PTSD Support Thread

[SinfulGuillotine]

Corinthian_Vagabond

SinfulGuillotine

Well, see, my defence mechanism is not to take anything seriously. It's a lot more fun to laugh about something than it is to cry about it, so I much prefer to think of my misfortunes as some sort of cosmic punchline. But it's also what I do to avoid really dealing with the problem, and to make it less obvious to others that I'm avoiding the problem. To some degree, I think it's been helpful. It allows me to talk about uncomfortable subjects while maintaining a safe emotional distance, but after a certain point, it does begin to hinder real healing.

Also, probably because of all that, I personally feel that absolutely no subject is off-limits to joke about. Not because I don't realise the gravity of "srs bsns" subjects, but just because a lot of things are easier to talk about and think about when you don't take them too seriously. I'm sure it can make me appear horrifically insensitive, though, especially if heard out of context by someone who doesn't know me.

Is it just mental health professionals and strangers you do this with? Or is it the same way with your closefriends/lovers?

Oh, I do it with everyone, but I think I'm generally more likely to do it, or at least not consciously realise I'm doing it when I'm uncomfortable or uneasy about something.

(And I'm totally going to reply to your PMs, I haven't forgotten, it's just that every time I've sat down to do it, I've gotten distracted and wandered off.)

[sledbubble]

Trials and Tribulations

So, what was the exact trauma for you guys?

Multiple times of being manipulated into sex along with a few times of forced rape.

[Satanic PandaCakes]

Trials and Tribulations

So, what was the exact trauma for you guys?

That's a bit... blunt.

[MagicalPorpoise]

SinfulGuillotine

Oh, I do it with everyone, but I think I'm generally more likely to do it, or at least not consciously realise I'm doing it when I'm uncomfortable or uneasy about something.

(And I'm totally going to reply to your PMs, I haven't forgotten, it's just that every time I've sat down to do it, I've gotten distracted and wandered off.)

Lol it's cool. You have a life outside gaia. I'm in no hurry for anything. I've just been posting everywhere on gaia and DA cause I'm bored out of my stupid skull from being unemployed.

[SinfulGuillotine]

Corinthian_Vagabond

SinfulGuillotine

Oh, I do it with everyone, but I think I'm generally more likely to do it, or at least not consciously realise I'm doing it when I'm uncomfortable or uneasy about something.

(And I'm totally going to reply to your PMs, I haven't forgotten, it's just that every time I've sat down to do it, I've gotten distracted and wandered off.)

Lol it's cool. You have a life outside gaia. I'm in no hurry for anything. I've just been posting everywhere on gaia and DA cause I'm bored out of my stupid skull from being unemployed.

Oh man, I think I'd totally lose my s**t if I was unemployed. Practical responsibilities are the only things that keep my feet on the ground. I don't do so well without structure.

[CatMamaJazz]

I was officially diagnosed with PTSD caused by repetitive traumatic events involving my drug addict/alcoholic mother (who even though she's dead still affects me every blasted day with what she did) - verbal and emotional and mental abuse along with severe overprotective behavior and social deprivation.

I'm stuck between being overwhelmed by the fact that I finally have a diagnosis and can get therapy to learn how to cope and scared of what I have to reveal to my psychologist in order to try to get through all of this.

I will be checking out some of the books listed on the first page, hopefully they will help me deal with this a bit better than I am already. I cried over this entire thing earlier and may still do so again. I'm just not sure what to think of it yet. I had a feeling that PTSD was a big part of what was going on but now that it's concrete, I feel very lost. anyone else feel this way when they were first diagnosed?

[SinfulGuillotine]

jazzycola

I was officially diagnosed with PTSD caused by repetitive traumatic events involving my drug addict/alcoholic mother (who even though she's dead still affects me every blasted day with what she did) - verbal and emotional and mental abuse along with severe overprotective behavior and social deprivation.

I'm stuck between being overwhelmed by the fact that I finally have a diagnosis and can get therapy to learn how to cope and scared of what I have to reveal to my psychologist in order to try to get through all of this.

I will be checking out some of the books listed on the first page, hopefully they will help me deal with this a bit better than I am already. I cried over this entire thing earlier and may still do so again. I'm just not sure what to think of it yet. I had a feeling that PTSD was a big part of what was going on but now that it's concrete, I feel very lost. anyone else feel this way when they were first diagnosed?

Honestly? I think I was mostly relieved when I was diagnosed. I'd been dealing with it for so long on my own that learning that my particular flavour of crazy was actually a thing that happened to people, other people and not just me, was kind of a breath of fresh air.

It wasn't that I'd never heard of PTSD. I had. But I mostly associated it with combat veterans, so it didn't really cross my mind as something that could or would affect me. I thought I was just crazy, or weak, or both.

I'm sorry about your mum. I can't stand those types of personalities now, as an adult, so I can't imagine how it must have been to grow up around that.

Try not to let the diagnosis overwhelm you. Try to see it as a good thing: You have to identify the problem before you can know how to fix it. It's not a death sentence, and generally life with any mental illness starts to get better, or at least less scary and confusing, once you've been diagnosed and started treatment. I'd say you next step is probably finding a therapist you mesh well with, if you haven't already.

