u/Upset-Nerve2402

Hi! Currently scheduled for surgery to repair loose, chronically scarred/thickened ligaments (ATFL/CFL) and chondromalacia in my tibiotalar joint (w no OCD lesion) in a few months after failing conservative treatment and being in daily pain. I've had hand surgery before, but nothing involving lower extremities / my ankle so I'm a bit nervous about recovery :,)

This being said, I was wondering if anyone has any post-op recovery recs or must-have items that they found beneficial? I'm trying to do research and order any items that might be useful or that might take a bit to come in. Also, any tips or insight on the recovery process would be super helpful ~ I've been trying to read about people's experiences online and have found it incredibly informative!

As someone with diagnosed OCD, I've learned today that my intense "fear" of being perceived as shoplifting for the past year is actually tied into my OCD.

I'm just frustrated since it's been causing me to avoid getting out of the house and going to certain stores with security cameras that could "misinterpret my intentions" – it's embarrassing knowing logically how irrational it is yet being so convinced that my perception is the reality of the situation.

I don't steal, I don't shoplift, I'm not that type of person, yet my OCD brain has convinced otherwise. I guess I'm just frustrated and embarrassed that it didn't click as OCD until now.

For those of you with recurrent ankle sprains, daily pain, pretty bad swelling at the end of the day, and chronic instability – BUT with "normal" MRI results, what did you end up doing for pain/treatment?

For context: I've also done PT multiple times (and am currently in PT) and elevate pretty much daily – the ankle pain and instability started after a bad ankle sprain over a year ago.

I had an MRI a week ago and results just showed minor swelling, scarred ligaments (ATFL, CFL), and minor tenosynovitis (small tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, peroneal tendon sheath effusions). I have a follow-up in a few days, but my care team and I were pretty sure based on pain/symptoms I had a possible undetected ligament tear.

I guess I'm just frustrated and at a loss as to why I'm in so much pain and wondering if I just need to push through the pain and it'll go away eventually?

Does anyone else go through phases throughout the week where they feel super extroverted and energized and ready to tackle the world, and then suddenly feel super socially drained and tired?

I'm not sure if I'm just utilizing my energy reserves or something when I get the urge to yap and text and talk, but it comes in waves? Sometimes I feel ready to yap away and have the motivation to respond to all my text messages, while other times I'm just not interested in responding to people and feel socially withdrawn. It's weird? I'm introverted at heart, so when I do get the surge of motivation to respond, I definitely take advantage of it.

Just curious if it's at all related to ADHD or if it could be something else? How do you cope with this, or space out your socializing?

Getting an MRI this week after repeated ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability for the past year and a half. Despite multiple rounds of PT, pain management, and strengthening exercises, my ankle still constantly swells with minimal activity and stays at a constant 3-4 in pain. Past few x-rays were normal, initial ankle sprain a year and a half ago was fairly bad (bruised, very swollen, hard to walk).

If anyone has had similar issues, I'm curious if you've had an MRI and what it showed? Did your treatment plan change after seeing the results?

Just had a shitty experience at a flea market – won't go into full detail, but I basically got scolded by a woman multiple times at her booth and then (almost) scammed when she proceeded to try and charge me double the cost of the item I wanted to purchase. I was super nice and apologetic at first, but realized by the end of the interaction she was just being rude to me?

I haven't been THAT upset by a social interaction in a while, and ended up walking away and moving to the side in tears. I couldn't calm myself down, and ended up spending almost an hour sobbing on the corner of the market before calling my parents crying. I eventually calmed down enough to drive home.

I'm still in tears typing this even after a few hours later... logically, I know that we were probably both in the wrong at some capacity and I could have stood my ground more or even walked away when she was initially scolding me, but for some reason I defaulted to shutting down and fawning. I can't stop crying thinking about the interaction and I have no idea why. It really wasn't THAT upsetting in the moment, if anything it was just shocking?

