who defend our country. Our service members remind us that there are few things more important than doing what we can to make a difference in the lives of others."]
Child Abuse Prevention
@mjdub Molesters Usually Don’t Look Like Molesters
[SEO: "But true or not, the accusations against Sandusky, spelled out in great detail in a 23-page grand jury report, bring to mind many proven cases in which a molester occupied a position of trust, identified and gravitated to children who were especially vulnerable, made them feel special and was by all outward appearances their champion, which many molesters indeed believe themselves to be. In their own minds these molesters aren’t predators. They’re people whose affinity for children just happens to have a sexual element, the satisfaction of which they’ve convinced themselves isn’t such a big, harmful deal."]
@SarahEOlson2009 How adults justify not reporting child abuse
[SEO: This is so disheartening, as well as infuriating. If doctors don't get it, somebody has to step up on behalf of children. Don't be one of those people -- doctor or otherwise -- who rationalize not reporting child abuse.
"A report out of Boston this week revealed that when doctors were confronted with clear signs of child abuse, they often did not report the injuries to protective services. ... 'They found that reporting was warranted in 13 of the 63 cases doctors chose not to report to authorities. Most of those cases involved leg fractures or bruises to the face or ear, and in six cases the physicians themselves had identified a high likelihood of abuse.' The researchers concluded that the doctors had adequate training in recognizing abuse, but were not as well informed about why they should report it."]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
Please Share My Stuff! You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
@visityourself “Take three full breaths.
Lengthen spine on inhales.
Relax shoulders on exhales.”
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@paulocoelho “The beauty of truth: whether it is bad or good, it is liberating.”
@zebraspolkadots “There is no prison stronger than that of one’s own mind.”
@RockChristopher “Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” ~ Etty Hillesum
@soulseedz “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” ~ Maya Angelou
@CarePathways “We need to give ourselves 365 mornings where we awaken into the self that contains our own true being.”
@Good_Therapy “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” ~ William Shakespeare
Linked Tweets
@Childhelp You may be upset about the Casey Anthony verdict. Did you know that 5 children die every day from child abuse? Act now!
[SEO: If even half of the anger, outrage, and energy vented since the Casey Anthony verdict was applied to ensuring that every child is safe and loved, the world would look a lot different for thousands of other children. ChildHelp lists the many ways in which you can become involved and proactively prevent child abuse. Don't just sit there fuming -- do something.]
@LisaCollierCool Dangerous (and surprising) Food-Medication Interactions
[SEO: "Did you know that deli meats, milk, and even candy could cause adverse reactions with certain medications? A variety of everyday foods and beverages can weaken the effectiveness of the drugs you’re taking, make them more potent, or spark serious side effects." Most often cited in this post are various antidepressants, and/or blood pressure meds, that can create serious problems when combined with certain foods. If you're not sure if this warning applies to meds you're taking, ask your pharmacist.]
@KatzOnEarth Some consider ASD to be a form of PTSD. Others do not. This article contains some discussion about it.
[SEO: Article makes distinctions between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder. "ASD shares many of the same characteristics as PTSD, including emotional numbness, restlessness, anxiety, uncharacteristic irritability, problems focusing or concentrating, flashbacks, and sleep disturbance. In fact, some experts consider ASD a variation of PTSD.
However, there are two important distinctions between ASD and PTSD. One is that ASD is considered a more immediate, short-term response to trauma that lasts between two days and four weeks. If ASD symptoms persist for more than a month, then PTSD may be diagnosed. The other notable difference is that ASD is more associated with dissociative symptoms. ..." This last point intrigues me, and I will be looking into it further.]
@PTSDdotOrg Surviving PTSD
[SEO: The basics of what PTSD is, and how to survive it, by Michele Rosenthal, founder of healmyptsd.com. Includes a 20 minute video created by HealthyPlace.com. If someone in your life (including you!) is just beginning on this healing journey, this is a good start to understand what they/you are dealing with. See also the next post below for common reactions following trauma.]
