Encourage healing #PTSD, not drinking

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 21, 2021

Did you know there is a difference between corruption and encouragement? Corruption is when you try to get someone to do something evil, wrong, bad for them or to go against what they believe. Encouragement is when you try to get someone to do something tat is good for them, something that will benefit them, especially when they want to give up.

If you have a friend dealing with PTSD, taking them out to a bar to drink their troubles away, is borderline corruption. Wanting them to get out of their isolation and off the couch, is a good thing but that is to where they should go to. Alcohol is a depressant and that is the last thing they need. It may make you feel more comfortable than taking them out for a cup of coffee and spend time with them that way, but this is supposed to be about them...not you.

More often than not, the person with PTSD survived something you may never understand and you may feel uncomfortable listing to them. It is way more uncomfortable if they lose their fight and end the battle by their own hands. Maybe they were the first or second person they called after it happened. You were there in the beginning but there before it. You know them. You'll be one of the first people to see the change in them but most of the time you don't know what it means. You won't until you spend time listening to them.

Do more listening than talking. Remember you are doing this for them. If you don't know what to say when they stop talking, then just put your arm on their shoulder, or nod your head. Don't look away from them or talk about something to fill up the quiet minutes. They may be struggling to find the right words or the courage to say what they need to.

This is why the featured video today is for King And Country, Fight On Fighter. Encouragement is a gift you give that can change a life for the better.

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson (Goodreads)

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD 

Fight On, Fighter

for KING And COUNTRY

I was there on the day that you were changed

You were scared and prepared for the heartbreak

Everything you knew faded out of view

Stole a piece of you

If I could, oh, I would be a hero

Be the one who would take all the arrows

Save you from the pain, carry all the weight

But I know that you're brave

Fight on, fighter

Don't let anyone steal your fire

Fight on, fighter

The Spirit is alive inside ya, yeah

There's a part that you hold that you lock down

Let it breathe, give it wings, set it free now

Time to make ya walk, break the prison bars

Show them who you are

Fight on, fighter

Don't let anyone steal your fire

Fight on, fighter

The Spirit is alive inside ya, yeah

Stronger than you than you ever thought

I know you're stronger

Braver than you were before

You know you're braver

Oh, no, you don't have to be afraid

Together we'll face it

So don't ever stop no matter what

'Cause you're gonna make it

Fight on, fighter

Don't let anyone steal your fire

Fight on, fighter

The Spirit is alive inside ya, yeah

Fight on, fighter

Don't let anyone steal your fire

Fight on, fighter

The Spirit is alive inside ya, yeah

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Ben Backus / Ben Glover / Joel David Smallbone / Luke Smallbone / Mark Campbell / Tedd Tjornhom Fight On, Fighter lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Mike Curb Music 

Miracles don't come from nowhere

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 20, 2021

When you pray for something, and your prayers are answered, do you actually understand that God did it? Do you know how God answers prayers? He doesn't just snap His fingers to deliver it. He tries to use other people to give what you ask for. When it is something you need to do on your own, He does it by guiding you to find what you need to. If your prayers are not being answered, you may end up blaming God, when it was not His fault.

Have you ever thought about someone all of a sudden and had an urge to call them? If you do, you discover they needed someone to talk to. You were used to answer their prayers. How many times have you shrugged off the urge and found out something horrible happened to them, and you wished you had followed through on making the call?

Miracles happen all the time but most of the time we don't acknowledge them. We don't understand how God uses regular people all the time because they were willing to listen to Him and act on it. Somehow we end up claiming the miracle came out of nowhere.

The fact you have PTSD because you survived whatever caused PTSD to hit you, is a miracle itself. I've had over 10 of them. To me, it wasn't just surviving it, it was also the people who came to help me after it happened. It was holding onto my faith and letting it help heal me. It was the people who studied trauma and wrote about it long before I even knew it existed, and helped me understand it.

Over all these years, I've saved a lot of lives that you will never know about. It isn't my job to tell their stories or share anything I've done. It is, and was, my job to learn, understand, and be there to help them heal too. 