And feel free to use this little corner of cyberspace as much as you'd like. smile

[tisumie]

I thought i saw my ex today as i was waitng for the bus with my mom after we came out of the Doctors it wasn't him but it still scary just the thought of running in to my abuser sad i hate going to the doctors now because my abuser lives in that area and i really don't want to run into him.

[Petrograd]

Feeling sick. Ive had rough week or two (because Im starting a new odd shifts job). Today I had an unemployment course meeting. Id only managed to sleep two hours.

The meeting was going okay - I had some bad thoughts but it was managable.

Then with like 20 minutes left I heard what sounded like hammering followed by barely audible drilling noises. I thought it being barely audible would make it less triggering... guess not.

I tried to withstand it, not wanting to draw attention to myself. I made it through the meeting but it wasnt worth it.

Upside: I know my limits better.
Downside: I feel unwell right now.

[SinfulGuillotine]

Petrograd

Feeling sick. Ive had rough week or two (because Im starting a new odd shifts job). Today I had an unemployment course meeting. Id only managed to sleep two hours.

The meeting was going okay - I had some bad thoughts but it was managable.

Then with like 20 minutes left I heard what sounded like hammering followed by barely audible drilling noises. I thought it being barely audible would make it less triggering... guess not.

I tried to withstand it, not wanting to draw attention to myself. I made it through the meeting but it wasnt worth it.

Upside: I know my limits better.
Downside: I feel unwell right now.

I'm sorry to hear that. sad

I wish I had some advice. I don't really have any sound-related triggers (besides people yelling), so I don't really have any worthwhile insight on how to deal with it. It's good that you managed to make it through the meeting, although it sucks that doing to made you feel so shitty.

[Petrograd]

SinfulGuillotine

I'm sorry to hear that. sad

I wish I had some advice. I don't really have any sound-related triggers (besides people yelling), so I don't really have any worthwhile insight on how to deal with it. It's good that you managed to make it through the meeting, although it sucks that doing to made you feel so shitty.

Thanks =)

Usually I do okay strategy wise. It helps not having to feel so alone in it, so thanks for that =)

[Petrograd]

tisumie

I thought i saw my ex today as i was waitng for the bus with my mom after we came out of the Doctors it wasn't him but it still scary just the thought of running in to my abuser sad i hate going to the doctors now because my abuser lives in that area and i really don't want to run into him.

Comfies on your experience.

Is there any other hospital you can go to nearby?

I would hate to go there too D:

[unstable ghost]

four strokes and i refuse to acknowledge my emtional and psychological damage

[fallen_death_angel13]

This may be a silly question but... can Ptsd come months after the tramatic event once you start feeling slightly normal again? I ask because I'm a little concerned about having Ptsd after Super Storm Sandy. When it happened I tried to numb myself out and pretend everything was ok though obviously it wasnt. Our house was destroyed along with almost everything we owned, we had been living with family across the state who basically threw us out on a whim (which maade me feel more isolated and bitter to a point of hatred against them) then we ended up in a tiny apartment for around 4 months where we waited for our house to get rebuilt to livable again.. The thing is I would break down crying at random times, I would have nightmares about losing everything again and I've lived in a fog since just going with the motions and no thought to anything... my emotions aren't the same. I feel very distant and alone, I feel though I've gotten cold towards other peoples feelings because I'm preoccupied with guarding my own a** and my familys from ever going through it all again... Somedays I just wake up in a deep depression with images in my mind of everything I had seen and feel paranoid with rain and flooding. I've suffered from severe depression and anxiety issues prior to this so I'm not sure if its that or signs of ptsd.... (Im extremely sorry if I come off as a crybaby)

[Petrograd]

fallen_death_angel13

This may be a silly question but... can Ptsd come months after the tramatic event once you start feeling slightly normal again? I ask because I'm a little concerned about having Ptsd after Super Storm Sandy. When it happened I tried to numb myself out and pretend everything was ok though obviously it wasnt. Our house was destroyed along with almost everything we owned, we had been living with family across the state who basically threw us out on a whim (which maade me feel more isolated and bitter to a point of hatred against them) then we ended up in a tiny apartment for around 4 months where we waited for our house to get rebuilt to livable again.. The thing is I would break down crying at random times, I would have nightmares about losing everything again and I've lived in a fog since just going with the motions and no thought to anything... my emotions aren't the same. I feel very distant and alone, I feel though I've gotten cold towards other peoples feelings because I'm preoccupied with guarding my own a** and my familys from ever going through it all again... Somedays I just wake up in a deep depression with images in my mind of everything I had seen and feel paranoid with rain and flooding. I've suffered from severe depression and anxiety issues prior to this so I'm not sure if its that or signs of ptsd.... (Im extremely sorry if I come off as a crybaby)

You come off as a surprisingly collected individual considering what you've been through.

Yes, PTSD can come months, or years, after a traumatic event.

The things you're describing can all be symptoms of PTSD - numbing yourself out and living in a fog (those are disassociation), unpredictable crying, nightmares, depression etc.

Your traumatic event really sounds like the kind of trauma that can cause PTSD. Are you talking to any therapist about your severe depression/anxiety? You could try to talk to them about the possibility of PTSD too.

(On a side note, regardless of if you have a diagnosis or not you're welcome to hang out here if you think it could help you and/or us biggrin )