Karen's Blogs

Blogs are brief, to-the-point, conversational, and packed with information, strategies, and tips to turn troubled eaters into “normal” eaters and to help you enjoy a happier, healthier life. Sign up by clicking "Subscribe" below and they’ll arrive in your inbox.

[No unsolicited guest blogs accepted, thank you]

Karen's Blogs

Monday, 23 July 2018

Do You Have Pre-Traumatic Disorder?

Font size: + –

Emotional Management and Self-Regulation

Yes, you read the title of this blog correctly: Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s a condition I made up which in no way takes away from the serious and enduring effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (aka PTSD) which many of dysregulated eaters suffer from. I’m not in any way making fun of PTSD or minimizing it, I assure you.

The bona fide PTSD may happen when an external event dysregulates and overwhelms our nervous systems. The fictitious condition, which many of my clients also have, comes from catastrophizing external events and spending too much time thinking about future possible disasters. It’s a way of viewing the world as a glass that’s always half-filled, and not with water, but with poison. It’s a mindset that says, “Something terrible will happen to me and I’m positive that I won’t be able to cope with it. It will ruin my life and any chance of happiness I ever will have. I will never recover from it or be the same after it happens. And, no one, including myself, can prevent this from happening.”

I’m not exaggerating. Many people think like this. At the first sign of difficulty in a relationship, they’re certain they’ll be abandoned or rejected and that this will do them in. If a hoped for job doesn’t come through, they anticipate no job ever coming their way and living on the streets for the rest of their lives. When the doctor calls “with concerns” to discuss their lab tests, they’re sure that they’re bound to receive a fatal diagnosis.

The reason that I call this mindset Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder is that people who have it view their life as if it’s always going to be overwhelmingly stressful and traumatic. Moreover, they stress themselves out by constantly worrying that it will be. If something merely bad happens to them, it feels traumatic even when it isn’t. If they are subject to genuine trauma, they often can’t cope when others can. The difference is that people who can cope see themselves as resourceful and resilient. They either expect that they’ll be able to manage whatever befalls them or they have a wait-and-see attitude because they haven’t already made up their minds that things will be awful.

Ask yourself if any of your stress eating is due to having Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder. If so, don’t judge yourself; just acknowledge the fact and understand that this is how your mind works. It’s a view or mindset, not a fact nor your destiny. You may have an anxiety disorder or, ironically, you actually may suffer from real PTSD and not recognize it. If you walk around assuming that the world is an unsafe place and that you’re always at severe risk of being hurt in it, it’s time to change your attitude and heal your Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Best,

Karen

http://www.karenrkoenig.com/

https://www.facebook.com/normaleatingwithkarenrkoenig/

http://www.youtube.com/user/KarenRKoenig

http://twitter.com/KarenRKoenig

APPetite on Facebook

This website is owned and operated by Karen R. Koenig, M.Ed., LCSW. It contains material intended for informational and educational purposes only, and reasonable effort is made to keep its contents updated. Any material contained herein is not to be construed as the practice of clinical social work or of psychotherapy, although adherence to applicable Florida States, Rules, and Code of Ethics is observed. Material on this website is not intended as a substitute for medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment for mental health issues or eating disorder problems, which should be done only through individualized therapeutic consultation. Karen R. Koenig, LCSW disclaims any and all liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of any information contained on this website. This website contains links to other sites. The inclusion of such links does not necessarily constitute endorsement by Karen R. Koenig, LCSW who disclaims any and all liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of any information contained in this website. Further, Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or current usefulness of the material contained in the linked sites. Users of any website must be aware of the limitation to confidentiality and privacy, and website usage does not carry any guarantee or privacy of any information contained therein.

Web Design by Think Donson