Hi Garry!

Welcome to CHEAL!

> I suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder linked with Depression

You have my sympathy, Mate!

I acquired PTSD in 1984 after a very traumatic dying/death
experience of someone I was very close to - coinciding with a bunch
of other life events like moving house and changing jobs - it was a
nightmare time in my life!

Like many folks with PTSD, psychiatry & psychotherapy was not very
helpful and I had recurrent mental health problems (and medication)
up to 1992 (8 years of intermittent hell!).

As you are no doubt aware, one of the unpleasant long-term effects
is "hyperarousal". Medication could damp this down, but only at the
expense of shifting in the driection of becoming a drugged zombie,
which led from PTSD to depression - not much of a choice!

Luckily, from 1992 onwards I found a series of teachers and
workshops which taught me symptom-management without medication,
plus ways to heal the orginal trauma and to build a new life.

I now teach these techniques to others, and a group of us will be
giving a free 1-hour demo (participation welcomed) of some
hyperarousal-reducing (painless, drug-free and fun!) technologies at
the Cambridge Well-being Day on June 26th 2006, see

http://www.workingtogetherforrecovery.co.uk/Well%20being%20day26thJune06.pdf

I don't know if you are near to Cambridge, but if so, you can attend
the Well-being Day free of charge.


> of this comes my poetry and for the last three years have been
writing
> various poems a lot to do with the way i feel but also more light
> hearted poems. They all come from my heart as this is the only way
i
> know how and would like to share them with others.

I hope you will share some of your poems with us, Garry!


Best wishes for your recovery!
Mike
http://www.sunflower-health.com