@patriciasinglet Healing from Childhood Traumas in Midlife
[SEO: "We all wish there could be a quick fix to PTSD. Dan [Hayes] can tell you that treatment can be a long process at times, but he has learned a lot along the way. While he still deals with some aspects, he is living free from the rage that he once experienced. He is living alcohol free. He is consistently working to heal while sharing his experience with others and what he has learned.” Includes a 25 minute video interview with Dan Hayes about the process of recovery from childhood trauma in mid-life. The first step is remembering what the trauma actually was, which is often a puzzle for child abuse survivors.]
@goodthingz On Showing Your True Feelings (via @tinybuddha)
[SEO: "In her inspiring talk, Brené [Brown] explains how shame can be one of the biggest barriers to connection. If you believe there is something wrong with you — that you are somehow unworthy — you may hide who you are in fear of being judged and rejected.” Dr. Brené Brown is a University of Houston professor, and researches vulnerability, authenticity, and shame. This post includes her June 2010 TED talk (at end of post). You can follow her on Twitter @BreneBrown . See more on authenticity directly below.]
@psychcentral Relationships: Five Essential Steps to Authenticity
[SEO: "It’s not the fears per se that get us stuck or take over our brain’s higher thinking functions, however. It’s our fear of fear. This fear stems from not knowing how to stop our brain from thinking anxious thoughts that produce an anxious mind, or eventually a depressed or emotionally numb mind. At root, fear of intimacy is fear of knowing ourselves up close." An in-depth look at components of authenticity, why it's needed, what makes it work, and what doesn't.]
@healingtrauma Estrangement Patterns: Effects of Trauma
[SEO: A discussion of why some people isolate and estrange themselves from family members, and why, depending upon the motivation for the estrangement, it can lead to other problems. "According to Bowen Theory, those who use emotional cutoff as a coping mechanism ironically often end up trying to replicate their prior relationships in their new ones in order to fill an emotional hole or make things 'different this time.'"]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
Please Share My Stuff! You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@LLProject “Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better, it’s about befriending who we are.” ~ Pema Chodron
@jennwatts “Just the act of listening can be calming. If you stop what you’re doing right now, what are 5 things you can hear?”
@visityourself “The longing to feel self-compassion during difficult times points to some part of you that already cares.”
@kathiekeeler “The people who are the hardest to love are the ones who need it the most.” ~ Peaceful Warrior
@karenkmmonroy “Try to remember you always have faith. Faith in the problem, or faith in the Solution….”
@Tamavista “Instead of searching for the meaning of life, make your life meaningful.” ~ Kitamori
@LillyAnn Joplin tornado: How you can help (@RedCross and state agencies)
[SEO: The devastation is just ... stunning. We seem to be getting a new disaster every week, and it can be tempting to shut it all out in a bit of 'disaster fatigue'. Perhaps take a breather to regroup. But people dealing with these traumatic events will need help for a very long time. What would you wish for, if calamity knocked on your community's door?]
@samhsagov Managing Your Stress:Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event
[SEO: At this link you can immediately download the .PDF, or order up to 10 printed copies for free (shipping may apply). "Gives stress prevention and management tips for dealing with the effects of trauma, mass violence, or terrorism. Lists tips to relieve stress, describes how to know when to seek professional help, and provides accompanying resources."]
@WomeninCrimeInk Elizabeth Smart Confronts Kidnapper
[SEO: She is a poised, confident young woman now. And she made sure her kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, knew she was flourishing before he was given a life sentence. Beyond finishing college and a two year mission in France for her church, she's paying it forward. "She works as an advocate for children and victims of crime, especially kidnapping. And she has started the Elizabeth Smart Foundation with her first goal to get a program called RADkids into public schools. RAD, which stands for 'Resist Aggression Defensively,' teaches children specific techniques to get away from would-be attackers."]
The Rest of the Best
@nourishthesoul May is PTSD Awareness Month. What is trauma?
[SEO: "...[I]t’s not usually very useful for medical professionals to ask patients, ‘Have you experienced trauma?’ Usually, patients will deny trauma because they haven’t been a victim of obvious physical abuse, natural disaster, or combat. But when I ask my own patients whether they’ve ever felt extremely unsafe, felt violated, or been made to feel overwhelmed and powerless, the answers often change.” A good overview of what trauma is, how it impacts us, and what you can do to learn to cope with it and find treatment.]
