PTSD: The Nightmare of Fireworks

Living in Bremerton very near a naval base means there are a lot of veterans around.  Many of them have been deployed into areas where there is much fighting.  As a result many of them have come home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  

While I love a good fireworks display as much as the next person, what I do not necessarily love is the neighborhood variety of celebration which consists of firecrackers, rockets, shells and wheels.  This variety of fireworks often emit pops, whistles and explosive sounds that send veterans (and dogs) into a state of panic.

(Image courtesy of @PTSDEducation)

Those who suffer from PTSD can have a variety of reactions to these sounds, the least of which are flashbacks and nightmares.  These articles contain great information for those who may not be familiar:  http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/problemsdisorders/posttraumaticstressdisorder.aspx. , and http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-02/news/ct-met-fireworks-ptsd-0702-20110702_1_war-vets-ptsd-fireworks-laws. 

 While I do not want to dampen anyone's right to celebrate the 4th of July, I would ask that you be aware of who is around you.  If you know that you have a neighbor who is a veteran, be considerate and take your fireworks out to a more remote location to set them off.  

Also, remember veterans are not the only ones who suffer from PTSD; police officers and those who have suffered abuse are also negatively affected by the accompanying noises that come with the fireworks.  Try to put yourself in their shoes when you are planning your celebration.  Your excitement should not come at the expense of someone else's affliction.

I would love to read your comments on this subject and also invite you to share this blog wherever you feel it is useful.

Blessings and Peace,

Sydney
 
You may contact me directly through one of my Facebook pages:
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Or one of my Websites:
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http://sydneysministry.com/

Communication: Can you hear me now?

I originally had another topic in mind for today, however it became very clear that it was not the right one.  Communication demanded to be heard, so I have given way to the Universe and am instead writing about how it seems that we are all so busy trying to get people to listen to us that we can't hear anything else.

My news feed today has been filled with comments and notices about Communication.  How dare people exercise their right to free speech, especially when it is not in agreement with my philosophy.  Silence is not golden, it makes me uncomfortable.  Let me tell you about yourself.  These are just a few of the insights that greeted me this morning.  Then I experienced unusual phone complications.  Evidently I was postponing doing what I was supposed to be doing, because I either kept losing connection or the person I needed to talk to was unavailable. 

The observations that have come to me from the comments posted above are really eye opening to our culture.  With regard to free speech; we are all ready to rally around someone who expresses the same value or belief that we have publicly.  You can see this simply by looking at popular memes on Facebook that express political / religious sentiments.  They get thousands of likes, from those who agree with them.  If someone expresses a not so popular opinion such as "guns don't kill people", the backlash is staggering.  It would seem that allowing those with different / unpopular opinions to speak them is hard for a lot of people.  Freedom of speech does not mean that we must all agree it only means that we all get to speak our minds, and we have to be willing to accept the consequences for doing so.  

Speaking of "speaking our minds", how often do you sit down next to someone and feel compelled to make small talk?  Just talking for the sake of not sitting in silence.  Why does silence make us uncomfortable?  Is it perhaps because we are uncomfortable with the self talk that is going on in our minds?  Are we worried about what the other person may think about us if we don't make polite conversation?  Why?  

It also seems to me that the number of psychic fairs has grown exponentially.  Perhaps it is just that I am noticing them more, so it seems as if there are more of them.  While I am grateful for those who come to psychic readers like myself for insight, it does make me wonder why we don't trust our own intuition to tell us what we need to know about ourselves. 

(image by www.bernert.info)

Each of these topics could be expanded on, it is my wish that you might add your thoughts in the comments area of the blog.  

Blessings and Peace,

Sydney
 
You may contact me directly through one of my Facebook pages:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Sense-of-Peace-Inc/131165690233450 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydney-Bridges-Certified-Grief-Counselor/1441897136078091?ref=bookmark
https://www.facebook.com/TarotreadingsbySydney?ref=bookmarks

Or one of my Websites:
http://www.asenseofpeaceinc.com/
http://sydneysministry.com/

Self-Sabotage: But, What if ...

These three words can be some of the most detrimental we ever utter.  These three words "but, what if..." are an expression of fear.  But, what if ... something goes wrong, they don't like me, I suck, I forget my words, moves or ideas?  When you find yourself uttering these words, STOP.  Recognize that you are about to sabotage yourself.  Change them to something such as "When I succeed at" or "When I have accomplished ...".  Remember that not everything happens on the first try.

Why do we self-sabotage?  Primarily, it is because it is easier to believe that we will fail at something rather than succeed.  Our mind is trying to protect us from the dissonance that comes from not living up to the standards that we set ourselves, so in order to not fail and feel bad about who we are; we simply decide that the risk is too great, and we "what if ..." ourselves right out of trying.

There are many reasons that we self-sabotage.  We feel unworthy, failing is familiar; we have bad habits and addictions, expecting failure and creating the means to that end allows us to feel in control.  So, how can you stop this behaviour?  The most important thing is to pay attention to your thoughts and words.  Stop the "but, what if ..." thinking and force yourself to only think and say positive things about yourself and what you want to accomplish.  Don't see setbacks as a precursor to failure.  If you are trying to lose weight and backslide a little, do not abandon things altogether.  Edison failed 200 times before creating the light bulb, imagine how different the world might be if he had not kept on trying.  Stop thinking just about yourself.  When you sabotage your efforts you are effecting others as well.  Had I decided that I might not be any good at being a Hypnotherapist and Grief Counselor there would be many people in the world who might not have received the help they needed. Finally, do not be afraid to step out into the world.  You may indeed fail at some stuff, that is okay.  Some things are just not a good fit.  The point is you will never know if you don't try. 

