Episode 26: C-PTSD and COVID-19 I’m Fully Vaccinated-Now What?

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05/13/21 • 25 min

Out of My Mind in Costa Rica-Living with CPTSD

Episode 26

C-PTSD and COVID-19

I’m Fully Vaccinated-Now What?

May 13, 2021

In this week’s episode I talk about how the pandemic has impacted me and what role did Complex-Post Traumatic Stress play in how I am managing my experience with COVID-19. For me, I take it one day at a time and on occasion, I take it one hour at a time or one minute at a time. For me the key is to be mindful and if you forget, that’s alright you can always return to being mindful any time you realize you were not being mindful. Chew on that for a minute. While you are chewing on that last comment, here are some websites I found that may contribute to the discussion. Thank you for listening to Out of My Mind in Costa Rica – Living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress.

This is a very vivid personal account of Jackie Armstrong, a woman with Complex PTSD and how COVID-19 impacted her life. Her story is very powerful.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Triggering My Complex PTSD (yahoo.com)

This is a nice article published in the Medical News Today newsletter. It gives a brief overview of PTSD, pinpoints the specific things you can do if the pandemic is impacting you or someone you love who has PTSD.

PTSD and coronavirus (COVID-19): Symptoms and how to cope (medicalnewstoday.com)

COVID-19 affects us in many ways, one of the ways is by traumatizing people. Here’s an article by
William A. Haseltine Ph.D. published in Psychology Today.

COVID-19 Traumatic Stress Disorder | Psychology Today

The Effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on PTSD is a no nonsense article from the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Lots of good stuff here.

Effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD (va.gov)

Feel free to email me about any of these articles. I am happy to talk with you about them.

[email protected]

Episode 26

C-PTSD and COVID-19

I’m Fully Vaccinated-Now What?

May 13, 2021

This is a very vivid personal account of Jackie Armstrong, a woman with Complex PTSD and how COVID-19 impacted her life. Her story is very powerful.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Triggering My Complex PTSD (yahoo.com)

PTSD and coronavirus (COVID-19): Symptoms and how to cope (medicalnewstoday.com)

COVID-19 affects us in many ways, one of the ways is by traumatizing people. Here’s an article by
William A. Haseltine Ph.D. published in Psychology Today.

COVID-19 Traumatic Stress Disorder | Psychology Today

The Effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on PTSD is a no nonsense article from the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Lots of good stuff here.

Effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD (va.gov)

Feel free to email me about any of these articles. I am happy to talk with you about them.

[email protected]

Previous Episode

Episode 25: C-PTSD and Baby Steps - Am I Feeling Better or Is It Prozac?

Episode 25

C-PTSD and Baby Steps

Am I Feeling Better or Is It Prozac?

April 29, 2021

In this episode, I am talking about feeling better on a more consistent way. This enhancement in my mood also corresponds to the window of effectiveness for Fluoxetine which is better known as Prozac. It doesn’t matter to me because the experience of feeling better is motivating regardless of it’s source. My role is to build on that emotional and cognitive shift taking place into a better world for myself and for the people I love and care about.

I am taking Prozac, which is classified as a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibiter or an SSRI. This class of anti-depressant has been shown to be just as effective in treating depression as psychotherapy. There are currently 15 different name brands of SSRIs using six fundamental compounds. For more information click on any of the links below.

Lexapro (escitalopram), Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), Celexa (citalopram), Luvox (fluvoxamine), Paxil CR (paroxetine), Brisdelle (paroxetine), Sarafem (fluoxetine), Luvox CR (fluvoxamine), Prozac Weekly (fluoxetine), Pexeva (paroxetine), Selfemra (fluoxetine), and Rapiflux (fluoxetine).

In the Costa Rican healthcare system, I was given the choice of Prozac, Prozac or Prozac. So, I chose Prozac.

Dr. Arielle Schwarts has been writing about the journey of healing from Complex-PTSD for years.

Healing Complex PTSD and Dissociation | Dr. Arielle Schwartz (drarielleschwartz.com)

Here is the official government site on PTSD. I have given you the link to their information on Complex-PTSD.

Complex PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD (va.gov)

I have given you this resource before. It’s an oldie, but a goodie.

Complex PTSD Healing | CPTSDfoundation.org

Thrive After Abuse has a YouTube Channel and they are doing their part in helping people with Complex-PTSD.

Healing from Complex PTSD: Relaxation and Affirmation Video - YouTube

Next Episode

Episode 27: C-PTSD and COVID -19 Part II - Buckle Your Seatbelt

Episode 27

CPTSD and COVID -19 Part II

Buckle Your Seatbelt

May 24, 2021

I’ve been sick for the better part of the last 10 days and today I am telling you all the nitty-gritty details. What was I sick with? It turned out to be COVID-19. It has been a hell of a week and I am grateful to be feeling 10,000% better today.

Besides being sick, I was given permission to read a letter from a new listener and I am introducing a new Sponsor; Out of My Mind Art at www.outofmymindart.com Out of My Mind Art is known for it’s Magic Wands and Twisted Wire Novelties. Check them out. 100% of the proceeds go to the support of the arts.

Here are some websites that help give more focus to today’s topic.

Melanie Greenberg Ph.D. published an article in Psychology today which looks at Post-Traumatic Growth. What on earth is that?

Post-Traumatic Growth During a Pandemic: Is That a Thing? | Psychology Today

I stumbled upon an article by Stephanie Foo. I didn’t know about her before I read her article, but I know about her now. I heartily share her perspective as a person with C-PTSD who is also leaning into the wind in these COVID times.

Stephanie Foo is a writer and a journalist working on a book on what it’s like to recover from complex PTSD. She has worked as a producer at This American Life and Snap Judgment, and her stories have aired on shows like Reply All, Radiolab, and 99% Invisible. She is also a 2019-2020 Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Fellow.

Coronavirus mental health: Why having PTSD feels like a superpower right now for some - Vox

Huffington Post has a really interesting article which could help you to discover if the pandemic has traumatized you. Gets you to look at a lot of key factors of PTSD.

7 Red Flags You're Experiencing Trauma From The COVID-19 Pandemic | HuffPost Life

Medical News Today has a detailed article on the impact of what they are calling: COVID-19 anxiety syndrome. This is a very reliable source for sound medical information.

What is COVID-19 anxiety syndrome? (medicalnewstoday.com)

Out of My Mind in Costa Rica-Living with CPTSD - Episode 26: C-PTSD and COVID-19 I’m Fully Vaccinated-Now What?

Transcript

Episode 26

C-PTSD and COVID-19

I’m Fully Vaccinated-Now What?

May 13, 2021

Hello and welcome to Out of My Mind in Costa Rica-Living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress. I’m Your host, Ray Erickson. On May 5th, I received my 2nd dose of the Pfizer vaccine. In Costa Rica there is virtually no pushback to getting vaccinated. People are thrilled to receive the vaccine and are willing to wait in long lines for hours just to get theirs. This is a