@psychcentral What Depression Looks Like in Men
[SEO: "A mix of biological and cultural factors often conspire to keep men and those who love them from recognizing and addressing their depression." An important post that discusses how men differ from women in how they deal with depression and cope with it; how they have different symptom patterns; and differences in how they handle feelings. Most importantly, it explains why depression is often undiagnosed in men, and how that can be deadly dangerous. Don't ignore it.]
@lifeinthewest How Yoga Can Help Heal PTSD
[SEO: "A traumatic incident may or may not leave physical wounds, but the body takes up the imprint of mind’s emotional distress, and these effects linger. They may manifest in the muscles and bones of the body, as with the rancher, or in our digestive or immune systems. They may settle into our very chemistry, affecting our neurotransmitters. But settle, they will. And until we discharge that trauma — from the mind, yes, but from the body, as well, it will continue to linger, affecting the quality of our lives." ...
"Hatha yoga, the yoga of body and breath, is an invitation to discharge the trauma that resides in our bodies — and to do it in a way that respects our limitations, our needs, and our choices. By providing our muscles and organs and minds with new information — that we””re now safe to grow and change — we can gradually release the lessons of the past that no longer serve us." A very interesting read!]
@unsuicide Great how-to vid on Progressive Muscle Relaxation, good for stress, insomnia. Free and simple (YouTube)
[SEO: "The second exercise from a full length DVD on anxiety for Dr.Glen Berry, Annapolis Valley Mental Health." A woman's voice guides the woman pictured on screen through tension and release exercises, with a handy 5 second countdown while holding the tension positions.]
@psychcentral A reminder about what happens when we stuff down our anger
[SEO: "My expression of anger (or lack thereof) was like my negative body image. How? Because just like I didn’t think that I deserved to feel great in my own skin because I didn’t look a certain way, I didn’t think that I deserved to express my feelings. To be true to myself." Excellent post! Lots to consider.]
@goodthingz 7 Principles To Help You Change Slowly but Surely (via @mrjWells)
[SEO: "Most of the time, for anything worthwhile, slow progress is what we’ll all be making. We have a myth of overnight success and a habit of instant satisfaction, but one reason so many people never achieve much is that big things take time. .... Most people, when they discover that, give up. How are we going to not be among them?"
While this post is geared toward achieving mostly outward goals, it strikes me how useful it is when considering the course of progress for internal goals. For example, how striving for good mental health might seem to take forever, but look at it in smaller chunks, consider your goals in terms of the seven principles listed herein, and you'll be able to identify specific areas of progress. A very useful process, especially when feeling down about how slow it seems to move.]
@psychcentral Looking Through the Keyhole of Loss
[SEO: "Whatever your style of coping with loss, it can be important to get to know it better -- because it could be an insight into how you are with your life. A doorway into what it means to be you."]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
Want to share? You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
SPECIAL NOTE: Ah, the joys of self-hosting your own blog! I keep getting a dreaded “fatal error” trying to upload a pic for this post. Therefore, we are ‘pictureless’ today! It just feels so… black and white.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@CarePathways “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it.”
@IyanlaVanzant “Those in your life who love you, respect, and want to be in your space will not risk losing you by crossing the boundary lines.”
@soulseedz “Your job is VP of research and self development; in charge of curiosity, growth and openness to future possibilities.”
@LynnetteBrown “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” ~ Peter F. Drucker
@drathenastaik “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.”
@rcinstitute “SoulfulSunday: cynicism is a disease of the soul. Compassion is the cure.”
@SarahEOlson2009 ’2:46: Aftershocks’; A Twitter-sourced book by/about people affected by Japan earthquake. Proceeds to relief.
[SEO: "In just over a week, a group of unpaid professional and citizen journalists who met on Twitter created a book to raise money for Japanese Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. In addition to essays, artwork and photographs submitted by people around the world, including people who endured the disaster and journalists who covered it, 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake contains a piece by Yoko Ono, and work created specifically for the book by authors William Gibson, Barry Eisler and Jake Adelstein. ...