(image by youngandrevolting.wordpress.com)

  Whatever else in life you do, make sure that you, at the very least ... PARTICIPATE!

Blessings and Peace,

Sydney
 
You may contact me directly through one of my Facebook pages:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Sense-of-Peace-Inc/131165690233450 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydney-Bridges-Certified-Grief-Counselor/1441897136078091?ref=bookmark
https://www.facebook.com/TarotreadingsbySydney?ref=bookmarks

Or one of my Websites:
http://www.asenseofpeaceinc.com/
http://sydneysministry.com/

Mourning: What is Good Grief

Grief can be such a debilitating experience.  When we are going through it there seems to be no way out, when we begin to live our lives again we can't believe we got through it.  In my life I have grieved the loss of both my parents, my brother and my son.  I have grieved moving from my home town and leaving friends of nearly 20 years, the loss of jobs and divorce.

There are many stages to grief and not all of us go through them all or in the same order.  Good grief means that you are moving, however slowly or disorganized, through whichever phases you are going to go through. When you get stuck or seem to be lost, this is an indication that your grief is getting the better of you and that you should consider getting some help either from family or professionally.

Don't let others define what your grief is going to look like.  We all grieve in different ways and you need to honor what feels right for you and your beliefs surrounding death.  It is perfectly fine to keep things and create a shrine if you feel it helps you to have reminders of the one you lost around.  It is also just fine to remove photos and mementos until you are strong enough to look at them again.  There is no rule that says that you must clear out all the clothes and belongings of your loved one right away.

(photo by www.extension.org)

Remember that often people make suggestions to you that are really for their own benefit.  For example,  people will tell you not to cry, that time will heal your heart.  They say this because it is uncomfortable for them to see you crying, and they know that they cannot do anything to ease your pain.

For those of you who may be in the throes of grief please know that it is not weakness to ask for help if you need it.  This is a time when you are allowed to be as selfish as you need to be.  Your friends and family cannot do anything to help you through your grief; they can cook for you, do laundry, take care of some errands, and just be there to listen if you need to talk.  Ask them, it will help both of you feel better. 

If you have a friend who is suffering in this way, know also, that they may not have the wherewithal to ask for what they need.  Just show up at their house and do what needs to be done.  Bring some food with you. Do not wait to be asked.

(photo by www.oasisanimalclinic.com)

For those of you who are supporting someone in grief please understand that you do not know how they feel.  Even if you have had a similar loss, their experience is different than yours, so just tell them that you love them, tell them that you care, give them a hug, bring them food, clean their house, offer to help in the mundane ways that they cannot manage right now.

We all experience loss, and we do it in unique ways.  Please don't compare your grief to someone else's experiences.

Blessings and Peace,

Sydney
 
You may contact me directly through one of my Facebook pages:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Sense-of-Peace-Inc/131165690233450 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydney-Bridges-Certified-Grief-Counselor/1441897136078091?ref=bookmark
https://www.facebook.com/TarotreadingsbySydney?ref=bookmarks

Or one of my Websites:
http://www.asenseofpeaceinc.com/
http://sydneysministry.com/

Hypnotherapy: Are you to going to make me cluck like a chicken?

 I get this question from almost every hypnotherapy client that I see.  The answer is always no.  The fact is that I cannot MAKE you do anything.  That is not how hypnotherapy works.  I can only help to solidify those changes that you desire to make.  If you are coming to see me to stop smoking for instance, it must be something you are doing with your own free will.  If you are doing it to make a nagging partner happy, chances are that it will not be successful.  You must want to make the change.

Hypnosis works by giving the unconscious mind better information, like giving your computer an updated operating system. It can be used to change associations, so that cigarettes, for instance, are no longer seen as stress reducers, and are instead seen as "toxic killers". It can also be used to give you alternatives that allow you to be better able to deal with stressful situations without having to light up.

Physical change can also be achieved through hypnosis. Pain control is a very good example. The mind alters our awareness of pain all the time.   You'll have experienced this yourself if you've ever discovered a cut or a bruise and wondered how it got there. Physical sensations still happen, but the unconscious has relegated them to the nearly two million bits of sensory information you're not aware of every single second.

Hypnosis was originally used for pain control during surgery.  Back in the late 1800's the only anesthesia used was ether, and you had to use a lot of it.  Many people died from relatively simple operations because of the anesthesia.  It was discovered that the use of Hypnosis would necessitate little to no chemical anesthesia;  and people began to live through their tonsillectomies.

Hypnosis can be used for any behaviour that you wish to change, from Anxiety to Zoo phobia.  My website http://www.asenseofpeaceinc.com/FAQS.htm has a special section of FAQ's specific to hypnotherapy.

Create the life you desire and experience freedom from habits that do not serve who you are.


You may contact me directly through one of my Facebook pages:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Sense-of-Peace-Inc/131165690233450 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydney-Bridges-Certified-Grief-Counselor/1441897136078091?ref=bookmark
https://www.facebook.com/TarotreadingsbySydney?ref=bookmarks

Or one of my Websites:
http://www.asenseofpeaceinc.com/
http://sydneysministry.com/

Blessings and Peace,
Sydney