Post-interaction, I'm still struggling to deal with my emotions. I've tried healthy distractions, venting, and breathing – nothing has really worked. It's so embarrassing and I feel so much shame around not being able to control my emotions around criticism, feedback, etc.? Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with RSD?

EDIT – I'm not sure if this is RSD or just an emotional trigger? For context, I'm diagnosed with ADHD(PI) and am on meds, as well as cPTSD (also on meds). :,)

For context, I have cPTSD from recurrent CSA in adolescence and initially refused to take meds for sleep, thinking I could tough it out and push through it. Unfortunately, I've realized that despite years of trauma therapy, sleep is still a significant struggle for me. I still have recurrent nightmares and vivid disturbing dreams pretty much nightly.

I was recently began taking Prazosin (1mg) a few days ago. I haven't really noticed a change, but am planning to increase to 2mg in a few days.

Is anyone currently taking Prazosin, and when did you notice a change? What dosage are you currently on?

Being in trauma therapy has brought up so many repressed memories, feelings, emotions, and thoughts that I've subconsciously kept stored away – they've all come flooding back in the past few days. As someone with (c)PTSD, I'm struggling to cope with the influx of new information and don't know what to do or who to turn to.

Ever since these memories have popped up, I've felt so physically and emotionally drained – functioning as a human feels almost impossible. When I finally think that's the end of the memories, more keep appearing or details of older memories become clearer and I'm left feeling so raw and gross. I feel like a shell of a human being and have honestly never felt worse.

I've exhausted all of my containment exercises that I've resourced in therapy and grounding can only get so far? I honestly don't know what to do, obviously getting clarity has been somewhat helpful and I know in the long term it'll be super beneficial to heal from, but I also don't know how many more repressed memories I can take until I completely fall apart. How do I stop the memories from popping up... i'm honestly so desperate i feel sick

Finally getting back into EMDR and reprocessing for childhood trauma after taking a year hiatus and post-EMDR session have been much harder than usual.

I thought I would be more prepared and less impacted since I've done reprocessing in the past before :( Maybe it's because I'm more in tune with my body and I have less life-stressors at the moment? Or I'm (subconsciously) actually ready to work through it now? But I feel like I'm actually fully processing my trauma during each session and afterwards and it's... a lot. Is this how EMDR should have felt more like the first few times I've done it?

I've done EMDR with a different therapists before and it didn't really seem to go anywhere (major dissociation would pop up during reprocessing or I just wouldn't feel in touch with the memory). However, I did feel like my SUDS of specific (more minor) events we targeted did eventually go down with time and talk therapy – just not with EMDR itself.

Logically, I know it'll be worth it in the long-run and will be so incredibly healing. But, I'm also struggling significant post-session – it's like I can feel my brain/body processing what actually happened and it's scary? Like many people, I've tried so hard to shove down all my trauma and promised myself I'd never think or talk about it, so bringing it up again and again has been rough, even though logically I know therapy is a safe place. This being said, I don't think it's distressing to an unhealthy extent and I don't think I'm out of my window of tolerance (at least... I don't think so?) – it's just weird and exhausting to actually feel the emotions and to finally begin processing it all.

I guess I just want to know if this is normal and if this is actually what EMDR is supposed to feel like... and if things will get better :,)

For those who have had providers utilize the "floatback" technique during EMDR to help identify your earliest memory / touchstone (or that is a provider who incorporates this into your practice), how was your experience with it / what is it like?

I've done EMDR in the past with different talk therapists before (targeting a very specific memory), but i've never done the floatback technique before. As someone with complex PTSD, I generally have a pretty rough few days following EMDR reprocessing sessions and need to plan my week accordingly.

This being said, I was wondering how bad the floatback aftermath is, and if it feels similar to the aftermath of an EMDR reprocessing session? Just trying to brace myself for the worst and wanted to get a general gist of what to expect after physically / emotionally – I'm not sure if I need to space out time post session or if it'll just be like any other therapy session.

Any insight would be appreciated! :,)