From PTSD To Success - Is It Possible?
June 23, 2008
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I know that many people who have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) read this blog. But can you really go on to suffer PTSD and achieve success? After all, if you’ve read much about PTSD, you’ll probably have heard that if you haven’t recovered within the first year, your life will never return to normal.
Hearing this can be terrifying. But it’s important to know that even though you may not recover completely, your life can be a whole lot better than it is now. And you can be successful in whatever you choose to do.
I personally have a long way to go to reach something that I would define as a successful life. But I suppose that getting to where I am now, from where I was at when I first began to suffer from PTSD is a success in itself.
If you’re suffering from PTSD and you’d like to go freelance, or start a business, let me share a few things I’ve learned over the past 14 years, 6 months and 11 days that may be of some help to you.
1. Running a business is tough. And coping with PTSD at the same time can make it even harder. If you’re unable to get help and support from family and friends, do make sure you get help elsewhere. I know it’s difficult to ask for help when you’ve already been rejected by those around you, but ask your GP and he may be able to arrange for you to attend counselling sessions, or group therapy.
2. If you’re in any type of abusive relationship - whether it be with a partner, family member or even a so called friend, break it off and simply don’t see that person. Bullies are experts at taking advantage ot those who are vulnerable and this type of relationship will be detrimental to both your health and your business success.
3. In some ways, starting a business can initially seem quite simple if you have PTSD. If you’ve suffered for any length of time, you’ll probably be used to experiencing avoidance - immersing yourself in a hobby, interest, or work completely, to avoid dealing with the pain. This can seem great when you first start a business, as it makes it easy to concentrate on your business 24/7.
But, the trouble is, it’s also easy to ignore the fact that you’re doing this and to actually believe you’re cured, when you’re not. And this can cause problems later on in your business.
4. If you’re on any medication, don’t stop taking it when you go freelance, or start a business - even if you think you don’t need it anymore, as mentioned in point 3. I did just that and when I began to experience additional stresses and triggers, I developed a habit of using alcohol and painkillers to numb the pain instead. And I’m guessing that I don’t need to tell you how dangerous that can be. It’s amazingly easy to forget how long it is since you took your last pain killers, especially if you’ve been drinking.
I was surprised that it happened to me. For many years I barely ever used alcohol to cope with PTSD, so I didn’t think it would be a problem in the future.
5. Do seek out people who will help and support you - even if they really don’t understand. Business can be really stressful at times and if you’re already suffering from PTSD, sometimes the additional stress can become overwhelming. For example, I was going through a really busy and stressful time in my business about 3 years ago, as well as a lot of stress in my personal life. Then one day, I had an appointment with the bank and they told me they were freezing my account (long story) and I wouldn’t be able to take a single penny out.
My reaction was to totally freeze. I could barely speak, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even remember where I’d parked my car. Luckily, I had someone I could call to come and get me and help me to sort things out. When things like that happen, you don’t necessarily need someone who understands what is wrong - but it’s useful to have someone who’ll help you, without needing to understand.
6. No matter how many times you fall down, keep trying. It’s easy to give up and believe you’ll never be able to make it because you have PTSD - especially when you suffer huge setbacks. This happened to a friend of mine. He had a hugely successful business and he spent almost every waking hour working (as mentioned in point 3). Then one day, two things triggered him to become terribly ill again - neither of them were work related. He was extremely poorly for several months and in that time, his business went down the pan - he lost everything.
I wish he’d started up again but he decided to go and work for someone else, as he was concerned that the same thing would happen again. It’s a shame, as he has what it takes to build a great business.
7. Every time you do have a setback in your business, tell yourself you’ll never be as far back as you were when you first became ill. When you first begin to suffer from PTSD, you’ll probably be at your worst and you’re unlikely to have a lot of confidence. But every little success you have in that business will help build your confidence back up again. And even if you become quite ill again, the chances are, you’ll never wind up back at square one.
8. Don’t isolate yourself. If your business is going to involve working from home all the time, do try to make an effort to get out and see people. And think twice before moving to another part of the country or world alone to start a business, if you’re suffering from PTSD - especially in the early days. I did exactly that - moved to the other end of the country (I didn’t intend to live alone, but that’s another long story) and it was fatal. Although I didn’t have a lot of support from people around me when I first became ill - at least I still saw people sometimes. But when I moved, I was completely isolated.
If you suffer from PTSD and you’re thinking about working for yourself, I hope this advice has helped a little. In terms of coping and recovering, I’ve probably made some of the biggest cock ups in the book. I’m still nowhere near where I want to be and I still do suffer many symptoms of PTSD. But I’m much further on than I was all those years ago, so just think what you could do.
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8 Responses to “From PTSD To Success - Is It Possible?”
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Cath,
Congratulations for persevering in spite of the obstacles you’ve faced. Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice with others may be in a similar situation.
Lillie Ammann’s last blog post..Flag Day in the US
Good on you Catherine for keeping on going when it gets tough. This is a really good post and full of good advice. You certainly can go on to achieve success after a diagnosis of PTSD, I do a lot of work in this field and it is very, very rewarding to see people get well and get thier lives back after trauma.
One thing I would suggest is that people get good treatment from a psychologist, treatment for PTSD is VERY specific and needs to be managed by someone who knows what they are doing. the wrong treatment, or just regular counselling can actually make someone a lot worse, so don’t just see a counselor or a minister, see someone trained to work with PTSD and uses evidence based methods for the fastest safest treatment.
louise’s last blog post..Business planning on a budget
Ditto on the congrats!! It takes a special kind of courage to keep on - good job. I like point #6 the most - it’s so true.
Best wishes,
Barbara
Barbara Ling’s last blog post..6/22 Gourmet Brunch! Beef Wellington, Smoked Salmon and …
Hi Catherine,
Whether it’s with PTSD or business, you openly share what you’ve experienced. It’s your willingness to share that shows what an exceptional person you are.
I pray you find a way to rid yourself of PTSD completely. It hurts me to know that what happened to you years ago still haunts you. You sharing your experiences will undoubtedly help many to know they’re not alone, and in that process I hope it helps you, as well.
Take care, my friend.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..You’re Only As Good As Your Current Post
Your words and actions will give others belief, courage and confidence. Good on you.
These aren’t easy things to talk about and like others I think it’s wonderful that you can, and that you do.
Joanna
Joanna Young’s last blog post..Introducing Powerful Web Content
Hi Lillie - Thanks. I hope it can help people - even just a little.
Thanks Barbara L - I wish my friend had tried again. He has a great job but I know that he could do amazing things on his own.
Thank you Barbara S - don’t be too impressed. I haven’t really been good at sharing my experiences much until I started blogging. And the support and encouragement from people like you gave me the confidence to share more.
Hi Joanna - thanks. I hate it that people are being told that they will never be completely back to normal again. Often, it’s not explained to them properly and I hope this helps them to realise that they can still improve their lives.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..From PTSD To Success - Is It Possible?
Hi Louise - Sorry your post didn’t show up straight away. Askimet keeps putting you in moderation.
Yes - someone who knows what they’re doing is very important. I didn’t see anyone for a long time - think it was well over a year and Ihad to switch alot because I kept moving house. The first person I saw was a psychologist and she was brilliant. I also saw a few CPN’s and psychotherapists who ranged from ok to v bad.
One of them referred me to a psychiatrist. It was completely unhelpful and I have to say, he was the worst person I saw - I only went once.
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