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the price you pay (net of VAT, sales and other taxes) goes to the Japanese Red Cross Society." The book is currently available for Kindle (which you can read on other devices by downloading the Kindle software). A paper version is in the works.]
Meditation and Mindfulness
@tlomauro Meditation Is Effective at Relieving Pain
[SEO: A recap of various recent studies showing that meditation and mindfulness can be effective at relieving pain, make you feel happier, and give you better odds at losing weight. For example, "When it came time for a midday break, 'people had a mindful lunch in silence for an hour. They enjoyed the food, didn't overeat, didn't rush, and were very aware and meditative when they sat down to start the meal.'"]
@karenkmmonroy Why Meditate? Here’s Why! (via @mindbodygreen)
[SEO: A short article includes a 3 minute animated video about the origins of meditation, and the positive benefits you can derive from practicing it.]
@SarahEOlson2009 Stop the World and See (via Always Well Within)
[SEO: "Often, we don’t see the world around us because we’re thinking too much, daydreaming, or just zoning out. It’s like we’re in another world. Other times we’re overly concentrated on the project at hand. So we only see what’s right in front of us like we’re wearing blinders. We haven’t learned to balance mindfulness with global awareness."]
The Rest of the Best
@StopItNow TAKE ACTION with us in April to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
[SEO: April is (still) National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This newsletter from Stop It Now provides links to resources and aids to spreading awareness of the issues. Includes a links section for summer safety. Be proactive on behalf of the children you know! You may be the difference in their life.]
@SarahEOlson2009 33 Favorite Self-Help Books of Psychologists (via World of Psychology)
[SEO: A wide range of topics of self-help books chosen by mental health professionals. Definitely worth a look!]
@NAMIMass Are Your Finances a Mess? Money and Emotion
[SEO: "Do you want to change problem behaviors that leave you financially unstable?" With the tax deadline looming in the U.S., this is a timely post about how the way we view money connects to and weaves around our emotions, often in self-destructive ways. "Problematic patterns in how you think about and manage money are often related to painful emotions such as guilt, fear and anxiety."]
@thereseborchard Thanks, Della, for a great interview! Coping With Depression
[SEO: An insightful interview of Therese Borchard, who blogs about coping with depression, and is the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression and Anxiety, and Making the Most of Bad Genes She approaches her own depressive tendencies from a holistic viewpoint. Discusses the role of alternative therapies and the mind-body-spirit connection; lists common symptoms of depression, and self-care measures you can take to alleviate those symptoms.]
@tinybuddha 20 Ways to Overcome Doubts
[SEO: "Maybe the point is to learn to be less afraid of leaping, knowing that the net may not always appear, but the fall will never be far enough to do any lasting damage."]
@psychcentral 21 Tips to Stop Being a People-Pleaser
[SEO: "People-pleasers yearn for outside validation. Their 'personal feeling of security and self-confidence is based on getting the approval of others.' ... They worry how others will view them when they say no. What many people-pleasers don’t realize is that people-pleasing can have serious risks. Not only does it put a lot of pressure and stress on you, Newman said, but 'essentially you can make yourself sick from doing too much.'" Includes 21 strategies to help you learn to say 'no'.]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
NEW and REALLY COOL: You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
@LillyAnn “Today I’m noticing the quality of my silence,
which apart from anything else,
so determines the quality of my noise.”
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@rcinstitute “ThoughtfulThursday: how much do you doubt your own reality, and how much do you let others impose their reality on you?”
@Tamavista “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ~ A. A. Milne
@lizstrauss “The more I stop being what I’m not, the more I accomplish and the more I find really incredible people around me.”
@karenkmmonroy “Change will feel out of your comfort zone, that’s why you need faith that you are more than the sum of your parts.”
@jodiblackley “Forgiving yourself can be more difficult than forgiving another… and many times, more powerful.”
@soulseedz “No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night.” ~ Elie Weisel
Linked Tweets
April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
@SarahEOlson April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
[SEO: This is the US government's central resource for all it sponsors with regard to "April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month". You will find tip sheets; the 2011 Resource Guide, which you can use to educate others and effect change in your own neighborhood; and a suggested daily calendar with activities and resources by which you can reach those goals. Be sure to view the index in the left sidebar which takes you to a wealth of material regarding child abuse awareness, prevention, and how to respond if you see it, or a child looks to you for help.]