They prayed for help. I prayed to be of help to them. They followed being guided to me and I responded, or they read what I was guided to write. Their prayers were answered and so were mine.

The fact you found this site is a miracle itself because when I started on my older site, there were not many people doing this work. Now it is crowded and they managed to use social media to promote their sites. 

While I admit I am a bit jealous of them, the goal was to change the outcome and help people heal. I could overcome that jealousy because they are reaching more people than I ever could.

I remember what it was like when I just started to learn about all of this in 1982. I was lost and felt all alone. We didn't have computers back then, so I had to go to the library to learn. When I finally discovered that I was not alone, it was a miracle to me. Still the people who wrote the books I learned from will never know how much they helped me or the others I helped over the years, or the others they helped.

Is God asking you to deliver a miracle or leading you to find what you are looking for?

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD 

Miracles Out Of Nowhere

Kansas

On a crystal morning I can see the dewdrops falling

Down from a gleaming heaven, I can hear the voices call

When you comin' home now, son, the world is not for you

Tell me what's your point of view

Hey there Mister Madman, what'cha know that I don't know

Tell me some crazy stories, let me know who runs this show

Glassy-eyed and laughing, he turns and walks away

Tell me what made you that way

Here I am just waiting for a sign

Asking questions, learning all the time

It's always here, it's always there

It's just love, and miracles out of nowhere

Tell me now dear mother, what's it like to be so old

Children grown and leavin', seems the world is growin' cold

And though your body's ailin' you

Your mind is just like new

Tell me where you're goin' to

Here I am just waiting for a sign

Asking questions, learning all the time

It's always here, it's always there

It's just love, and miralces out of nowhere

It's so simple right before your eyes

If you'll look through this disguise

It's always here, it's always there

It's just love and miracles out of nowhere

I sang this song a hundred, maybe a thousand years ago

No one ever listens, I just play and then I go

Off into the sunset like the western heroes do

Tell me what you're gonna do

Here I am, I'm sure to see a sign

All my life I knew that it was mine

It's always here, it's always there

It's just love and miracles out of nowhere

Flash Lyrics 

If you need to see them perform,,,,

The pep talk you need to give "you"

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 19, 2021

When I was young, I was a jock...and a klutz. Never a good combination but I loved to do several things. My favorite was swimming. I swam a mile a night, then worked at the YMCA as a lifeguard. I remember listening to a swim coach giving his pep talk to the opposing team.

He looked every single one of them in the eye and said things to them, they ended up telling themselves.

If you have someone telling you they believe in you, then you end up believing in yourself. Isn't it time for you to start doing it because you do believe you can?

Tell yourself you can heal PTSD and then you'll find a way to do it. There is an abundance of resources online for you to find and in your own community. 

Listen to the video for today and then listen to the featured video by Des'ree You Got To Be.

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD

You Gotta Be

Des'ree 

Listen as your day unfolds

Challenge what the future holds

Try and keep your head up to the sky

Lovers, they may cause you tears

Go ahead, release your fears

Stand up and be counted

Don't be ashamed to cry

You gotta be

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Herald what your mother said

Read the books your father read

Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time

Some may have more cash than you

Others take a different view

My oh my, eh, eh, eh

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Time asks no questions, it goes on without you

Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace

The world keeps on spinning

Can't stop it if you tried to

The best part is danger staring you in the face, oh

Remember, listen as your day unfolds

Challenge what the future holds

Try and keep your head up to the sky

Lovers, they may cause you tears

Go ahead release your fears

My oh my, eh, eh, eh

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Yeah, yeah, yeah

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Yeah-yeah

Got to be bold

Got to be bad

Got to be wise

Do what others say

Got to be hard

Not too too hard

All I know is love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Des'ree Weekes / Ashley Ingram

You Gotta Be lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd. 

we will get by we will survive

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 18, 2021

This morning I had a tune in my head and just a few words of a song, "we will get by we will survive."
At first I thought it was the name of the song. Apparently, a lot of people must have thought the same thing beause when I used Google to search for it, it had a differnt name. Touch Of Grey by Grateful Dead came up.