@helpspreadthis Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing and Preventing Child Abuse
[SEO: "The earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal from their abuse and not perpetuate the cycle. Learn the signs and symptoms of child abuse and help break the cycle, finding out where to get help for the children and their caregivers."]
@Hopefortrauma The Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse — March 2011 Edition is up!!
[SEO: Always packed with informative posts under the theme "Springtime", as well as usual categories: Advocacy and Awareness; In the News; Healing and Therapy; Survivor Stories; and Poetry.]
@rcinstitute ThoughtfulThursday ~ Suicide: When the “inner critic” becomes a killer
[SEO: An extremely important topic for many trauma survivors. This article describes the path many abused and neglected children take to grow up with self-loathing -- and an "inner critic" which drives them to self-destructive beliefs and behaviors. "The child who internalizes critical messages grows into an adult with a profound lack of entitlement to happiness or success, and a sense of despair over ever being able to be happy or fulfilled in life. The negative inner voice never lets up, continually blaming and shaming the person, filling them with self-doubt, worthlessness and ultimately, self-loathing."
Don't do this to your own children, and don't stand by and watch it happen to other children with whom you are in regular contact. "It's not just abuse which damages a child's fragile, developing psyche; an attitude of disinterest is devastating to their developing sense of self-worth."]
The Rest of the Best
@psychcentral An interesting look at dance/movement therapy
[SEO: A detailed account of what dance/movement therapy is comprised of, some of its history, and techniques used. Describes the difference between being in control and being in charge, and why only the latter is empowering. While the focus is on eating disorders, many types of trauma survivors have issues with their bodies and expression of feelings. (Note: The entire article is on Page 1. Pages 2 and 3 appear to be a formatting error.)]
@goodthingz How to Transform Emotions Through Meditation
[SEO: A good introduction into what is meditation, and how you can use it, step by step, to transform your emotions. "As you develop a basic meditative practice you can begin working toward more specific outcomes, such as more positive emotions. By meditating on different emotions you can become aware of what leads to and triggers these emotions in you, and recognize how different emotions can counter and offset each other." (Note: I do not practice meditation -- (and probably should) -- so I have no way to judge whether the article's premise is reasonably attainable. I'd love to learn what you who do meditate think about this in the comments.]
@SarahEOlson2009 Are You Practicing Perfection? Or Are You A Work In Progress?
[SEO: "There’s something that’s always struck me as a little strange about perfectionism. It assumes completion – that a thing can be finished. Whole. Over. Done. So in a world where it seems that ‘the only constant is change’, perfectionism demands a static ending."]
@psychcentral If you’re not quite sure when to say goodbye to your antidepressants, read this
[SEO: If you, or your loved one, are currently on an antidepressant and thinking about stopping, you owe it to yourself, and that person, to read this important post. It is packed with the considerations one should ponder prior to stopping these drugs. First and foremost: never stop taking an antidepressant abruptly. Many of them need you to taper off slowly, or you may subject yourself to a wide range of symptoms. Read this.]
@rcinstitute ThoughtfulThursday: What is empowerment, really?
[SEO: Article describes what empowerment is, and what it isn't, in various contexts. Here is just one nugget from this post. "True empowerment is a state of self-trust and self-respect. It means that you're your own best friend at work and in relationships. You take responsibility for your choices and accept the consequences of your actions; you learn from your mistakes, so as not to repeat them."]
@tinybuddha 4 Steps to Deal with Disappointment (via @AlwaysWellWithn)
[SEO: "For me, disappointment is one of life’s most uncomfortable feelings. It’s complex, containing a subset of other emotions like anger, hurt, sadness, and probably many others too subtle to identify. Sometimes, those emotions by themselves are easier to deal with, but disappointment can leave me at a loose end."]
Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.
NEW and REALLY COOL: You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)
@drkkolmes Have you been in psychotherapy and seen your therapist’s info on the Internet? Participate in research!
[SEO: Note: No deadline provided. "Are you a person 18 years old or over, who has been in psychotherapy, and has sought or found information about your therapist on the Internet? If so, we would appreciate your taking the time to complete a survey. ... As a participant, you will be asked to complete an online survey covering your basic demographic information and your experiences regarding seeking or accidentally discovering information about your therapist on the Internet. We expect the survey to take about 20 to 35 minutes to complete."]
The Rest of the Best
@mamaduck123456 Awareness starts with you and me
[SEO: Why it behooves you to be aware and act when you see or hear acts (or possible acts) of child abuse: a lot of other people may choose to not become involved. Every child needs and deserves a champion. Be that person.]
@ResearchBlogs Book Review: When the Past is Always Present; A New PTSD Treatment?
[SEO: "Ruden believes that the means to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is to use the senses. This idea, which is at the core of the theory of psychosensory therapy, forms what the author considers the 'third pillar' of trauma treatment. The first and second pillars refer to psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. The theory of psychosensory therapy postulates that sensory input, for example, touch 'creates extrasensory activity that alters brain function and the way we respond to stimuli'. In other words, new sensory input can change memories and their power over us."]
@SarahEOlson2009 Fearless Nation: First in PTSD Support in Second Life
[SEO: In my Best Tweets post last week, I mentioned the T2 Virtual PTSD Experience project newly offered in Second Life to veterans, their families, and friends. I commented that something like this for civilians would be extremely valuable. Well, guess what? It’s already available, and has been since 2009. Learn about Fearless Nation's PTSD Retreat in Second Life: links to explore and three videos embedded all within my post. And check out the Fearless Nation PTSD Support website for a treasure trove of online resources.]
@psychcentral Feeling SAD? Having a hard time with the winter season? Here are a few tips to deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder
[SEO: "Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that most often occurs during the winter months. People with SAD tend to feel lethargic and often crave foods that are high in carbohydrates. Lots of people have a mild form of SAD called winter blues. ... Those with SAD find it interferes with their ability to perform daily tasks, while those with winter blues just slosh ahead despite feeling gloomy."]
@zebraspolkadots May today you find peace if you are struggling with your pain. And trust…it is not for “forever”.
[SEO: "Many just don't know how to sit with the pain of those who have suffered in trauma. Their intentions are good but they often don't understand that to heal most often begins with being heard. After all -- if our experiences are not valid, what do we have to heal from so we should be able to just 'get on with it', right? If we are forced to live in denial of our pain from the trauma experience, we are often setting ourselves up for our pain to come out in other, often maladaptive, ways."]
@soulseedz What fear called risk will soon be revealed as opportunity — The Benefits of Risk Taking
[SEO: "Without risk, you would never escape from the prison of who you think you have to be to satisfy the critics into the fullness of your true self that always was. The irony is that you need to take risks in order to move beyond the small self that keeps itself alive by believing there is too much at stake. There isn’t. There is more of substance in a tennis ball than in the small self’s delusions of permanence. It’s all changing, all the time. The greater risk is to mistake a memory or an idea for the way things really are, for then you risk missing the moment. At your essence you know what is true risk and what is ego’s games, and you know that risk is necessary because on the other side of the risk lies freedom." Note: He's not advocating stupid risks. He's saying be safe, but take a step outside of your comfort zone.]
@MentalHelpNet Overcoming Social Anxiety with Mindfulness Therapy
[SEO: "When you develop a mindfulness-based relationship with your inner emotions, your anxiety and fear, you set up a completely different inner environment that greatly facilitates transformation, resolution and healing of the emotional constructs of anxiety and fear. The simple fact is that reactivity inhibits change, while mindfulness promotes change and healing. You first learn to recognize the impulse to react with fear or panic as it arises, and to respond at a very early stage to the impulse with mindful-attention. This simple action stops the reactivity proliferating into worry and negative thinking, and opens up a brief moment of choice, a space before the reaction takes off. This is the beginning of the de-conditioning process. With practice you can develop and lengthen this space, especially in mindfulness meditation sessions, which become practice grounds for developing new ways of responding to your emotions and the associated external situations."]