I didn't remember who sang it, but I rememberd how that song made me feel. I didn't remember the lyrics, other than that simple message about surviving, but I remember how it changed my frame of mind.

We tend to do that as simple humans. We may not remember who gave us hope when we needed it, but we remember how it felt to feel it again. We may not remember what someone said that changed our day, but the next time we see that person, we smile. We may not even remember how many people came to help us survive what caused PTSD, but we sure do remember what it was like when help showed up when we needed it the most.

When you watch the video, there is a something in it that reminded me of what it can be like living with PTSD. Without giving the video away, during their concert, they change from being one way, into another, and then back to the way they were before. Having PTSD can be like that too. You go from life as you knew it, to changing and maybe feeling like you're not totally alive. Maybe you need to hide your pain? But when you heal, you go back to enjoying life again. Much like the crowd enjoyed seeing their faces.

You can deliver a message of doom and gloom to others or you can give them one of "we will get by...we will survive" and then help them get there. My bet is you'll take the second option because you not only remember how they felt, you also remember what it was like to find hope and heal!

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD 

Touch of Grey

Grateful Dead

Must be getting early clocks are running late

Faint light of the morning sky looks so phony

Dawn is breaking everywhere

Light a candle curse the glare

Draw the curtains I don't care 'cause it's alright

I will get by I will get by

I will get by I will survive

I see you've got your fist out say your piece and get out

Yes I get the gist of it but it's alright

Sorry that you feel that way the only there is to say

Every silver lining's got a touch of grey

I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive

It's a lesson to me the eagles and the beggars and the seas

The ABC's we all must face try to keep a little grace

It's a lesson to me the deltas and the east and the freeze

The ABC's we all think of and try to win a little love

I know the rent is in arrears the dog has not been fed in years

It's even worse than it appears but it's alright

Cow's giving kerosene, kid can't read at seventeen

The words he knows are all obscene but it's alright

I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive

The shoe is on the hand that fits, there's really nothing much to it

Whistle through your teeth and spit 'cause it's alright

Oh well a touch of grey kinda suits you anyway

And that was all I had to say and it's alright

I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive

We will get by we will get by we will get by we will survive

We will get by we will get by we will get by we will survive

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jerome J. Garcia / Robert C. Christie Hunter

Touch of Grey lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc 

"It's like a different way of living now"

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 17, 2021

"Can't you feel a brand new day?" That is how it feels to heal. A brand new day! Today the featured video is from the WIZ, A Brand New Day with Diana Ross.  When you survived whatever caused PTSD to hit you, you had a brand new day, but maybe it wasn't a happy one. I know it wasn't for me because I had a lot of things I had to deal with afterwards. Mostly, I was questioning why I survived. The thing is, I did heal and rejoiced when that better brand new day came. So can you.

In the end of this video, the factory workers are taking off their masks. It is time for you to do it too. If you feel as if you have had to hide what is going on inside of you, there is no need to cover it up anymore. It is time to find the help you need to heal because happiness is there for you to find.

You won't find it waiting for Dorothy or the Fairy Godmother to show up. You can't click your heals and end up there. You have to go looking for it and then you can have a whole new brand new day when you are happier!

 

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD 

A Brand New Day

Diana Ross

From The Wiz 

Everybody look around

'Cause there's a reason to rejoice you see

Everybody come out

And let's commence to singing joyfully

Everybody look up

And feel the hope that we've been waiting for

Everybody's glad

Because our silent fear and dread is gone

Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully

Just look about

You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad

Because the sun is shining just for us

Everybody wake up

Into the morning into happiness

Hello world

It's like a different way of living now

And thank you world

We always knew that we'd be free somehow

In harmony

And show the world that we've got liberty

It's such a change

For us to live so independently

Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully

Just look about

You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad

Because the sun is shining just for us

Everybody wake up

Into the morning into happiness

Hello world

It's like a different way of living now

And thank you world

We always knew that we'd be free somehow

In harmony

And show the world that we've got liberty

It's such a change

For us to live so independently

Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully

Just look about

You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Luther R. Vandross

A Brand New Day lyrics © Wb Music Corp.